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Michael Ritchie
Director 1938 - 2001

Michael Ritchie

Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Michael Brunswick Ritchie (November 28, 1938 - April 16, 2001) was an American film director. Ritchie was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the son of Patricia (née Graney) and Benbow Ferguson Ritchie. His family later moved to Berkeley,... Read full bio →

Directed Films

Every film this person directed

17 titles
A Simple Wish

A Simple Wish

Michael Ritchie 1997 1h 29m 5.0

A bumbling fairy godfather tries to grant a girl's wish that her cabbie father lands a Broadway role.

The Scout

The Scout

Michael Ritchie 1994 1h 41m 4.5

When his star recruit botches a Major League Baseball debut, humiliated talent scout Al Percolo gets banished to rural Mexico, where he finds a potential gold mine in the arm of young phenom Steve Nebraska. Soon, the New York Yankees put a $55 million contract on the table—provided a psychiatrist can affirm Nebraska's mental stability.

Cops and Robbersons

Cops and Robbersons

Michael Ritchie 1994 1h 33m 4.0

Hard-as-nails cop, Jake Stone moves in with the Robbersons so he can watch a hitman who has moved in next door. The Hitman is one thing—but can you survive the Robberson family.

Diggstown

Diggstown

Michael Ritchie 1992 1h 38m

Gabriel Caine has just been released from prison when he sets up a bet with a business man. The business man owns most of a boxing-mad town called Diggstown. The bet is that Gabe can find a boxer that will knock out 10 Diggstown men, in a boxing ring, within 24 hours. "Honey" Roy Palmer is that man - although at 48, many say he is too old.

Fletch Lives

Fletch Lives

Michael Ritchie 1989 1h 35m 3.5

Fletch is a fish out of water in small-town Louisiana, where he's checking out a tumbledown mansion he's inherited. When a woman he flirts with turns up dead, he becomes a suspect and must find the killer and clear his name.

Wildcats

Wildcats

Michael Ritchie 1986 1h 46m 6.5

Molly is a high school track coach who knows just as much about football as anyone else on the planet. When the football coach's position becomes vacant, she applies for the job, despite expecting sniggers from fellow staff members and her former husband.

The Golden Child

The Golden Child

Michael Ritchie 1986 1h 34m 5.9

Eddie Murphy is a detective who lost children. He is told he is the 'Chosen one' who will find and protect the Golden Child, a Buddhist mystic who was kidnapped by a sorcerer.

Fletch

Fletch

Michael Ritchie 1985 1h 38m 6.3

Fletch is an ace reporter. While working on a story on Drug sales, he is approached by Alan Stanwyck who wants Fletch to murder him to save him from a lingering cancer death. Fletch begins to nose around and finds irregularities in Stanwyck's past and Underhill's Visa Number.

The Survivors

The Survivors

Michael Ritchie 1983 1h 43m 5.7

Having both lost their jobs, two strangers become unlikely friends after a run in with a would be robber, who is actually a hitman with a grudge against the two.

Student Bodies

Student Bodies

Mickey Rose, Michael Ritchie 1981 1h 26m 6.0

This zany send-up of teen slasher flicks features a maniacal psycho known as the Breather, who stalks –and murders– promiscuous students at a suburban high school. The fanatical killer's unusual weapons include paper clips, blackboard erasers and eggplants.

The Island

The Island

Michael Ritchie 1980 1h 54m

David Warner leads a band of modern day pirates who raid yachts and sail boats of people on vacation out in the Caribbean. Michael Caine is a reporter who goes out there with his son to investigate the mystery of the disappearing boats. He runs across Warner and his band of raiders and they decide to induct them into their tribe.

Semi-Tough

Semi-Tough

Michael Ritchie 1977 1h 48m

A three-way friendship between two free-spirited professional football players and the owner's daughter becomes compromised when two of them become romantically involved.

The Bad News Bears

The Bad News Bears

Michael Ritchie 1976 1h 42m 7.0

An aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.

Smile

Smile

Michael Ritchie 1975 1h 53m

It's time again for California's "Young American Miss" beauty pageant, the biggest event of the year for Big Bob Freelander and Brenda DiCarlo, who give their all to put on a successful pageant. But Brenda is having marital difficulties and Bob's son is up to some mischief. Could this year's pageant be in jeopardy?

The Candidate

The Candidate

Michael Ritchie 1972 1h 50m 7.5

Bill McKay is a candidate for the U.S. Senate from California. He has no hope of winning, so he is willing to tweak the establishment.

Prime Cut

Prime Cut

Michael Ritchie 1972 1h 28m 7.5

A Chicago mob enforcer is sent to Kansas City to settle a debt with a cattle rancher who not only grinds his enemies into sausage, but sells women as sex slaves.

Downhill Racer

Downhill Racer

Michael Ritchie 1969 1h 41m 7.3

Downhill Racer was a 1969 film directed by American director Michael Ritchie in his film debut. A drama about ski racing, it starred Robert Redford and Gene Hackman.

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