Stir Crazy Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Only these two pigeons could dress up as woodpeckers...
Two jailbirds who just want out of the cage.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor dress up as woodpeckers and get framed for robbing a bank... and when they discover that prison life is for the birds they go... Stir Crazy
Skip and Harry are framed for a bank robery and end up in a western prison. The two eastern boys are having difficulty adjusting to the new life until the warden finds that Skip has a natural tallent for riding broncos with the inter-prison rodeo coming up.
| Gene Wilder | Skip Donahue |
| Richard Pryor | Harry Monroe |
| Georg Stanford Brown | Rory Schultebrand |
| Miguel Ángel Suárez | Jesus Ramirez |
| Craig T. Nelson | Deputy Ward Wilson |
| Barry Corbin | Warden Walter Beatty |
| Charles Weldon | Blade |
| Nicolas Coster | Warden Henry Sampson |
| Joel Brooks | Len Garber |
| Jonathan Banks | Jack Graham |
| Erland van Lidth | Grossberger |
| Lewis Van Bergen | Guard #1 |
| Franklyn Ajaye | Young Man in Hospital |
| Peter Looney | Kicker #1 |
| Cedrick Hardman | Big Mean |
6.50 out of 10 (4554 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Wilder And Pryor At Their Peak
posted on 07 Jul 2009Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was a good comedy team of the 1970s, making several hit movies together, this being one of the more memorable. Viewing this movie recently after a 25-year absence, it was a shock to me to hear the language. I had remembered this strictly as a light-hearted comedy but I can see why it's rated "R." That is solely for the language, especially by Pryor, but he was known for his profane humor.If you can put up with that, the film is downright funny, even today. I found myself laughing out loud at a few scenes, all of which I remembered vividly from several viewings in the '70s. They are still just as funny.Who could forget that mammoth criminal with the long, long name - Erland van Lidth de Jeude? He was the guy that scared the hell out of everyone, just by his physical presence. In real life, that man was the opposite of his projected image on screen. He was a graduate of MIT, an accomplished opera singer, an Olympic wrestler, devoted husband and father, writer, etc. The poor man died at the age of 34.It also was interesting to see such a young looking Craig T Nelson and JoBeth Williams.This might have been the best of the Wilder-Pryor films. I was shocked to see that Sidney Poitier directed this movie. I didn't know that until seconds ago when I looked at this IMDb title page.
Great comedy actors in this boring comedy movie
posted on 02 Jan 2009I didn't like this movie, I found it so naive and boring."Stir Crazy" is entertaining and funny for about 10 minutes and those minutes are just at the beginning, so if after this comment you are going to watch it anyway I recommend you to stop watching it just at the first moment you find it a little boring because from that moment the movie will get after each passing minute even worse until the end.The plot is about 2 friends (Wilder and Pryor) who live in NY and are fired from their jobs on the same day so they agree to go to L.A to follow their dreams to became a playwright and an actor respectively but on their way to L.A they are sentenced to prison by mistake, but at prison they will have yet a couple of chances to be free again.....Don't waste your time watching this terrible movie, If you do you will regret it.
Almost 20 years old... and still just as funny
posted on 22 Dec 2008Actually... this would get 4.5 stars... only because Wilder is even greater in Woman in Red, but Richard Pryor more than pushes it over the top. One on my all time favorite movies... the only compairsion would be other Wilder/Pryor films.
FUNNY!
posted on 19 Dec 2008Just for the scene where Craig Nelson's character tries to teach Wilder a lesson by sticking him in a small box and a week later without much air and no food Wilder says,"One more week please!" genuinely meaning it, makes this movie worthwhile. Such moments are priceless.
stir crazy
posted on 22 Nov 2008This is one of the best movies i have ever seen it s so interesting how they find out who the real theifs are. I only discovered Richard Pryor a couple of years ago. I first stated watching him in stand up and now he is my favorite. Any way go and rent or buy this DVD.
Gene Wilder is God
posted on 10 Oct 2008Ok maybe I overdid it in the opening line. My point is what a wonderful talent Gene Wilder is. He can take a relatively normal character and turn it into hilarious comedy, such as he did in the producers, silver streak, and this movie. His character was basically the whole movie. The wonderful thing about watching Wilder is you never get the feeling that he is desperately trying to be funny. It just comes natural to him. There are only two other comedians that add such spice to their parts, Woody Allen and Grouch Marx. Aside from Wilder the movie was pretty funny though it was boring at times, such as the end, where it turned into an action film more than a comedy, much the same that silver streak did. I would rate this movie as funnier than silver streak but silver streak was a better movie.
The magic of Pryor and Wilder
posted on 09 Aug 2008Stir Crazy is the best of the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor movies. Having recently re-watched it I had forgotten just how funny it was. There are a number of brilliantly realised scenes, particularly in the prison, which for those who remember it from years ago will bring back very happy memories and for the younger generation will introduce you to the best movie comedy double act of the 1970's and 1980's. The highlight of the film is undoubtably Skip (Wilder) and Harry (Pryor) being led to their cell in the prison. Both are acting tough, cool and way over the top and both are hilarious.
