Every Gene Wilder & Richard Pryor Movie, Ranked

Summary

  • Wilder and Pryor’s comedic chemistry in films like Silver Streak and Stir Crazy was unmatched in the history of American cinema.

  • Despite social boundaries, Wilder and Pryor broke barriers as a rare black-and-white comedy duo in the film industry.

  • The disappointing end to their partnership in Another You highlighted the struggles they faced due to Richard Pryor’s deteriorating health.

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The film duo of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor were one of the greatest comedy couples American cinema has ever seen, and together they made four feature films between 1976 and 1991. With an innate understanding of each other’s comedic sensibilities, whenever Wilder and Pryor shared a scene together, hilarity was almost a certainty as they could improvise expertly and always bring out the best in each other. While both artists had acclaimed careers as individuals, they achieved some of their best work together.

Of course, Wilder was known for his incredible work with Mel Brooks on projects like The producers, young frankensteinand hot saddles, which Pryor co-wrote years before the two shared the screen. Wilder also made film history by playing one of the most iconic characters in cinema, Willy Wonka from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. With all of these accomplishments under his belt, it was surprising that Wilder’s career managed to gain a whole new momentum once he and Pryor teamed up to make four films over 15 years.

Richard Pryor’s career was also an incredible feat, as he took his skills as one of the greatest American comedians who ever lived and transferred them into a successful film career. Outside of his work with Wilder, Pryor excelled in films such as Paul Schrader’s crime drama. Blue necklace and musical fantasy The magician. However, once she began working with Wilder, it became clear that they had something special together and, like an odd couple of black and white comedians, the two broke down social and political boundaries through their films.

Wilder and Pryor’s work together began with great success with the acclaimed mystery comedy. silver streak, and although some of their later works were of varying quality, it was always surprising to see them together. Although one of the most important things revealed in the Remembering Gene Wilder The documentary highlighted that the duo were not close friends in real life, it was clear simply by seeing them together that they had a special understanding of each other. The duo of Wilder and Pryor was a fantastic thing and their beloved work together deserved great recognition.

4 Another You (1991)

Gene Wilder as George/Abe Fielding and Richard Pryor as Eddie Dash

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor Another You

The sad reality that must be faced is that although it was always fun to see Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor share the screen, not even this comedy duo could save another you to be a total disaster. This ridiculous story involved a con man named Eddie Dash, who was forced to help a mental patient named George Fielding adjust to life outside of his sanitarium. While this idea in itself could make for a great comedy, the script was not funny and another you it just moved incoherently without meaning or purpose, becoming more unbearable as it continued.

Although Wilder gave a committed performance and occasional glimpses of the duo’s former spark occurred, a major problem was that Pryor was already showing symptoms of multiple sclerosis and could not properly engage. To make matters worse, original director Peter Bogdanovich was fired five weeks into production and replaced by Maurice Phillips (via Ebony.) In general, another you flopped and would end up being Pryor’s last film appearance in a leading role, as well as the last of Wider and Pryor’s collaborations, as his illness continued to progress and he died in 2005.

another you It was a disappointing end to a pioneering comedy partnership that had one of the biggest second weekend drops of all time, falling 78.1% from $1,537,965 to $334,836 (via box office mojo.) Critics also broke another you They also warned viewers to stay away, criticized Ziggy Steinberg’s mediocre script, and recalled the glory days of Wilder and Pryor. Film critic Roger Ebert said: “It’s almost as if the criticism is irrelevant; it’s a comedy; it’s not funny; it does not work; it shouldn’t have been done” (through Siskel and Ebert.)

3 Stir Crazy (1980)

Gene Wilder as Skip Donahue and Richard Pryor as Harry Monroe

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor look on in Stir Crazy

Go mad It was Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor’s second collaboration that showed that their first acclaimed appearance together was not going to be a one-time event. The old magic was still there, and this was a film produced with the knowledge that Wilder and Pryor together were a perfect match, that they played each other wonderfully, and that they had the skill to carry a major film. With a story that involves two friends sentenced to 125 years in prison, Go mad It had a kind energy transmitted by the extreme chemistry of its two stars.

While there was much to enjoy Go madwas not completely problem-free and received a mixed reception from critics, while it excelled at the box office, earning over $100 million against its $10 million budget (via box office mojo.) Go mad It started off strong when the duo was framed for a bank robbery, but at times felt overwrought as it tried to keep the laughs going while developing a complicated plot about the prison’s annual rodeo competition. However, a strong cast of eccentric prisoners and the unique appeal of Wilder and Pryor saved the day.

