The Toy (1982)

An underemployed reporter finds himself literally purchased as a toy for a rich spoiled brat.

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Carol Sobieski (screenplay), Francis Veber (film)

Stars:

Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason, Ned Beatty

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Pryor	...	Jack Brown
Jackie Gleason	...	U.S. Bates
Ned Beatty	...	Mr. Morehouse
Scott Schwartz	...	Eric Bates
Teresa Ganzel	...	Fancy Bates
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Barkley
Annazette Chase	...	Angela
Tony King	...	Clifford
Don Hood	...	O'Brien
Karen Leslie-Lyttle	...	Fraulein
Virginia Capers	...	Ruby Simpson
B.J. Hopper	...	Geffran
Linda McCann	...	Honey Russell
Ray Spruell	...	Senator Newcomb
Stocker Fontelieu	...	District Attorney Russell

Storyline

On one of his bratty son Eric's annual visits, the plutocrat U.S. Bates takes him to his department store and offers him anything in it as a gift. Eric chooses a black janitor who has made him laugh with his antics. At first the man suffers many indignities as Eric's "toy", but gradually teaches the lonely boy what it is like to have and to be a friend.

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Plot Keywords:

toy | department store | newspaper | rich kid | trophy wife | 

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Taglines:

When Jackie Gleason Told His Son He Could Have Any Present He Wanted, He Picked The Most Outrageous Gift Of All... Richard Pryor.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

10 December 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Su juguete preferido

Filming Locations:

19050 Perkins Rd E, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$50,400,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Delphi Films, Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All the pies in the pie fight sequence were supplied by bakeries in the surrounding Louisiana area.

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Goofs

When Jack Brown is on the phone in Master Bates's room, you can see that the phone has no cord going into the phone jack

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Quotes

O'Brien: Why is it always my toy department? Why can't the kid grow up and get interested in stereos?
Morehouse: I'm hoping to get him interested in something we don't even sell.
O'Brien: We sell everything.

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Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

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Soundtracks

"I Just Want To Be Your Friend"
Performed by Jeffrey Osborne
Music and Lyrics by Trevor Lawrence and Frank Musker

User Reviews

A simple film you can watch over and over again

This is simply put, a fun, charming movie about a boy (Scott Schwartz) who decides to make Richard Pryor his toy for a week while he visits his powerful father Jackie Gleason. Simple gags, jokes and life lessons are what this movie is all about. It should be noted that Schwartz, who also played "Flick" in A Christmas Story went on to co-star in non-sexual roles in hardcore XXX films, then did a XXX scene himself, virtually destroying any chance for a comeback as an adult actor.