Interestingly the two main stars were poles apart in their approach to comedy. Richard Pryor was (sadly deceased in 2005) primarily a brilliant stand-up comedian, whereas Gene Wilder is a brilliant comic actor. The combination of the two reached its peak with this sparkling comedy. The film is directed by Sidney Poiter, and aside from the scenes after the prison, where the film loses some momentum and the level of humour drops a notch, this is a film you can watch repeatedly because of the two brilliant lead performances.
In reality if you removed the two lead actors there really isn't much of a film left, hence I can't give it five stars, but because of the special chemistry that Pryor and Wilder had it certainly deserves 4 stars.
A good if uneven film
posted on 19 Jun 2008That bit about that hulking murderer killing his family, all his relatives, and everyone who reminds him of them in one weekend was uneven. The fag in the film Murray might actually be a girl is uneven as an element. But the film still has lots of laughs just the same.
COMIC GENIES !
posted on 15 Mar 2008i FIRST SAW THIS MOVIE WHEN I WAS TEN YEARS OLD...IM NOW 30 AND EVERY TIME I SEE IT I LAUGH EVEN MORE THAN THE LAST TIME! YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR (RICHARD PRYOR/GENE WILDER) FACES AND YOU WILL BESIDE YOURSELF LAUGHING ! A TRUE COMEDY CLASSIC...ITS DOESNT PRETEND TO BE HIGH BROW JUST FUNNY ! THIS MOVIE WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH OUT LOUD AGAIN AND AGAIN..IM SO GLAD I AM PRESERVING IT AS A DVD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO SEE ! A MUST SEE ..GO AHEAD LAUGH OUT LOUD AND ENJOY.
Its Classic Wilder and Prior budy comedy
posted on 06 Mar 2008This is a classic. Richard Prior and Gene Wilder are as fun as ever in this film about two guys who go to jail after they are set up for a crime they didnt commit. There are plenty of hilarious moments between Wilder and Prior as usual. Its not there best film together but I believe it still holds a place in anyones Richard Prior or Gene Wilder collctions. It fits right in there between "Silver Streek" and "Hear no Evil, See no Evil". If anything you should rent it just to see it.
Go west young men, go west!
posted on 16 Feb 2008"Stir Crazy" capitalizes on the previous, better film "Silver Streak", as it reunites two of the best comedians of that period, Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. Under the direction of Sidney Poitier the film is a lot of fun to watch, but in viewing it again after so many years since we last saw it, the film feels flat, at times.The best excuse for watching "Stir Crazy" is Gene Wilder. Mr. Wilder is, in my humble opinion one of the most original funny man during the 70s and 80s. He was in a lot of excellent movies. In "Stir Crazy", he demonstrates his genius playing against Richard Pryor, who is the straight guy. The rodeo sequence is one of the best things going for the movie.The picture is dominated by Gene Wilder. Richard Pryor has some funny moments. Evidently Mr. Poitier must have encouraged his stars to improvise a lot, and it shows. This picture, is still worth a look just to watch this winning team together.
Almost as funny as "Silver Streak"
posted on 08 Feb 2008"Stir Crazy" is Gene Wilder's and Richard Pryor's second film in which they starred together. Although this film contains many very funny scenes, the chemistry that Wilder and Pryor display here isn't as strong and cohesive as in their first film "Silver Streak", but is do-able. The scenes which slow this picture down are the rodeo-escape scenes toward the end of the film, and display very little life and are somewhat boring. The plot of "Stir Crazy", though, where Wilder and Pryor are framed for armed robbery and sent to prison, is quite amusing and hilarious, with the right amount of flavor and texture to grab my attention! The fact is, any movie starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, with the exception of "Another You", will command at least a four-star rating. Any die-hard fan(s) of these fine actors/performers will want to add "Stir Crazy" to their must-have collection(s).
Wilder and Pryor reunite for a zany prison break comedy.
