Stripes_
"The story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy...and meet girls."
Hard-luck cabbie John Winger, directionless after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend, enlists in the U.S. Army with his close pal, Russell Ziskey. After his barely satisfactory performance in basic training, the irreverent Winger emerges as the figurehead for a ragtag band of misfits. However, his hijinks threaten to cause an international scandal when he inadvertently commandeers a military assault vehicle behind enemy lines.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Netflix
3 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Stripes earned $85.3M worldwide on a $10.0M budget — a 753% return on investment.
Ivan Reitman →
Year context
Stripes was released 45 years ago in 1981.
CAST (20)
Bill Murray
John Winger
Harold Ramis
Russell Ziskey
Warren Oates
Sgt. Hulka
P. J. Soles
Stella Hansen
Sean Young
Louise Cooper
John Candy
Dewey "Ox" Oxberger
John Larroquette
Capt. Stillman
John Voldstad
Stillman's Aid
John Diehl
Cruiser
Lance LeGault
Col. Glass
Roberta Leighton
Anita
Conrad Dunn
Francis "Psycho" Soyer
Judge Reinhold
Elmo
Antone Pagán
Hector
GJ
Glenn-Michael Jones
Leon
William Lucking
Recruiter
Fran Ryan
Dowager in Cab
Joe Flaherty
Border Guard
Nick Toth
Border Guard
Bill Paxton
Soldier
CREW
BOX OFFICE
$10.0M
Budget
$85.3M
Revenue
+753%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
STUDIOS (1)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
106 min (1h 46m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
6.6/10 (996 votes)
Popularity
6
Budget
$10,000,000
Box Office
$85,297,000
Profit
+$75,297,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Stripes about?
Hard-luck cabbie John Winger, directionless after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend, enlists in the U.S. Army with his close pal, Russell Ziskey. After his barely satisfactory performance in basic training, the irreverent Winger emerges as the figurehead for a ragtag band of misfits. However, his hijinks threaten to cause an international scandal when he inadvertently commandeers a military assault vehicle behind enemy lines.
How long is Stripes?
Stripes has a runtime of 106 minutes (1h 46m).
Who directed Stripes?
Stripes was directed by Ivan Reitman.
Who stars in Stripes?
The cast of Stripes includes Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, Sean Young.
How much did Stripes make at the box office?
Stripes earned $85,297,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $10,000,000.
What is the rating of Stripes?
Stripes has a rating of 6.6 out of 10 based on 996 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Action
Comedy
KEYWORDS (11)
date
ex-girlfriend
military spoof
training camp
private
army life
military training
army cadet
army training
war games
class clown