Go mad It was far from a perfect movie, but it didn’t have to be when Wilder and Pryor were so infectiously funny throughout. This story was loaded with outlandish hijinks, and one of the funniest aspects was how Wilder’s character kept his spirits up in the midst of the worst circumstances imaginable and always tried to see the bright side while Pryor was completely emotionally destroyed. Go mad was a funny comedy of the kind they don’t make anymore, and its success rested firmly on the shoulders of its two stars, as they totally nailed it.

2 See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

Gene Wilder as Dave Lyons and Richard Pryor as Wally Karew

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in See No Evil, Hear No Evil

With Richard Pryor playing a blind man and Gene Wilder as a deaf man, I see no evil I hear no evil It was a buddy comedy at its best, as its two disparate characters complement each other perfectly. One had what the other lacked, and as this ridiculous crime story unfolded, the true goal of this film was to witness how a budding friendship can come together through the most unlikely of means. With strong performances from Wilder, Pryor and co-star Kevin Spacey, the three’s steadfast commitment to the part helped. I see no evil I hear no evil overcome its mediocre script.

I see no evil I hear no evil It’s posed with a classic comedy conceit: Wilder’s Dave Lyons can only understand people if he can read their lips, and Pryor’s Wally Karew rarely lets people know he can’t see. Lyons hired Wally to work at his New York City concession store, and before long, they were embroiled in an intricate criminal conspiracy involving a man shot to death, an elusive gold coin, and a wild goose chase for land and water while they were pursued. For the police. Meanwhile, Lyons can’t hear anything and Wally can’t see.

The concept behind I see no evil I hear no evil It could have fallen flat on its face, but it worked mainly thanks to the immense talents of Wilder and Pryor. From how Lyons guided Wally’s fists while in street fights to how Wally told Lyons where to look for his prison mugshot, I see no evil I hear no evil He was full of frenetic energy throughout. While not every joke was a home run, it had a lot of heart and viewers connected with it when the film topped the box office for two weeks (via Los Angeles Times.)

1 silver streak (1976)

Gene Wilder as George Caldwell and Richard Pryor as Grover T. Muldoon

Silver Streak - Poster

Silver Streak PG Action Comedy Crime Where to watch

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On a long-distance train ride, a man finds romance but also finds himself in danger of being murdered, or at least kicked off the train.

Director Arthur Hiller Release date December 3, 1976 Writers Colin Higgins Cast gene wilder, Richard Pryor, Jill Clayburgh, Patrick McGoohan, Ned Beatty, Clifton James, Ray Walston, Stefan Gierasch Running time 114 minutes Main genre Action Expand

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor’s biggest collaboration was also the first in silver streak from 1976, a film that leaned towards aspects of comedy, farce, mystery, romance and suspense. The fact that this was Wilder and Pryor’s most beloved and acclaimed work together was made even more impressive since Pryor’s character didn’t appear until halfway through the story. In some way, silver streak It almost felt like two different movies in one, as the style changed so drastically once Wilder and Pryor finally shared the screen, and their incredible chemistry shined in every scene.

silver streak It worked very well because it always kept the viewer guessing, and knowing what would happen next was impossible. Wilder played George Caldwell, an overseas passenger on the Silver Streak train to Chicago who soon found a romance with a fellow passenger named Hilly (Jill Clayburgh). Shortly thereafter, a passenger was murdered and Caldwell witnessed his body being thrown from the train. What followed was a frenetic mystery story in which Caldwell became a suspect in the murder, was kicked off the train, and eventually enlisted the help of car thief Grover T. Muldoon (Pryor).

Once Wilder and Pryor got together, it was clear that a new comedy partnership for the ages was born. While silver streak It can often feel out of touch with modern sensibilities, such as in the scene where Wilder disguised himself as a black man to avoid the police. Although it was a film that would never be made today, it is impossible to deny it. Silver Streak place as one of the great comedies of the 1970s. When silver streak was released, audiences weren’t used to seeing black and white performers starring together in comedies, and Wilder and Pryor helped break those cinematic boundaries.

Sources: Ebony, Box Office Mojo, Siskel & Ebert, Box Office Mojo (Stir Crazy), LA Times

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