posted on 15 Dec 2007After their successful partnership in Silver Streak, comic duo Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder reteamed for this wacky prison comedy under the direction of Sidney Poitier. Originally intended as a film entitled "Prison Rodeo", the film eventually got released under the title Stir Crazy - complete with a catchy title tune sung by Wilder himself - and was a big hit for its two stars. In truth, it is considerably short of the brilliant standard set by Silver Streak.... while that film was witty, charming and exciting, this one is very broad with lots of outright silliness. But having said that, Stir Crazy is still totally enjoyable in its harmless way.New Yorkers Skip Donahue (Wilder) and Harry Monroe (Pryor) decide to head out west, dreaming of a new start away from the Big Apple. En route, they stop off in various small towns and take on part-time jobs to fund their trip. In a town called Glenborough, Skip and Harry are hired by a bank manager to dress up in woodpecker costumes and entertain the waiting customers with a song-and-dance act. However, a couple of rednecks steal their costumes and rob the bank while Skip and Harry are on their lunch break.... when the unsuspecting pair return to work, they are promptly arrested for the robbery they didn't even commit. It isn't long before the innocent duo are locked up in the penitentiary, with a 135-year sentence hanging over them! Skip impresses the prison warden by riding a bucking bronco (mechanical bull) at full speed, and is later approached to represent the prison in a forthcoming annual rodeo show. The rodeo provides Skip and Harry, plus a few of their new convict pals, with a chance to attempt an audacious prison break....Stir Crazy is more entertaining during the opening two-thirds than the final third. The comedy aspects seem to run out of steam, and the last half hour is dedicated purely to the jail break sequence. While the escape is tolerable enough to watch, it isn't really in keeping with the zany tone established earlier in the movie. Wilder and Pryor are good together (despite their well documented on-set differences.... it was around this time that Pryor was getting out of control with drugs); the supporting actors have amusing moments along the way too, especially Erlind Van Lidith as a mass murderer who develops an unlikely affection towards Harry and Skip. The film is quite episodic in some ways, especially during the middle section when the prison guards try various nasty strategies to intimidate Skip into joining the rodeo team. The funniest moments are the more spontaneous bits, where Wilder and Pryor's chemistry is thrust to the fore (the scene where they "get bad" upon first entering a jail is a wonderful example of this). All in all, Stir Crazy has much to enjoy but just runs out of gas on its final lap.
This movie ROCKS
posted on 20 Aug 2007This movie ROCKS This movie is great. It is so funny that I couldn't believe it at all, not even a little bit.If you watch this film you will discover it is all about two little men with curly hair who go off on an adventure. When they rob a bank they quite rightly get put in a prison, where all they can dream of is to escape to a life of luxury in some other small town. They are allowed out to join a horse-burgling competition and have lots of fun.This movie is so funny, like killing a wasp right in the face, or when your chickens have gone walkabout. There is even a big fat man who sings beautifully LOL! My favourite part was when they escape from the prison BECAUSE THEY ARE DRESSED AS CLOWNS! The two men who play the two men are very funny. When they speak, amusing little speech comes out (so you can hear them). The one with orange hair looks like a cat LOL and he is the funniest little man since that other guy I like.
'Arrrgh! I can't feel one of my legs!'
posted on 31 Jul 2009Stir Crazy was one of the first films I ever remember watching, it came out the year I was born and I always associate 1980 with the time I came into the world and Stir Crazy. I was about 3 or 4 and my grandfather rented the video (back in the early 80s, this was INCREDIBLY sophisticated). Even though it's pretty much an adult film, with swearing, nudity and adult themes, I found it to be hilarious at such a young age and I watched it few times. Over the years I've watched it more and more and I only just got round to buying the DVD a few days ago. And now, at 26, the film is still just as funny as it always was. There is not a single unfunny moment from the beginning to the end, even though the last act gets serious and suspenseful.Gene Wilder and the late Richard Pryor play Skip Donahue and Harry Munro, two NYC losers who are making no money in their dream jobs of play-write and actor. Stuck with insulting service jobs they both get fired on the same day, at the same moment, for various reasons. Skip, the apparent ladies man and ever the delusional optimist, talks Harry into seeing it as their big chance to escape NYC and head for LA 'where you smile and they just POUR money on you'.In their rusted, derelict combi, they make it as far as Glenboro, a hicksville backwater desert town, where they are promptly framed for bank robbery. Their lawyer is utterly useless and they are in jail before they know it, literally. Skip only realizes the seriousness of the situation as they are being shown into their cell. But when Skip shows he has undiscovered talents as a rodeo champ the crooked Warden forces him to compete in the annual rodeo competition, giving Skip, Harry and some others a chance to escape.The chemistry between Wilder and Pryor is insane. Skip is innocent, optimistic, romantic and sees the good in everything. Harry is cynical and reactionary and is frequently the real victim of Skip's impossibly good-natured personality. Everything they say and do is brilliant and every scene has something special about it that you'll remember always. It's literally impossible for me to pick out one in particular as they are all as great as each other.It's hard to believe that auteur actor Sidney Poiter directed this movie. I've never really seen in do a crazy, comedic performance, so for him to be so on-the-ball and humorous behind the camera is always a surprise when watching Stir Crazy.There's so many things that Stir Crazy has going for it. It's not just a crazy comedy, it's also a character drama with wonderfully surreal and authentic moments (mass-mass-mass murderer Grossberger sining 'Down in the Valley' and proving to be as timid as a kitten being one of them).If you don't find Stir Crazy funny, you're dead. And if you've never seen it...you're certainly no movie buff.