Coming to America
From Open Encyclopedia
| Coming to America | |
|---|---|
| Image:ComingtoAmericaPoster.jpg {{{caption|}}} | |
| Directed by | John Landis |
| Produced by | Leslie Belzberg George Folsey Jr. Mark Lipsky |
| Written by | Eddie Murphy (story) David Sheffield (screenplay) Barry W. Blaustein (screenplay) |
| Starring | Eddie Murphy Arsenio Hall James Earl Jones |
| Music by | {{{music}}} |
| Cinematography | {{{cinematography}}} |
| Editing by | {{{editing}}} |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Released | June 29, 1988 (USA) |
| Running time | 116 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $28,000,000 |
| Preceded by | {{{preceded_by}}} |
| Followed by | {{{followed_by}}} |
| IMDb profile | |
| {{{footnotes|}}} | |
Coming to America is a 1988 romance-comedy film directed by John Landis. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, and Eddie Murphy. Murphy also stars in the film along with James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall.
Contents |
Plot
Eddie Murphy stars as the Prince of a fictitious African monarchy called Zamunda (There is an actual island in Africa off of the equatorial coast of Guinea referred to as Zamunda); ruled by King Jaffe Joffer (played by James Earl Jones), and is home to the Prince's royal servant, Semmi (Arsenio Hall).
Faced with the prospect of an arranged marriage to a woman he has never met, Akeem pleads with his father, the King (James Earl Jones), to be allowed to go to the America to find a bride of his own choosing.
His father misunderstands him and believes that the Prince wishes to "sow his royal oats" before settling down with his arranged bride. The prince and his royal servant set off to New York City, New York, and Akeem picks the area of "Queens" as the best place to look for potential brides.
Akeem and Semmi pretend to be African exchange students so that people will not treat them differently for their royalty. Eventually Akeem meets a girl he wants to marry, who happens to be the daughter (Shari Headley) of the owner (John Amos) of McDowell's fast food restaurant where he and Semmi are employed. It takes a while to win her affection, but eventually he does, and they fall in love. After she finds out who Akeem really is, she is at first upset that he lied. In the end, love prevails and the two are married in a royal African ceremony.
Cast
- Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem/Clarence/Randy Watson/Saul
- Arsenio Hall as Semmi/Morris/Reverend Brown
- James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer
- John Amos as Cleo McDowell
- Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon
- Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell
- Paul Bates as Oha
- Eriq La Salle as Darryl Jenks
- Frankie Faison as Landlord
- Vanessa Bell Calloway as Imani Izzi
- Louie Anderson as Mauric
- Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell
- Sheila Johnson as Lady-in-Waiting
- Jake Steinfeld as Cab Driver
- Calvin Lockhart as Colonel Izzi
- Michele Watley as Bather
Trivia
- One part of the film has four old men discussing everything from legendary boxers to how to go out with ladies. Eddie Murphy plays Clarence the barber and Saul the old Jewish man. Arsenio Hall plays the barber Morris. Murphy also plays the lead singer of the band Sexual Chocolate. Hall also plays Reverend Brown and one of many women Akeem and Semmi approach in a nightclub.
- This movie includes cameos of two characters from the movie Trading Places: the Duke brothers, Randolph and Mortimer. At the end of Trading Places, the Duke brothers lost their entire fortunes. In this film, the brothers are now homeless and living on the streets. Prince Akeem gives them a paper bag filled with a large sum of money, enough to get them off the streets again.
- The film was the subject of the Buchwald v. Paramount lawsuit, filed by Art Buchwald against the film's producers on the grounds that the film's idea was stolen from a 1982 script that Paramount had optioned from Buchwald. Buchwald won the lawsuit and was awarded damages; Paramount settled with Buchwald, unwilling to risk an appeal.
- Because of the obvious name similarity, the film's producers had to obtain permission from McDonalds before using the name McDowell's.
- Samuel L. Jackson briefly plays a robber who attempts to rob McDowell's in a cameo role.
- The customer sitting in the barber's chair getting his hair cut is Cuba Gooding Jr.
- One of the rose bearers was played by Garcelle Beauvais.
