Scott LeBrun Richard Pryor makes the most of the situation in this 1982 comedy which some viewers could continue to find distasteful. He's Jack Brown, a broke writer, supposedly working on a book, who's also been trying to get a job on a newspaper. Since work is awful hard to come boy, he takes a job as a "cleaning lady", and while goofing around in a toy store one night, he's spotted by Eric Bates (Scott Schwartz), a spoiled brat son of a pompous zillionaire (Jackie Gleason). Eric's under the impression that he can help himself to anything as long as he has the money, so Jack is hired as a plaything for the boy.Based upon the French comedy "Le Jouet", it's understandable that one would wince at various indignities to which Pryor must be subjected. But he and his fellow comic talent Gleason are able to mine a fair amount of laughs from various scenes and lines. Pryor really is at his best when reacting to other characters, while Gleason is perfect as a man who lives with his own version of reality: because he has all the wealth and power, he can make others do whatever he wants them to. Young Schwartz is appealing as the kid who must learn the movies' blatantly stated "you don't buy friends, you EARN them" message.The whole cast is great, though: Ned Beatty as sniveling flunky Morehouse, Wilfrid Hyde- White as Barkley the butler, sexy Teresa Ganzel as Gleasons' air headed trophy wife # 3, and Annazette Chase as Jacks' activist girlfriend.While not always terribly funny, there are some good gags, such as Jack marching into supposedly piranha infested water and getting his clothes cut to ribbons. The evolving relationship between Jack and Eric really is the heart and soul of the movie, though. Gleasons' activities sort of get glossed over by the end, but we can see that he is also a father who does genuinely love his son and does want to make a connection with him.If you're a fan of Pryor or Gleason, you'll likely have a good time with this.Six out of 10.

TOMASBBloodhound Yes, this is a wrong-headed and awkward little farce, but the stars are fun to watch. The Toy is the story of Richard Pryor desperately needing a job and being hired first as a cleaning LADY, and then as a playmate for the spoiled son of a tycoon. Director Richard Donner is able to showcase the tough economic times of the early 1980s and even sprinkle a little social awareness in terms of race. However the basic plot of a black man being bought or rented by a rich white man is an easy target for the race-bating crowd. Despite some scenes that might make the viewer feel uneasy, there are still a few good laughs here. Pryor is always watchable, and Gleason was unable to work much after this film. He makes his character believable, though.The film suffers from a few problems, to say the least. Scott Schwarz is certainly whiny and annoying as the boy. Yes, he is supposed to be but his performance on many levels is grating. I like one line Pryor has about him when Gleason tells him he only gets the boy for one week each year. Pryor suggests that Gleason get some better lawyers, because nobody should have to put up with that kid for as long as a week! Ha! There are a couple of uncomfortable scenes regarding the boy's German nanny coming onto to Pryor. In one scene she asks if he is brown all over while feeling him up while he's wearing spider man pajamas! Ughh! There is also an embarrassing scene where the boy asks Pryor some pointed questions about sex, while straddling a huge old cannon at a park area. Ewww. Ned Beatty is forced to drop his pants in one scene, but its nothing as graphic as the scene in Deliverance.I loved the scene where a huge outdoor Klan fund raiser is disrupted by Pryor and the kid. Actually Pryor is funny in just about every scene. The big-chested trophy wife of Gleason has some funny moments, too. I guess if you just don't take it seriously, than that is the only way to watch it. Still not a classic, if nothing else, The Toy is a curiosity best enjoyed by die hard fans of Pryor and Gleason. 5 of 10 stars.The Hound.

elshikh4 It's nearly a shot-by-shot remake for the French masterpiece (Le Jouet - 1976); so much for saying I think !. (Richard Pryor) filled it with his own buffoonery, and some funny lines, but he couldn't capture the serious sense of the story, he almost dealt with the movie as a toy itself. He was a golden star at the moment, so maybe they left him do whatever he wants. Or maybe that's the taste of his comedy anyway. (Richard Donner) made it fairly but it's still one of his most spiritless movies that lacks the personal touch, he was executing more than creating at this break between the end of the 1970s' (Superman)'s movies, and his works at the mid-1980s : (Ladyhawke), (The Goonies), then (Lethal Weapon).Of course the comparison isn't for the sake of the American movie. Firstly, there are no changes, they kind of translated the French movie to American the way they translated le jouet to the toy ("The Toy" is what "Le Jouet" means in English). They only added a storyline about racism which suited (Pryor)'s character, and harmonized with the motif (as if slavery still exists, making the poor as the rich people's toy). And also, it utilized somehow the stepmother as a sexual toy herself. But overall nothing could reach to the original's special pace, or exceptional personality.(Donner), with the 2 scriptwriter, lacked the French director (Francis Veber)'s smart touches while he was transforming his own short story into feature film; for example, at (Le Jouet), the rich man's villa was dark, the silence worked powerfully more than the talking, and it didn't go to repeat the domino's fall, or show off the stepmother's body !. Let alone, how here the adult joking is ruling, there is a purposed kick out of hearing the boy says "Boob", or else familiar matters. (Patrick Williams)'s music was very cute, but not up to (Vladimir Cosma)'s tender memorable score. And nothing can imitate the original's end, which's one of the most touching and expressing cinematic endings I've ever seen.Have watched the original or not, this one is good, fresh and solid as an afternoon movie. In fact its good condition is a perfect proof of the original's beauty, though it's obvious that (The Toy) couldn't be as "unique" as (Le Jouet).

nerfball_king I saw this movie in the theatres when I was a kid. I knew I was maturing when I wanted to leave the theatre instead of enduring this trash. The movie is not funny, it's pacing is dull, and overall offensive for everyone. Particularly the most galling scene of the movie is at the very end, when Pryor is shot in the head with suction darts, then runs down the street at super-speed (a la Benny Hill).Do yourself a favor and avoid this turkey.