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IMDbPro

The Golden Child

  • 19861986
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
56K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,488
651
Eddie Murphy in The Golden Child (1986)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:08
1 Video
99+ Photos
ActionAdventureComedy
A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
56K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,488
651
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Michael Ritchie
    • Writer
      • Dennis Feldman
    • Stars
      • Eddie Murphy
      • J.L. Reate
      • Charles Dance
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michael Ritchie
    • Writer
      • Dennis Feldman
    • Stars
      • Eddie Murphy
      • J.L. Reate
      • Charles Dance
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 100User reviews
    • 44Critic reviews
    • 37Metascore
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:08
    Official Trailer

    Photos156

    Eddie Murphy in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy and J.L. Reate in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy in The Golden Child (1986)
    James Hong in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy and Charlotte Lewis in The Golden Child (1986)
    Victor Wong in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy and J.L. Reate in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eric Douglas in The Golden Child (1986)
    Eddie Murphy and Michael Ritchie in The Golden Child (1986)
    Charles Dance in The Golden Child (1986)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Eddie Murphy
    Eddie Murphy
    • Chandler Jarrell
    J.L. Reate
    • The Golden Child
    Charles Dance
    Charles Dance
    • Sardo Numspa
    Charlotte Lewis
    Charlotte Lewis
    • Kee Nang
    Victor Wong
    Victor Wong
    • The Old Goupa
    Randall 'Tex' Cobb
    Randall 'Tex' Cobb
    • Til
    James Hong
    James Hong
    • Doctor Hong
    Shakti Chen
    • Kala
    • (as Shakti)
    Tau Logo
    • Yu
    Tiger Chung Lee
    • Khan
    Pons Maar
    Pons Maar
    • Fu
    Peter Kwong
    Peter Kwong
    • Tommy Tong
    Wally Taylor
    • Detective Boggs
    Eric Douglas
    Eric Douglas
    • Yellow Dragon
    Charles Levin
    Charles Levin
    • TV Host
    Kenneth H. Frith Jr.
    • Friend at Pink's
    • (as Kenneth 'Fruitty' Frith Jr.)
    Bennett Ohta
    • Herb Shop Clerk
    Kinko Tsubouchi
    • Old Chinese Woman
    • Director
      • Michael Ritchie
    • Writer
      • Dennis Feldman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Charlotte Lewis was only 18 when she filmed this movie.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 2 mins) When Chandler is about to take the dagger you can clearly see a wire holding it in place.
    • Quotes

      Chandler Jarrell: Only a man whose heart is pure can wield the knife, and only a man whose ass is narrow can get down these steps. And if mine's is such an ass, then I shall have it.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Heartbreak Ridge/Solarbabies/Little Shop of Horrors/Defense of the Realm (1986)
    • Soundtracks
      The Best Man in the World
      Music by John Barry

      Lyrics by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson & Sue Ennis

      Performed by Ann Wilson

      Ann Wilson courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.

    User reviews100

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A FUN FANTASY ADVENTURE FROM MY CHILDHOOD
    "The Golden Child" is one of Eddie Murphy's most underrated films of the 80's but even though it's not well liked by many, well i have always loved it for the fun fantasy adventure it is & Eddie Murphy is still good fun here with his witty comedy.

    Eddie Murphy, who is a hero of mine from growing up, here he plays a great role & play's it more straight & restrained, he's still funny but not overly energetic or crazy & i like his performance alot!!! He plays Detective Chandler Jarrell who specialises in missing children cases, discovers he's "The Chosen One" to help find a missing magical Tibetan Child who has great powers that can save the world from Evil, it's a totally fantastical Comedy adventure story with excellent pure 80's special effects & music & has a feel or vibe like the Classic "Big Trouble in little China" but not as great, & also stars two actors from that movie with Victor Wong & James Hong. The look & production design is excellent & some of the down town L.A scenes are actually very grimy & gritty, actually it's quite a dark movie with it's theme of child abduction & there's a very dark scene of a young girl found face down & dead in a grubby & gritty area of Los Angeles. Without the Fantasy & Magic side it would be a more Darker Noir Detective Thriller which in a way it really is!!! But that's also a plus point to this movie is it's basically set in the real dangerous world where these evil things do really happen but the Fantasy part helps to cope with it & gives a nice comforting feel that even the comedy legend Eddie Murphy has to come accross evil in the world. The demon monster villain at the end is Awesome & looks great still.

    "The Golden Child" is so 80's & so much fun & was Directed by Michael Ritchie who has done many excellent films such as Fletch (Chevy Chase) & Fletch Lives & The Couch Trip (Dan Aykroyd) & Cops & Robbersons (Chase), he knows great comedy.

    It's a different type of role for Eddie Murphy & he's great in it. "The Golden Child" is very underrated & i can see why some didn't enjoy it because it's not the usual Murphy brand of antics, he's more serious & reserved in a way but definitely suits the movie because of it's dark atmosphere & as a kids family type fantasy Comedy it has some scary stuff in here.

    Yes i have Nostalgia for this flick but it's a film i have always loved & enjoyed. I love most films that critics hate anyway!!! I love the 80"s
    helpful•9
    0
    • lukem-52760
    • Feb 16, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 12, 1986 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Auf der Suche nach dem goldenen Kind
    • Filming locations
      • Nepal
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Eddie Murphy Productions
      • Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $79,817,937
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,549,711
      • Dec 14, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $79,817,937
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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