Ishtar
Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the CIA, the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying to overthrow his regime.
The film box office disappointment against its moderate budget of $51.0M, earning $14.4M globally (-72% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its compelling narrative within the action genre.
1 win & 3 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Ishtar (1987) showcases strategically placed story structure, characteristic of Elaine May's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 47 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.6, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Chuck Clarke
Lyle Rogers
Shirra Assel
Jim Harrison
Main Cast & Characters
Chuck Clarke
Played by Dustin Hoffman
An optimistic but talentless songwriter who dreams of making it big in show business.
Lyle Rogers
Played by Warren Beatty
Chuck's equally untalented songwriting partner, more anxious and neurotic about their musical career.
Shirra Assel
Played by Isabelle Adjani
A mysterious woman who draws the duo into dangerous political intrigue in Morocco.
Jim Harrison
Played by Charles Grodin
A CIA agent operating in Morocco who manipulates the hapless songwriters.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Chuck and Lyle awkwardly write terrible songs together in a cramped apartment, completely oblivious to their lack of talent. Their friendship is strong but their musical abilities are non-existent.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Their agent Marty reluctantly books them a gig in Ishtar, a dangerous Middle Eastern country. It's their first real booking, representing hope for their failing careers.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Chuck and Lyle board the plane to Ishtar, actively choosing to leave safety behind and enter a dangerous foreign world where they are completely out of their depth., moving from reaction to action.
At 53 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Chuck and Lyle discover they've become pawns in an international incident involving a map to rebel territories. The stakes escalate from career concerns to life-and-death danger. False defeat: their innocent adventure turns deadly serious., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Chuck and Lyle are separated in the desert, each believing the other has betrayed him. Their friendship, the core of their identity, appears dead. Lost, alone, and facing execution, they hit rock bottom., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Chuck and Lyle reunite and choose loyalty to each other over self-preservation. They gain clarity: their terrible singing doesn't matter, what matters is their friendship. They commit to facing danger together., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Ishtar's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Ishtar against these established plot points, we can identify how Elaine May utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Ishtar within the action genre.
Elaine May's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Elaine May films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Ishtar takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Elaine May filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots and Venom: The Last Dance. For more Elaine May analyses, see The Heartbreak Kid, A New Leaf.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Chuck and Lyle awkwardly write terrible songs together in a cramped apartment, completely oblivious to their lack of talent. Their friendship is strong but their musical abilities are non-existent.
Theme
Agent Marty Freed tells them bluntly that they have no talent, foreshadowing the theme of delusion versus reality and whether friendship can survive truth.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Chuck and Lyle's delusional world: their terrible songwriting sessions, failed auditions, strained personal relationships, and desperate attempts to break into show business despite having no discernible talent.
Disruption
Their agent Marty reluctantly books them a gig in Ishtar, a dangerous Middle Eastern country. It's their first real booking, representing hope for their failing careers.
Resistance
Preparation for the Ishtar trip: Chuck and Lyle navigate their fear of international travel, say goodbye to their lives in New York, and debate whether this dangerous gig is worth the risk.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Chuck and Lyle board the plane to Ishtar, actively choosing to leave safety behind and enter a dangerous foreign world where they are completely out of their depth.
Mirror World
Lyle meets Shirra Assel, a beautiful revolutionary, who represents the exotic danger and romance of this new world. She will test his loyalty to Chuck and expose deeper themes of trust.
Premise
The fun of incompetent Americans in a spy thriller: Chuck and Lyle bumble through Ishtar, unknowingly become involved in espionage, get pursued by the CIA and local forces, all while trying to perform their terrible act.
Midpoint
Chuck and Lyle discover they've become pawns in an international incident involving a map to rebel territories. The stakes escalate from career concerns to life-and-death danger. False defeat: their innocent adventure turns deadly serious.
Opposition
Chuck and Lyle are hunted across the desert by multiple factions. Shirra drives a wedge between them. Their friendship strains as survival instincts and romantic interest create conflict. The CIA, local government, and rebels all close in.
Collapse
Chuck and Lyle are separated in the desert, each believing the other has betrayed him. Their friendship, the core of their identity, appears dead. Lost, alone, and facing execution, they hit rock bottom.
Crisis
Separated and facing death, both Chuck and Lyle reflect on what truly matters. Each realizes that their friendship is more important than success, romance, or even survival. Dark night of confusion and regret.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Chuck and Lyle reunite and choose loyalty to each other over self-preservation. They gain clarity: their terrible singing doesn't matter, what matters is their friendship. They commit to facing danger together.
Synthesis
Chuck and Lyle use their unique incompetence as strength, outwitting their pursuers through sheer unpredictability. They resolve the international crisis, save Shirra, and escape Ishtar together, friendship intact.
Transformation
Back in New York, Chuck and Lyle perform their terrible songs again, but now with acceptance and joy. They've learned that success isn't the point—their friendship and commitment to their dream, however delusional, is what defines them.