goofonaroof Though Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor were first teamed together in 1976's Silver Streak, it was not necessarily a pairing as Pryor didn't appear until 45 minutes into the movie, but this film showcases the actors' true comedic talents. Wilder and Pryor are Skip Donahue and Harry Monroe, are two out-of-work losers in NYC who decide to start a new life out in California. Along the way, their van breaks down in Phoenix, Arizona and decide to become mascots for a local bank to drum up extra cash before continuing their trip, but two bank robbers steal their costumes and rob the bank, leaving Slip and Harry to take the blame. The two are sentenced to 125 years in prison as their useless lawyer tries to research the case more carefully. Harry and Skip find that the prison surroundings are very difficult and as they are constantly abused (verbally and physically) by the scowling guards and the inmates. The warden, however, gains sympathy for the two, providing Skip will ride in the annual prison rodeo.The film itself, includes a lot of memorable moments, particularly the character of hulking inmate Grossberger, Pryor's mysterious appendix operation in the prison hospital, and the rodeo sequences itself.The film also includes early appearances by Barry Corbin as the warden, Craig T. Nelson as the gruff head prison guard, Joel Brooks as the boys' attorney Len Garber. JoBeth Williams as Len's comely social-worker cousin, and Jonathan Banks as a vicious fellow inmate that is given special treatment.Definitely one of the great Wilder/Pryor comedies.

SeriousJest Don't get me wrong, I love the bromance between Wilder and Pryor. They were both very charismatic in their films together, their comedic chemistry was synced up like the periods in a women's barracks, and they didn't rely on their differences in race to establish a masterfully balanced contrast. But, over time, the jokes that used to kill back in the 70s and 80s just don't have the same impact anymore.Also, is it just me, or is it a little unbelievable that a prison rodeo would draw the huge crowd seen in this film? I had similar thoughts during The Longest Yard, and I love football.This movie is amusing, and it's not bad background, but it's not worth dedicating an exclusive 2 hours to. On the other hand, I'm definitely going to try to incorporate "kiss the baby" into a future conversation.For more reviews and a kickass podcast, check out: www.livemancave.com

tavm Not having seen this in about 30 years, I didn't know if I'd still think Sidney Poitier's Stir Crazy was as funny as I originally thought it was. I just watched it again on Netflix Streaming and the answer is yes! I mean, from the set up beginning sequences with Richard Pryor as a waiter and Gene Wilder as a store detective, there's plenty of funny stuff here. By the time they get to prison, Pryor and Wilder try lots of crazy stuff that still got me in stitches especially when Richard's character has to deal with a gay inmate named Rory Schultebrand (Georg Standford Brown) who has a fancy for him. Fellow inmates Gene and Richard befriend include Jusus Ramirez (Miguel Angel Suavez) and Grossberger (Erland Van Lidth De Jeude). The latter doesn't talk but he does provide a nice singing voice that compliments Gene's in a later duet. Others they meet in the cell include Blade (Charles Weldon), Big Mean (Cedrick Hardman), his sidekick-Slowpoke (Grand L. Bush), and a guy who punches the former (Tony Burton). Outside of the jail are many now-familiar faces like Joel Brooks as lawyer Len Garber, JoBeth Williams as cousin Meredith, her future Poltergeist co-star Craig T. Nelson as deputy Ward Wilson, and Barry Corbin as warden Walter Beatty who has the distinction of appearing in two 1980 movies featuring the mechanical bull, the other being Urban Cowboy. Since this is Black History Month, I'd like to complete this review by citing three more African-American players other than Pryor, Brown, Weldon, Hardman, Bush, and Burton: Franklyn Ajaye-who previously appeared with Pryor in Car Wash-as a young man in hospital ward that accidentally got a nut cut off, Esther Sutherland as the cook Sissie in the beginning sequence, and Pamela Poitier-Sidney's daughter-as the cook's helper. So on that note, I highly recommend Stir Crazy. Oh, and I also noticed Luis Avalos-the guy named Chico who uses pliers for sinister purposes-from my childhood TV show, "The Electric Company" from the '70s.

JasonIK75 I really wanted to like this movie. For the most part I did, as there was a good mix of physical and verbal comedy. I remember thinking that, with the basic premise established in the first 20 minutes or so, they probably could have the whole thing be nonstop laughs for 90 minutes. Somewhere along the line, the writers sort of lost track of the jokes and the film ended up being much longer than it needed to be to tell the story. The last half-hour or so is pure plot without any reason to laugh. There are some very funny moments here, but, given the participants, there should have been more. It's Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor and they are stuck in a film that's too long and not funny enough to justify the running time.