Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was a good comedy team of the 1970s, making several hit movies together, this being one of the more memorable. Viewing this movie recently after a 25-year absence, it was a shock to me to hear the language. I had remembered this strictly as a light-hearted comedy but I can see why it's rated "R." That is solely for the language, especially by Pryor, but he was known for his profane humor.
If you can put up with that, the film is downright funny, even today. I found myself laughing out loud at a few scenes, all of which I remembered vividly from several viewings in the '70s. They are still just as funny.
Who could forget that mammoth criminal with the long, long name - Erland van Lidth de Jeude? He was the guy that scared the hell out of everyone, just by his physical presence. In real life, that man was the opposite of his projected image on screen. He was a graduate of MIT, an accomplished opera singer, an Olympic wrestler, devoted husband and father, writer, etc. The poor man died at the age of 34.
It also was interesting to see such a young looking Craig T Nelson and JoBeth Williams.
This might have been the best of the Wilder-Pryor films. I was shocked to see that Sidney Poitier directed this movie. I didn't know that until seconds ago when I looked at this IMDb title page.
