Review of Stir Crazy (1980) by Antonius B — 18 Oct 2018

There is a nugget of absolute gold in this film, and that's when Wilder's character is asked by his lawyers how he's been getting along in prison. He's an eternal optimist and so we sense just how difficult it is when he replies wistfully "Swell! Just swell. A few ups and downs. You know, people see movies about prison life, but until you've actually spent a little time here, it's hard to get the real flavor of what it's like. I think more Americans should spend a little time behind bars, so they would understand that." He says this with just the perfect touch; he's not dramatic or preachy, and the light tone of the movie doesn't waver in the slightest, but there is such depth to this subtle criticism of how prison is viewed, and the movement which was growing in America to be 'tough on crime'.

Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are a fantastic comedy team, and in this film director Sidney Poitier also blends in a little prison escape drama as well. There are plenty of funny moments, and it's held up reasonably well over time. Some examples: Pryor showing Wilder how to walk and 'be bad' when they enter prison. Wilder's resilience under tough treatment from the guards, e.g. emerging from five days in a box and asking for just one more day, because "I was just beginning to get into myself." The scene where the mass murderer, an intimidating and very large criminal named Grossberger (Erland Van Lidth De Jeude), is put into Pryor and Wilder's cell. Pryor has a more subdued role in the film, but he makes the most out of every moment, and his facial reactions and little comments all add up to a fine performance.

The film also has quite a heart; Wilder's character believes that everything can be solved by just talking to people and in understanding them, and sometimes he's very wrong about that, but we soon see Grossberger playing cards with them and then later singing a lovely version of "Down in the Valley." Throughout the movie, there is such humanity in how Wilder treats people with respect, even if he is off-base and hilariously naïve a lot of the time. There are plenty of flaws here; gags that fall flat, stereotypical characters, gratuitous nudity, and a bit of a silly ending - but Wilder and Pryor are strong enough for me, and the film has its heart in the right place.