Stir Crazy

Stir Crazy videos

Cast & Crew

Gene Wilder

Skip Donahue

Richard Pryor

Harry Monroe

Georg Stanford Brown

Rory Schultebrand

JoBeth Williams

Meredith

Miguelangelo Suarez

Jesus Ramirez

Craig T. Nelson

Ward Wilson

Barry Corbin

Walter Beatty

Erland van Lidth

Grossberger

Lee Purcell

Susan

Sidney Poitier

Director

Bruce Jay Friedman

Screenwriter

Hannah Weinstein

Producer

Melville Tucker

Executive Producer

Fred Schuler

Cinematographer

Fred Schuler

Film Editing

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Critic Reviews for Stir Crazy

Audience Reviews for Stir Crazy

• Oct 19, 2018

  There is a nugget of absolute gold in this film, and that's when Wilder's character is asked by his lawyers how he's been getting along in prison. He's an eternal optimist and so we sense just how difficult it is when he replies wistfully "Swell! Just swell. A few ups and downs. You know, people see movies about prison life, but until you've actually spent a little time here, it's hard to get the real flavor of what it's like. I think more Americans should spend a little time behind bars, so they would understand that." He says this with just the perfect touch; he's not dramatic or preachy, and the light tone of the movie doesn't waver in the slightest, but there is such depth to this subtle criticism of how prison is viewed, and the movement which was growing in America to be 'tough on crime'. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are a fantastic comedy team, and in this film director Sidney Poitier also blends in a little prison escape drama as well. There are plenty of funny moments, and it's held up reasonably well over time. Some examples: Pryor showing Wilder how to walk and 'be bad' when they enter prison. Wilder's resilience under tough treatment from the guards, e.g. emerging from five days in a box and asking for just one more day, because "I was just beginning to get into myself." The scene where the mass murderer, an intimidating and very large criminal named Grossberger (Erland Van Lidth De Jeude), is put into Pryor and Wilder's cell. Pryor has a more subdued role in the film, but he makes the most out of every moment, and his facial reactions and little comments all add up to a fine performance. The film also has quite a heart; Wilder's character believes that everything can be solved by just talking to people and in understanding them, and sometimes he's very wrong about that, but we soon see Grossberger playing cards with them and then later singing a lovely version of "Down in the Valley." Throughout the movie, there is such humanity in how Wilder treats people with respect, even if he is off-base and hilariously naïve a lot of the time. There are plenty of flaws here; gags that fall flat, stereotypical characters, gratuitous nudity, and a bit of a silly ending - but Wilder and Pryor are strong enough for me, and the film has its heart in the right place.

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  Super Reviewer
• Apr 10, 2014

  This is a very funny movie that, unfortunately, loses some of its steam in the last half hour or so. Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor make a great team, as they have great chemistry together and I think they bring out the best in each other. But, and this applies more to Richard Pryor than it does for Gene, but you can tell that he's pretty much being held back by the script's limitations. Richard Pryor was one of the funniest comedians who ever lived, and while he's really funny here, you don't get a sense of that. Not that I was expecting him to do his stand-up routine in the film, as it really wouldn't make a lot of sense given the context of the film. But the restraints should've been cut off and he should've been given some freedom to Pryor-tize the film and give it a raunchier edge. The film is rated R, but only because of language and even then it's not like it's the GoodFellas of comedy films, they're not cursing from beginning to end. As mentioned, I did find the film to be very funny once Harry and Skip go into prison. Seeing how Skip, someone who looks at the world through rose colored eyes, he's someone that's completely unaware of the reality of prison life that's staring him right in the face. It's funny seeing how he tries to use conversation and understanding to get his point across. It's not comedy gold, but it is quite funny. And it helps that Gene Wilder is so immensely likable. Richard Pryor is also very funny in his delivery and facial expressions but, as I mentioned, it feels like he's being held back. Still, he and Gene make an excellent team and they definitely get a lot of laughs. Unfortunately though, just before the actual "prison" break starts, which is about 80 minutes into the film, and you still have 30 or so more minutes to go, the film really loses a lot. While it's still funny, it really isn't as funny as everything that came before it. Perhaps that's to let the prison break stand out as a highlight, but it didn't work, at least in my opinion. It just dragged the whole movie down to a 3 star rating instead of a 3.5 rating. And that's not even mentioning all the implications of the actual escape. They leave a lot of unanswered questions, perhaps because they had a sequel in mind, but there's still a lot of questions and legal ramifications of what they did, even if they were innocent. Still, this ending isn't meant to create thought-provoking debates or anything of the sort, but there's still some unanswered questions. Regardless, this is a fun film that probably didn't age very well with time. It's still a solid film thanks to Gene Wilder's and Richard Pryor's easy chemistry with each other.

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  jesse o Super Reviewer
• Apr 05, 2014

  Harry Monroe: A hundred and twenty five years... Oh God... Oh God... I'll be a hundred and sixty-one when I get out. "Two jailbirds who just want out of the cage." I've always passed on watching Stir Crazy because a pairing of Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder didn't sound too great to me, but after thinking about it I thought it could be fun. I like Richard Pryor as a comedian a lot and Gene Wilder is a very good, over the top comedic actor. Although Stir Crazy is the duos second project, it's the only one I've seen and I have to say, it was a fun ride.  Skip and Harry are both fired from their jobs in New York on the same day, so they decide to head west to California to try to make it in Hollywood. They don't make it that far though when they stop in a town that Skip's really likes. When they are mistaken for two bank robbers, they are sentenced to 125 years in a maximum security prison. There may be a way out though and it relies on Skip's rodeo skills. Stir Crazy is nothing to get too excited about, but overall it's a pleasant and funny comedy. I liked both Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder in it, both of whom looked like they were have a good time. Stir Crazy's worth a watch if you're into the two actors.

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  Super Reviewer
• Sep 02, 2012

  Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor get wild and crazy in the screwball comedy Stir Crazy. The story follows two New Yorkers that leave the city looking for new opportunities, but end up in the Arizona State Penitentiary framed for a crime that they didn't commit. Wilder and Pryor are in great form and bring the comedy. However, the plot is rather weak, with some odd tangents that detract from the overall story. Yet, you'd have to be crazy not to enjoy Stir Crazy; it's a lot of fun and is full of laughs.

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  Super Reviewer