The Toy (1982)

[seanotron 2307]

This is one of those movies that I'd seen on TV years and years ago and I think my brain erased all memories of it in a desperate bid to protect my sanity.

 

 

Let me break this down for the uninitiated - Richard Pryor is an out-of-work reporter who is PURCHASED AS A TOY for Jackie Gleason's son. Let me repeat that, a wealthy white business man buys a black man as a toy for his child.

 

 

No really, that's the plot of this CHILDREN'S movie.

 

Now when I say he buys him, I guess I should clarify. He pays him a salary to be his child's playmate. That totally makes it LOLROFLMAO, right?

 

Of course, he is then packed in a box and presented to the boy wrapped in a literal bow.

 

 

 

The boy spends most of the movie taking every opportunity possible to completely humiliate Richard Pryor, until Richard Pryor spanks him and then they are best buddies.

 

 

Throughout the movie we are shown that Jackie Gleason's character is absolutely awful, so you have at least some sympathy for the kid and can kind of understand why Richard Pryor feels bad for him. Then we find out that Gleason is having a fundraiser for the KKK.

 

 

Oh yeah, did I mention this is a kid's movie?

 

So then Pryor teams up with the kid to expose Gleason, and you figure Gleason will go to jail or something and Pryor will adopt the kid. Instead, Gleason comically chases after Richard Pryor in a golf cart and then falls into his pool, where he is rescued from drowning by Richard Pryor. At this point, everyone just shakes hands and walks away, like everything is totally fine.

 

 

Then we see Gleason taking his kid to a military school, and the kid runs away to Richard Pryor's house. At this point one might assume Pryor will try to get custody or him or help him in some way. Instead, Richard Pryor encourages him to go back and give his dad a chance, then the dad gives Richard Pryor a job and tells the kid when he comes back from military school he can spend a week with Richard Pryor, which everyone seems to think is great.

 

 

So let me recap that for you - Richard Pryor tells the kid to give his abusive, card-carrying member of the KKK father ANOTHER CHANCE. He then accepts a job from this man.

 

[RyanSz 3140]

Ah the only other major movie starring child star turned porn star Scotty Schwartz. I remember they did an interview with Schwartz's mother where she talked about this movie. She said that Gleason hated kids and despised working with them, so much so he decided to humiliate Scotty by improvising during the final scene where he was taking him to military school. Schwartz, who had memorized the entire script, didn't know what to do and would then be mocked by Gleason for not being able to adapt to the changes.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Holy sweet monkey farts! I had totally forgotten this movie. Great recap by the way!

[justinmh05 1968]

Ah the only other major movie starring child star turned porn star Scotty Schwartz. I remember they did an interview with Schwartz's mother where she talked about this movie. She said that Gleason hated kids and despised working with them, so much so he decided to humiliate Scotty by improvising during the final scene where he was taking him to military school. Schwartz, who had memorized the entire script, didn't know what to do and would then be mocked by Gleason for not being able to adapt to the changes.

 

Yet another example of Jackie Gleason being a cunt.

[jarrycanada 2483]

Boy someone has gone a little animated GIF crazy. sorta reminds me of that episode of the simspons when homer builds his own website.

 

If you think about the toy as an adult it really does come across as a racist movie. I mean they don't come out and say it in the movie but a white rich family who has it all wants to get there kid a birthday gift and the only thing the kid wants is a a black man, come on. and Has Richard Pryor really ever done a good movie? besides cameos in films.

 

justinmh05 - Jackie Gleason was most likely being a good drunk. drunk people hate kids. that's why alcoholics don't make good fathers.

 

I've seen this movie too many times then I care for. as it was on repeat mode on cable tv in the 1980s. that and the four seasons and On Golden Pond. early days of cable they just played the same group of movies over and over and over again. it was ok when it was just starwars but man what a waste of money and time that was.

[seanotron 2307]

Boy someone has gone a little animated GIF crazy. sorta reminds me of that episode of the simspons when homer builds his own website.

 

I felt this was the best way to express how bonkers this movie is. Words are not enough!

 

has Richard Pryor really ever done a good movie? besides cameos in films.

 

Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, plus he co-wrote Blazing Saddles (and was originally supposed to play the lead). He was frequently associated with crap, though.

[denimgremlin 1179]

 

I felt this was the best way to express how bonkers this movie is. Words are not enough!

 

 

 

Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, plus he co-wrote Blazing Saddles (and was originally supposed to play the lead). He was frequently associated with crap, though.

 

also, brewster's millions, uptown saturday night, blue collar

 

and tons of other shit that are totally cult classics, car wash for example

[Johnny Unusual 525]

Do you think Superman III was brought up on the set?

