Movie Cosmos - The Jerk

Description:

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.

Top Cast >

Steve Martin

As Navin R. Johnson

Bernadette Peters

As Marie Kimble Johnson

Catlin Adams

As Patty Bernstein

Mabel King

As Mother

Richard Ward

As Father

Carl Gottlieb

As Iron Balls McGinty

Dick Anthony Williams

As Taj

Bill Macy

As Stan Fox

M. Emmet Walsh

As Madman

Dick O'Neill

As Frosty

Maurice Evans

As Hobart

Helena Carroll

As Hester

Ren Woods

As Elvira

Pepe Serna

As Punk #1

Sonny Terry

As Blues Singer

Brownie McGhee

As Blues Singer

Jackie Mason

As Harry Hartounian

Sharon Johansen

As Lenore Hartounian

Gene LeBell

As Con Man

Carl Reiner

As Self

Larry Hankin

As Circus Hand (uncredited)

Howard Hesseman

As Carnival Worker (uncredited)

Rob Reiner

As Truck Driver Picking Up Navin (uncredited)

Gailard Sartain

As Guy with Cracked Airplane Seats (uncredited)

Lenny Montana

As Con Man

William Schallert

As Judge M.A. Loring

Top Crew >

Carl Reiner

Director

Steve Martin

Screenplay

Carl Gottlieb

Screenplay

Jack Elliott

Original Music Composer

Bud Molin

Editor

Diane Peterson

Stunts

April Ferry

Costume Supervisor

Conrad E. Palmisano

Stunt Coordinator

Debbie Evans

Stunts

David V. Picker

Producer

Theadora Van Runkle

Costume Design

Peter Macgregor-Scott

Associate Producer

Ron Spang

Editor

Richard C. Goddard

Set Decoration

William E. McEuen

Producer

Penny Perry

Casting

Michael Elias

Screenplay

Geno Havens

Casting

Victor J. Kemper

Director of Photography

Jack T. Collis

Production Design

Jeannie Epper

Stunts

Reviews:

Wuchak (7/10)

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

2019-02-25