Stir Crazy (1980)

Stir Crazy (1980)

6/10

Starring

Gene Wilder

Richard Pryor

Directed by Sidney Poitier

Stir Crazy is the second-best pairing of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, right behind Silver Streak. The movie is funny as hell—sure, the acting is a little over the top at times, but it’s still fun. Plus, the duo seems to have even better chemistry here than they did in Silver Streak.

This 1980 comedy follows two down-on-their-luck friends who move from New York to Hollywood. On their way, they make a stop to earn some quick cash and take jobs as entertainers in a bank. One thing leads to another, and before they know it, they get caught up in a crime that lands them a 125-year prison sentence.

Locked up for something they didn’t do, the two are willing to do whatever it takes to break out. Their plan? Enter a prison rodeo tournament and make their escape once the event is over.

Unlike Silver Streak, which balanced thriller and comedy, Stir Crazy is pure comedy from start to finish. Silver Streak had suspense woven into its storyline, making it the high point of the four films Wilder and Pryor did together. But Stir Crazy leans fully into slapstick and absurd humor, and it works.

The film was directed by Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor. Poitier had already directed a few comedies in the ’70s with Bill Cosby, and here, he managed to pull a hilarious performance from this duo, making sure we had a good time.

Pryor was known to be difficult on set, and one incident in particular stands out. He refused to wear the woodpecker costume for the bank scene, so a double had to be used. And according to Gene Wilder’s book, at one point, crew members were tossing around a piece of watermelon as a joke, and when it landed at Pryor’s feet, he walked off set. Filming stopped, and the next day, Pryor declared that he understood the racial implications of watermelon and was quitting show business. Of course, he returned to finish the film, but it speaks to the tensions behind the scenes.

Pryor may have been tough to work with, but he was undeniably funny. Stir Crazy may not be the best movie out there, but it will make you laugh. Critics were lukewarm about it, but audiences loved it—it was a box office hit, earning over $100 million.

It’s a fun movie to watch and enjoy, so don’t deny yourself the privilege.