 

"Well, the script looks bad, I admit, In fact, without you, the entire franchise has fallen apart. The jokes are awful, the plot makes no sense and the whole thing seems ridiculous. But, still, I'M NOT PROPERTY IN IT!"

[rcavanah 21]

It's particularly strange to think about Richard Pryor's complicity in the thing at all. I feel like he went in with some sort of underlying scheme, as if to say, "If I don't go ahead and make this movie, it won't get made, and in twenty years nobody will be able to look back at these crackers and see how ridiculous they are and finally take responsibility for some shit!"

 

I mean, I'm actually disappointed by his lack of almost-looking-at-the-camera "will you look at these crazy white people?" faces in this movie...

[seanotron 2307]

IIRC, this was a time period where Pryor had a contract with one of these studios and was basically just fulfilling it. I just watched a documentary on him on Showtime or one of those channels, and they briefly touched on it. Basically, he hated almost every movie he ever made. I think his attitude was that if he couldn't make the movies he wanted, he might as well take the money and run.

[PhillipMedoc 648]

IIRC, this was a time period where Pryor had a contract with one of these studios and was basically just fulfilling it. I just watched a documentary on him on Showtime or one of those channels, and they briefly touched on it. Basically, he hated almost every movie he ever made. I think his attitude was that if he couldn't make the movies he wanted, he might as well take the money and run.

Also, cocaine. I mean, his stand-up was brilliant but those early recorded shows, there's no way he is not high as a motherfucker. I have so much respect for what he did; he was so subversive. Lenny Bruce was on the same level but he had a white man multipass; what Richard Pryor was saying and doing, in those times, was very provocative and almost dangerous. I have this record in my stacks, and it sometimes still scares people.

 

Instead of watching The Toy, you could watch Pryor in one of the coolest things that ever did happen, Wattstax.

 

 

My favorite part of that movie is Rufus "Funky Chicken" Thomas; when he asks the crowd to come down closer, they begin to comply. Then he's informed offstage that security doesn't like that, and without skipping a beat, he says "Now, don't jump the fence / It just don't make no sense".

 

</thread derailing>

[seanotron 2307]

Also, cocaine. I mean, his stand-up was brilliant but those early recorded shows, there's no way he is not high as a motherfucker.

 

Oh yeah, dude was high pretty much 99% of the time. Some of my enthusiasm for him is tempered by all the domestic violence stuff, but he was definitely a fascinating guy. The doc I watched featured a lot of his friends, and one of them talked about how he was basically two different people - nice Richard and mean Richard. He said you never knew which one you were going to get but you hoped for nice Richard.

 

Gene Wilder has told some great stories about his experiences making movies with him. You'd think with the chemistry those two had they would be friends or at least reasonably friendly, but they both seemed to dislike each other. I know Pryor made fun of Wilder in his standup, accused him of being gay, etc.

[Rattrap007 52]

You forget that the kid is a Bates and is called Master Bates.. Masturbates..

[shadownorton 0]

This movie is wrong in so many ways. Just boggles the mind.

[jarrycanada 2483]

this movie sort of reminds me of kids in the hall. Mr. Stevenson

 

[JoshJones 0]

This would be a perfect film for you guys. Wrong headed comedy. Check. A comedy legend misused. Double check. An odious chuld actor. Check. This is gold, guys.

[mrrichardson 5]

You forget that the kid is a Bates and is called Master Bates.. Masturbates..

Yes, also not mentioned is the fact that Richard Pryor tells this 9 year old little kid to "jump the bones" of another little girl, after this kid asks Richard Pryor what he should "do with his thing."... This movie is a perfect candidate for HDTGM.

 

I mean it's a family friendly kids movie about a rich white family with connections to the KKK, literally buying a black man. The film also features scenes of cross dressing and a scene in which the little kid wants to play with Richard Pryor during his bath time. This film has to make it into a future podcast.

[JesseDeLeon 16]

"It's U.S. Not YOU ASS."

[WTF?MichaelDorn 12]

This movie staring Richard Pryor, is about a rich kid who has no friends. His parents try to make him feel better by offering to purchase him any toy he wants. So, what does he decide he wants? A slave?!?!?!? No seriously, he tells his dad he wants the 40+ year old black man to be his toy and his dad proceeds to purchase him Richard Pryor. Please discuss, lol

[RachelWhitePennell 0]

This movie is perfect HDTGM material. It must be done!

 

I imagine June being disturbed by a LOT in this movie!

 

A black man being purchased by a rich white man to be a toy/entertainment/nanny for this bratty kid.

[Twitwhileblack 0]

A rich white man buys a poor black man to play with his son. This is world's most perfect combination of comedy that is super racist, kind of rapey and not funny. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Twitwhileblack
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