Richard Pryor Movies

If you have never heard of Richard Pryor, you may be wondering what his best films are. His career began as a stand-up comedian and quickly evolved into a career as an actor and director. Pryor's observational humor and keen observation of human behavior helped him reach a broad audience. Among his many successful films, Car Wash, Harlem Nights, California Suite, and Brewster's Millions are all classics that will delight you.

Car Wash

Sully Boyar's Car Wash, set in a Los Angeles ghetto, is a slice of the American experience, albeit with a distinctly un-American vibe. The team is greeted by dozens of eccentric customers and cracks politically incorrect jokes, to the sound of disco and funk. Despite the esoteric jokes and the occasionally unfriendly customers, they are always grateful to have a job and make it through another day.

The car wash is a place of conflict, and the employees are constantly dealing with different characters. The owner, Mr. B, is flirtatious with Marsha to get her attention, while the employees are distracted by Professor Irwin Corey (Garrett Morris), who is sought by the police as a notorious "pop bottle bomber" whose urine sample is being used to target the car wash.

In the film, Richard Pryor plays a smooth-talking TV preacher, known as "Daddy Rich". He comes to the car wash with his gold 1974 Lincoln Continental stretch limousine, which features dollar sign fender flags. When he discovers a bird poop on his car, he pulls it into the car wash to fix the problem. The car wash employees are amazed by his wealth and startle him with their questionable attitudes.

A remake of the 1976 comedy classic CAR WASH is in the works. The remake will be directed by Michael Schultz and star Franklyn Ajaye, Irwin Corey, Ivan Dixon, Franklyn Adjaye, and Richard Pryor. Universal Pictures will oversee the production. In addition to Pryor, George Carlin, and The Pointer Sisters also star.

Harlem Nights

The critically-panned film Harlem Nights was directed by Eddie Murphy and stars Richard Pryor, Michael Lerner, Danny Aiello, Redd Foxx, and others. The story revolves around two Harlem nightclub owners, Sugar Ray and Vernest "Quick" Brown. They run a thriving nightclub and have to contend with gangsters and the law, and the movie explores the differences between the two worlds.

While working at a nightclub, Murphy meets a gangster who's been targeting the club's owner. He is an unrepentant thief, but his boss is a ruthless gangster. They're both on the lookout for a hefty sum of money, and Murphy's bumbum and bleached skin won't help them make the money they're looking for.

Fortunately, Quick meets a fellow gangster who helps him with his quest. In Harlem, he meets Sugar Ray, who has become his adopted father. Sugar Ray and Quick work together to run the most popular nightclub in the city. Meanwhile, a white mobster named Bugsy wants to shut down the club, so they conspire to make it happen. Quick is also drawn to Calhoune's gun-moll, who becomes his mistress.

California Suite

In this hilarious comedy, four separate scenarios play out in a hotel. A divorced couple argues over the custody of their daughter; an actress frets about getting an Oscar nomination; a gay man comes out of the closet; a businessman discovers a prostitute in bed; and two rival doctors settle their differences with a free-for-all tennis game. The wacky cast of characters is bound to leave audiences laughing and giggling.

In this comedy, a middle-aged businessman finds a prostitute in his bed. His brother Harry gave him the woman as an unexpected gift, and now he must try to hide his indiscretion from his wife Millie. He enlists the help of Dr. Chauncey Gump (Richard Pryor), Walter Matthau (Bill Cosby), and Sheila Frazier (Billie Roberts).

Brewster's Millions

Montgomery Brewster is a minor league pitcher who lost his job when he discovers that his great-uncle had just left him $300 million. Assigned with the task of spending the money in 30 days, Brewster must make sure to keep the money from going to charity and not keep any new assets after the time period is over. He is under the guidance of a paralegal named Angela Drake.

The movie follows Montgomery Brewster, a baseball player, who finds out that he has been left a sum of $300 million by his great-uncle. Montgomery must spend the money within the first 30 days of receiving it, while not revealing the real reason for his spending spree. During that time, he must pay his executor's fee, a $10 debt, and two dollars for cab fare. After his successful spending spree, he and Peggy marry before the justice of the peace. But the movie also makes a case for why the film failed to update the classic story.

The film was adapted from a 1902 novel by George Barr McCutcheon. It also starred Richard Pryor and John Candy. The film was remade in 1985 by Lawrence Gordon. It has become one of Richard Pryor movies and one of the most successful comedies of all time. This movie has earned Pryor many honors and accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Original Score.

The plot involves the inheritance of $300 million by a millionaire who has never earned more than $11,000 a year. He uses the money to rent an expensive hotel suite and hire personal assistants on exorbitant salaries. Then he decides to run for mayor of New York City and spends his money on a protest campaign. However, this causes many major candidates to file lawsuits against him and Brewster settles out of court for several million dollars.

Bustin' Loose

Foul-mouthed ex-con Joe Braxton is ordered by his parole officer Donald to escort a bus filled with special education students. Vivian Perry, a teacher of these students, wants to open a new school in the Pacific Northwest, and she needs a bus driver to help her. Joe struggles to complete his assignment while resisting his growing attraction to Vivian and the children.

This 1981 comedy is a far cry from the greats of the eighties, but it's a fun watch nonetheless. The film, produced by Richard Pryor and starring Gene Wilder, was a hit during its initial theatrical run, and Pryor's performance is worth mentioning. It's certainly no masterpiece, but it's definitely worth a viewing for an evening in front of the television.

Despite the crude language and vulgar ideas in this film, Pryor demonstrates a unique touch of dramatic flair, which adds to its appeal. It's worth noting that this film was even marketed with a Ku Klux Klan cover. The pyro child Anthony's tragic back story is a testament to his versatility. And the sexy actress Annie, a former child prostitute in Vietnam, has the right temperament for a movie like this.

The film is based on a true story: an ex-con is compelled by his parole officer Donald to escort a busload of special education students, including children. The job seems like a simple task, but Joe struggles to accomplish his mission and avoid falling in love with Vivian. As the children's needs grow, his love for him grows and he begins to feel a genuine connection with them.