The Jerk

The Jerk

94 mins | Comedy | Dec. 14, 1979

After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson runs off on a hilarious misadventure in this comedy classic that takes him from rags to riches and back to rags again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.

The Jerk

94 mins | Comedy | Dec. 14, 1979

The Jerk
After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson runs off on a hilarious misadventure in this comedy classic that takes him from rags to riches and back to rags again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.
IMDb rating 7.1
Producers Universal Pictures, Aspen Film Society
Original title The Jerk
Directors Carl Reiner
Writers Michael Elias, Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb

Cast

Steve Martin

as Navin R. Johnson

Bernadette Peters

as Marie Kimble Johnson

Catlin Adams

as Patty Bernstein

Mabel King

as Mother

Richard Ward

as Father

Carl Gottlieb

as Iron Balls McGinty

Bill Macy

as Stan Fox

M. Emmet Walsh

as Madman

Dick O'Neill

as Frosty

Maurice Evans

as Hobart

Helena Carroll

as Hester

Ren Woods

as Elvira

Pepe Serna

as Punk #1

Sonny Terry

as Blues Singer

Brownie McGhee

as Blues Singer

Jackie Mason

as Harry Hartounian

Gene LeBell

as Con Man

Carl Reiner

as Self

Larry Hankin

as Circus Hand (uncredited)

Howard Hesseman

as Carnival Worker (uncredited)

Rob Reiner

as Truck Driver Picking Up Navin (uncredited)

Gailard Sartain

as Guy with Cracked Airplane Seats (uncredited)

Lenny Montana

as Con Man