Stir Crazy (film)

Stir Crazy is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Sidney Poitier about down-on-their-luck friends who are given 125-year prison sentences after being framed for a bank robbery. While in prison, they befriend other inmates. The film reunited Wilder and Pryor who had appeared previously in Silver Streak (1976).

Quotes

 * Skip Donahue: This filthy, roach-ridden reality is inspiring... What did that second policeman say to you when he grabbed you by the throat?
 * Harry Monroe: Man, I don't fucking believe you!
 * Skip Donahue: "Man, I don't fucking believe you!" Fabulous!
 * Harry Monroe: You don't get it, do you, Skip? You think this is The Count of Monte Cristo or something. We're in deep trouble. This is the real deal. We're in deep shit.


 * Rory: That's grossberger. The biggest mass murderer in the history of the southwest? My dear, he killed his entire family and all of his relatives in one weekend and then he killed some more people that reminded him of his family!


 * Harry Monroe: Yeah, that's right! That's right! We bad!


 * Harry Monroe: Yes, I'm a short son of a bitch, my daddy was a short son of a bitch, my mother was shorter than him, and my brother, my brother was so short we couldn't even see him.


 * Blade: The rodeo clown is the most DANGEROUS job, 'cause he gets CLOSEST to the BULL. He gets the BEST of the BULL! HOOK to the left! HOOK to the right! And if the bull rider's in trouble, he's gotta protect him, even if it means gettin' his ribs pulled out, or bein' freight-trained...
 * Harry Monroe: Freight-trained?
 * Blade: Run over, just like a freight train, only with a bull, it's worse, cause a freight train don't BACK UP and FINISH the JOB. Later on, I'll show you how to lie out on the stretcher when the ambulance comes.


 * Skip Donahue: We tried to teach him Charades! He didn't get it! He just didn't get it!


 * Warden Walter Beatty: You're gonna represent Glenboro prision in the annual Top Hand-competition. Congratulations!
 * Skip Donahue: Oh! Oh my god! Warden! I can't do that!
 * Warden Walter Beatty: What in the hell are you talking about...?
 * Skip Donahue: Well, I should have told you in your office! My mother was a veterinarian! I can't have anything to do with the exploatation of animals, she'd turn over in her grave!
 * Warden Walter Beatty: I don't believe you heard me correctly. This is very important to me!
 * Skip Donahue: Important to you? My mother is watching over every step I make! Do you know that my soul is on the line here...? So let's just drop... [looks up] What? I said no. Whoa, I told him no! Ma, are you crazy? I have witnesses... All right, we'll talk about it in my cell! [looks at the warden] Uhm... I have to go to the bathroom. Would you excuse me, warden? [looks up at the sky again, and walks off]


 * Harry: Geez, what's wrong with him?
 * Young Man in Hospital: Oh, that's Johnson. He's on a hunger strike so they are force-feeding him to keep him alive.
 * Harry: At least there's some humanity here.
 * Young Man in Hospital: They're going to electrocute him next week.


 * Blade: Now every bull has a secret word that makes him crazy, and sends him into his craziest ride, your job is to figure out that word.
 * Harry Monroe: Bull... uh... let's see. Uh... Rumpelstiltskin. Uh... Malt liquor... Come on, bull. [whistles and makes kissing noises] Come on, bull. Uh... woof, woof! Uh... [makes clicking sound with tongue] Hey, sexy... Hee-hee... shit! [Bull bellows and charges at Harry] [running away from bull] Oh, you motherfucker!
 * Blade: Congratulations, you found the word!


 * Skip Donahue: What are you doing?
 * Harry Monroe: I'm gettin' bad. You better get bad, Jack. 'Cause if you ain't bad, you're gonna get fucked.


 * Harry Monroe: 125 years... Oh God, Oh God... I'll be 161 when I get out.


 * Big Mean: What's the charge?
 * Harry Monroe: Innocent.
 * Big Mean: Ain't we all?
 * Harry Monroe: Bank robbery?
 * Big Mean: Oh, shit.
 * Harry Monroe: Ooooh, shit!
 * Big Mean: You can kiss the baby.
 * Harry Monroe: Kiss the baby?
 * Skip Donahue: [to Big Mean] What baby is that, sir?
 * Big Mean: Ask your lawyer.

[laughs and walks away]


 * Harry Monroe: [whimpering] Pillow... I want my pillow.


 * Rory: That's Blade. He runs the third world side of Cell Block 2. My dear, till Grossberger came along he held the axe murder record in the south-west! He's the one I'm gonna get you the cheeseburger from. How do you like it, medium?
 * Harry Monroe: Oh no, I don't want no cheeseburger, I'm trying to, er, keep my weight down.
 * Rory: Don't worry about him, I'll protect you. I'll protect you!
 * Harry Monroe: I'm getting a little podge.
 * Rory: For some reason, I make him uneasy!

[waves in a very camp manner toward Blade]
 * Harry Monroe: I wonder why. Hi. [waves at Blade] I'm going! [calls after Skip] Skip, my friend. [then, to Rory] Excuse me, would you?
 * Rory: I'll come with you.
 * Harry Monroe: Awwwww... shit!

 [Harry slaps Rory's hand when he touched his hand]
 * Harry: Do you mind? What'd you kill your stepfather for, anyway?
 * Rory: Criticizing my new fur jacket... And... Slapping my hand.

[Harry puts Rory's hand back on his head]


 * Skip Donahue: I want a bigger cell! With better ventilation!
 * Deputy Ward Wilson: Why? Grossberger been farin' on ya?


 * Blade: He'll snot on ya, he'll fart on ya... He'll do anything he can to smash your brains out.

Cast

 * Gene Wilder as Skip Donahue
 * Richard Pryor as Harry Monroe
 * Georg Stanford Brown as Rory Schultebrand
 * JoBeth Williams as Meredith
 * Miguel Ángel Suárez as Jesus Ramirez
 * Craig T. Nelson as Deputy Ward Wilson
 * Barry Corbin as Warden Walter Beatty
 * Nicolas Coster as Warden Henry Sampson
 * Joel Brooks as Len Garber
 * Jonathan Banks as Jack Graham
 * Erland Van Lidth as Grossberger
 * Charles Weldon as Blade
 * Franklyn Ajaye as Young Man in Hospital
 * Cedrick Hardman as Big Mean
 * Luis Avalos as Chico
 * Grand L. Bush as Slowpoke
 * Herbert Hirschman as Man at Dinner Party
 * Dave Moore as Skip Donahue (stunts)
 * Mickey Jones as Guard #8
 * Billy Beck as Flycatching Prisoner
 * Lee Purcell as Susan
 * Tony Burton as Guy who Punches Big Mean (uncredited)
 * Al Silvani as Inmate (uncredited)