Is the toy Gleason or Pryor's best movie, don't make me laugh. But it shouldn't have been trashed the way it was and still is because a bunch of politically correct pseudo-intelectuals in the media resented the racial undertones. The weakest link in this movie is the script. it could have been so much better. The editing is pretty spotty too. That much said it will make you laugh, and Gleason's performance is sincere, especially during the emotional conclusion. The complaints if the child actor's performance are justified, but mcalaey caulken was awful...he's a kid. what do you expect? I feel as if this movie got a bum rap for political reasons, and that's just a shame because funny is funny and that's the bottem line.

Richard Pryor stars as a down and out writer who ends up as a human toy for multi-billionaire Jackie Gleason's son. The combination results in comedy that only a man like Richard Pryor could take and make even funnier.

Shades of his stand up act stand out when the focus is on Pryor and some of the situations he gets himself into and he uses this time to shine. Jackie Gleason played well, too, as the straight man, but I don't think this was his forte, although, come to think of it, this role isn't that much different from the "straight guy" kind of role he played in the "Smokey and the Bandit" films, but he was a LOT funnier in those films than here.

The only problem I have with this film is that it starts to go for the throat of comedy, but ends up being a piece trying to deal with the issues at the time...almost like changing boats in the middle of the stream. The comedy continues throughout, but it changes its content, which distracted me a little.

7 out of 10 stars.

I can't fathom how a movie like this got only 5+ ratings while an unfunny mess like CLUE 1985 got 7+. This movie speaks of talent, great storyline and a moral centerpiece at the end of the day. I wish Richard wouldn't have left so soon. There are many movies which he could make a great sequel to and this is one of them.