Harlem Nights
1989 · Movie · R · 116 min · ★ 6.1 · 21% critics
‘Sugar’ Ray runs an illegal casino in 1920s New York and faces pressure from vicious gangsters and corrupt police who want to shut him down. In this organised-crime world, any scheme is fair game as business rivalries spiral out of control.
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Details
- Years
- 1989
- Release date
- 1989-11-17
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Critic score
- 21/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.1/10 (352 votes)
- Budget
- $30,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a fast, crime-tinged comedy with a big-name comedic cast and a 1920s–1930s vibe, but Not for you if you dislike constant profanity or want a tightly focused story like another mob comedy such as Mobsters.
Pros: nonstop laughs; strong comic cast; era-evoking atmosphere | Cons: harsh language; uneven story focus; some say too serious
Themes
- corruption
- police
- nightclub
- rivalry
- friends
- hoodlum
- nightclub owner
- harlem, new york city
- 1920s
Awards & recognition
- Golden Raspberry Award — Worst Screenplay · 1990
- Academy Award — Best Costume Design · 1990 · nominated
- Golden Raspberry Award — Worst Director · 1990 · nominated
- Golden Raspberry Award — Worst Screenplay · 1990 · nominated
Cast & crew
Eddie Murphy
as Quick
Richard Pryor
as Sugar Ray
Redd Foxx
as Bennie Wilson
Danny Aiello
as Phil Cantone
Michael Lerner
as Bugsy Calhoune
Della Reese
as Vera
Berlinda Tolbert
as Annie
Stan Shaw
as Jack Jenkins
Jasmine Guy
as Dominique La Rue
Vic Polizos
as Richie Vento
Directed by Eddie Murphy