STIR CRAZY

US, 1980, 111 minutes, Colour.
Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, Georg Stanford Brown, JoBeth? Williams.
Directed by Sidney Poitier.

Stir Crazy is a send-up of the ever popular prison film. There is a focus on the criminals and their being introduced to the Prison lifestyle, coping with other prisoners, wardens, the desire to escape. However, the film is also a vehicle for two very popular comedians of the '70s and '80s, who appeared in the very popular The Silver Streak. Gene Wilder is at his best with the slightly crazy, very good-natured playwright. Richard Pryor is not so successful, and seems straining, as the timid but strong actor.

The film is directed by Sidney Poitier - in a line of rather broad comedies, frequently starring himself: Uptown Saturday Night, Let's Do It Again, A Piece Of The Action. The emphasis on this film (unlike his previous comedies) is on laughs - with any social message very remotely in the background. The film had enormous appeal for American audiences - but does not seem to travel so well.

1. The popular styles of American comedy and their American appeal? Elsewhere? Laughter at characterisations, situations, parody?

2. The tone of the New York opening - the collage of the city, the lyrics of the song? The dream of escaping from the city? The nightmare in the mid-west? California dreaming? The score and the songs illustrating the themes?

3. The introduction to the two characters and the funny situation comedy? Skip and his detective work,, the confrontation with the actress and his admiration of her? Harry and the fiasco of the society meal laced with pot? The satire on the various types: actress, society people, servants?

4. Skip and Harry and unemployment, dream of leaving the polluted city, taking the opportunity, the comedy of the drive out west? The interaction of the two comedians? The interaction of the naive optimism and the quiet timidity?

5. The humour of their bank promotion, its being the occasion for the robbery, having their lunch in the park, the chase and the arrest, the court case and the heavy sentence?

6. The title of the film and the reference to madness and prison? Audience presuppositions about prison film? Entry, confronting the criminals, cells, wardens? Their acting tough and mean? The confrontation with the giant boss prisoners?

7. Harry and his fear and having a fit? Skip's fit? Skip and his trying to be nice to everybody - and the sequence with Grossberger in the dining room?

8. The mechanical bull sequence and the echoes of Urban Cowboy? The sadistic warders, Skip's success and enjoying riding the bull? The means for financial success for the warders?

9. Skip standing his ground and wanting his team? His being persecuted and sweetly surviving all the persecutions - hanging up, isolation etc.?

10. The background of the lawyer and his trying to help, Skip and the infatuation with the lawyer's sister?

11. The prison group - the sketch of Rory and the humour on the gay prisoner? Jesus and the Mexican background, his wife? Grossberger and his being friendly and joining the group?

12. The build-up for the escape plan, the humour of its execution? The escape e.g. Rory dressed as a woman?

13. The practice for the rodeo, the rodeo itself, the wardens and their money? Cesare and the confrontation with Skip? Skip's escape and his persuading Cesare to give the money to the prisoners? The warden's anger?

14. The happy ending with Skip and Meredith escaping to Mexico?

15. The quality of the comedy? Its broad and popular style? Verbal humour, sight gags? Parody?