The Jerk

“A rags to riches to rags story.”

6.9

1979

1h 34m

Comedy

Director: Carl Reiner

Overview

After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson sets off on a hilarious misadventure that takes him from rags to riches and back again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.

Trailer

Trailer Official

Cast

Navin R. Johnson

Steve Martin

Navin R. Johnson

Marie Kimble Johnson

Bernadette Peters

Marie Kimble Johnson

Patty Bernstein

Catlin Adams

Patty Bernstein

Mother

Mabel King

Mother

Father

Richard Ward

Father

Iron Balls McGinty

Carl Gottlieb

Iron Balls McGinty

Taj

Dick Anthony Williams

Taj

Stan Fox

Bill Macy

Stan Fox

Madman

M. Emmet Walsh

Madman

Frosty

Dick O'Neill

Frosty

Hobart

Maurice Evans

Hobart

Hester

Helena Carroll

Hester

Reviews

Wuchak

***Steve Martin’s breakout comedy*** A homeless mentally-challenged man (Steve Martin) shares his amusing tale of rags-to-riches-to-hobo with flashbacks. Catlin Adams plays a stunt rider at a carnival who has the hots for Navin (Martin) while Bernadette Peters plays a more important woman in his life. “The Jerk” (1979) has several laugh-out-loud scenes like the eventual confrontation between Patty (Catlin) and Marie (Peters), but there are also some flat, overlong parts, like when Navin departs the mansion in the last act. “Forrest Gump” (1994) was obviously inspired by “The Jerk” and made a more serious, popular picture. Jim Carrey also took a lot of inspiration from Martin and “The Jerk” to forge the even funnier “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994). The movie runs 1 hour, 34 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area. GRADE: B

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