Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)

Bumbling Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, where a crooked lawyer notices a resemblance with crime boss Mr. Nash, and arranges a switch. Nash assumes Ernest's job as a bank ... See full summary »

Director:

John R. Cherry III (as John Cherry)

Writer:

Charlie Cohen

Stars:

Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Varney	...	Ernest P. Worrell / Mr. Felix Nash / Auntie Nelda
Gailard Sartain	...	Chuck
Bill Byrge	...	Bobby
Barbara Tyson	...	Charlotte Sparrow (as Barbara Bush)
Barry Scott	...	Rubin Bartlett
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Lyle
Dan Leegant	...	Oscar Pendlesmythe
Charles Napier	...	Warden
Jim Conrad	...	Eddie
Jackie Welch	...	Judge
Melanie Wheeler	...	Prosecutor
Jeffrey Buckner Ford	...	Defense Attorney (as Buck Ford)
Daniel Butler	...	Waiter
Charlie Lamb	...	Another Con
Mac Bennett	...	Con

Storyline

Bumbling Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, where a crooked lawyer notices a resemblance with crime boss Mr. Nash, and arranges a switch. Nash assumes Ernest's job as a bank employee, while Ernest undergoes Nash's sentence to the electric chair. But instead of killing him, the electrocution gives Ernest superhuman powers, enabling him to escape from jail and foil Nash's attempt to rob the bank.

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Plot Keywords:

jury duty | electric chair | court | electrocution | four word title | 

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Taglines:

Guilty of Maximum Fun in the First Degree!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Family

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 April 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ernesto pierde su puesto

Filming Locations:

Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,143,372, 8 April 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$25,029,569

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the scene in prison where Ernest attempts to get into the character of Nash and does all the impressions, he does one impression of Sylvester Stallone. The line that Ernest says is "Hey you, Murdock, you're the guy who shot my brother..." The character of Murdock was played by Charles Napier in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), which starred Stallone. Charles Napier plays Warden Carmichael in Ernest Goes To Jail.

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Goofs

When the shop vac goes up the walls and on the ceiling, huge creases are in the walls and ceiling to keep the vacuum in contact with what it is rolling up against.

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Quotes

Ernest P. Worrell: [to lawyer as he's being taken to the chair] You pal, you're not getting anymore of my business!

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Alternate Versions

An extra scene of Mr. Pendelsmythe and Nash talking before Nash breaks Mr. Pendelsmythe's golf trophy.

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Connections

Followed by Ernest Goes to Africa (1997)

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Soundtracks

Doin' Time
Music and Lyrics by Bruce Arntson
Performed by Bruce Arntson

User Reviews

The importance of being Ernest...

This time, the lovable dimwit gets summoned for jury duty, where a corrupt attorney notices that he looks like a jailbird who wants to break out, so the two get switched. Of course, most of the movie is a series of gags; in "Ernest Goes to Jail", most of the gags relate to electricity. I really liked the whole vacuum cleaner sequence early on. Overall, the point of the movie is just to have fun, and I'm sure that you will. This is possibly the ultimate movie that you watch with a bud. It's quite safe to say that Jim Varney will truly be missed. Knowwhaddamean? FYI: the only other cast member whom I recognized was Randall "Tex" Cobb, who played Lyle. You've surely seen him somewhere.