Coming to America (1988)

An African prince goes to Queens, New York City to find a wife whom he can respect for her intelligence and will.

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Eddie Murphy (story), David Sheffield (screenplay),

Stars:

Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Murphy	...	Prince Akeem / Clarence / Randy Watson / Saul
Arsenio Hall	...	Semmi / Extremely Ugly Girl / Morris / Reverend Brown
James Earl Jones	...	King Jaffe Joffer
John Amos	...	Cleo McDowell
Madge Sinclair	...	Queen Aoleon
Shari Headley	...	Lisa McDowell
Paul Bates	...	Oha
Eriq La Salle	...	Darryl Jenks
Frankie Faison	...	Landlord
Vanessa Bell Calloway	...	Imani Izzi (as Vanessa Bell)
Louie Anderson	...	Maurice
Allison Dean	...	Patrice McDowell
Sheila Johnson	...	Lady-in-Waiting
Jake Steinfeld	...	Cab Driver
Calvin Lockhart	...	Colonel Izzi

Storyline

It is the 21st birthday of Prince Akeem of Zamunda and he is to marry a woman he never saw before. Now the prince breaks with tradition and travels to America to look for the love of his life.

---

Plot Keywords:

prince | queens new york city | america | love | hold up man | 

---

Taglines:

This summer, Prince Akeem discovers America.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un príncipe en Nueva York

Filming Locations:

Big Sky Ranch - 4927 Bennett Road, Simi Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$39,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$128,152,301 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eddie Murphy Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tobe Hooper:  to the right of Arsenio Hall (Reverend Brown) and Shari Headley, listening to Brown's non-stop preaching during the McDowell party.

---

Goofs

When Akeem and Lisa were walking through the park at night, just after they walked under a bridge, you could seen the twin towers in the background. Then they came upon the Duke brothers sleeping in the rubble. Akeem gave them the wad of money, then he and Lisa started walking again. They immediately walked under the SAME BRIDGE again, and there you could see the twin towers in the background again. Somehow the Duke brothers moved without moving!

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Rose Bearer: Good morning, Your Highness.
Rose Bearer: Good morning, Your Highness.
Rose Bearer: Good morning, Your Highness.
Oha: Happy birthday, Your Highness.
Prince Akeem: [thinks] Yes, it *is* my birthday.

---

Crazy Credits

Eddie Murphy - as the old white man in the barber shop - says: "Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait stop right there! Listen: Stop right there, man. A man goes into a restaurant. You listenin'? A man goes into a restaurant, and he sits down, he's having a bowl of soup and he says to the waiter, waiter come taste the soup. Waiter says: Is something wrong with the soup? He says: Taste the soup. He says: Is there something wrong with the soup? Is the soup too hot? He says: Will you taste the soup? What's wrong, is the soup too cold? Will you just taste the soup?! Allright, I'll taste the soup - where's the spoon?? Aha. Aha! ... Whadaya know from funny, you bastards?"

---

Connections

Featured in Retrosexual: The 80's (2004)

---

Soundtracks

"I Got It"
Written by Nile Rodgers & Nancy Huang
Performed by Eddie Murphy
Produced by Nile Rodgers

User Reviews

Probably the funniest movie ever

I had to buy it on DVD... I saw this movie about 100 time on VHS and I felt this movie has to make part of my "digital-collection". I saw it first time in theatre in the out-coming-year and the gags influenced my whole youth. Even nowadays (I'm 27 years old) I often talk about this movie with my friends. I simply love it like all the Eddie-Movies till and including "Boomerang".

Where's the spoon? Aha...........