The Toy (1982) User Reviews

A fun movie from the 80's that got taken too seriously

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 11 June 2007]

I know there was a lot of controversy around this film, due to the fact we have a rich white man buying a black man for his son, but I think that people just took this film way too seriously. Richard Pryor is one of the best comedians of all time, so I definitely became interested in seeing this film after I saw it on VH1's "I love the 80's" show, once again though, it seemed like they were giving the film a hard time. Well, I saw this at a store and figured for 5 dollars, what the heck? It's the rental price, if I liked the movie, I might as well own it. Well, I watched it this morning, I have to say that I thought that this was a very cute film that I'm sure if you have an open mind, you'll definitely enjoy it.

Jack is a journalist looking for a job, he's not getting anything though, at first he starts as a cleaning lady, but is fired by a snobby rich man. Then he's security at a toy store where the snobby rich man's son is shopping for anything he wants, he sees Jack and thinks he is funny, he wants him as the toy. When offered enough money to save his house, Jack agrees to it, but he's getting just a bit humiliated when he is constantly mocked, understandably. But when he gives the little boy a chance, they end up becoming great friends.

The Toy is just a fun movie that I'm sure you'll get a kick out of if you just give it a shot. It's a definite 80's classic that had great comedy in it, Richard was absolutely hilarious. He and Scott Schwartz were very adorable together and looked like they had so much fun together. I would recommend this film for a fun comedy, you're guaranteed a few laughs.

7/10

Went totally in the wrong direction...

[moviedude1 · 7/10 · 1 February 2009]

Richard Pryor stars as a down and out writer who ends up as a human toy for multi-billionaire Jackie Gleason's son. The combination results in comedy that only a man like Richard Pryor could take and make even funnier.

Shades of his stand up act stand out when the focus is on Pryor and some of the situations he gets himself into and he uses this time to shine. Jackie Gleason played well, too, as the straight man, but I don't think this was his forte, although, come to think of it, this role isn't that much different from the "straight guy" kind of role he played in the "Smokey and the Bandit" films, but he was a LOT funnier in those films than here.

The only problem I have with this film is that it starts to go for the throat of comedy, but ends up being a piece trying to deal with the issues at the time...almost like changing boats in the middle of the stream. The comedy continues throughout, but it changes its content, which distracted me a little.

7 out of 10 stars.

The 80s, right?

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 19 July 2019]

The Westgate Cinema in New Castle, PA wasn't a fancy or clean theater. Yet for most of my childhood, that's where we saw films for $1 before 5 PM, with my family often sneaking into multiple showings or even more than one film a day. The Toy was one of those films, a movie lost in the miasma of the years between ten and twelve, mixed in with other moves like The Incredible Shrinking Woman, the Jerry Lewis vehicle Hardly Working and The Cannonball Run.

Jack Brown (Richard Pryor) is in danger of losing everything - his marriage and his home - and becomes so desperate for a job that he dresses up like a traditional Southern maid to serve lunch to businessman U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason).

He's quickly fired, but Bates' spoiled son Eric (Scott Schwartz, who yes, went on to appear in A Christmas Story and perhaps more infamously adult films like Scotty's X-Rated Adventure) - upon being told he can have anything in the store - asks for Jack. Yes, he wants to own a black man as his toy, a fact that powers the whole film.

Bates' henchman Sydney Morehouse (Ned Beatty) sets up a deal where Jack will be Eric's live-in friend in exchange for enough money to save his house. The trouble is that the humiliation isn't worth any money. Yet this is an 80's movie, so of course, the kid's rough edges get smoothed out and the two come an understanding, eventually working together to expose the father's brutal personal and business demons.

This was the movie that Richard Donner followed his work on Superman with. Gleason is, as always, a delight. He was supposedly rough on Schwartz during filming, as the comedian loved to ad lib and it threw the young actor off.

Pryor is the main reason to this film.

[Rid.X · 20 May 1999]

I've seen this movie more times than I'd ever admit to, and the thing that keeps me watching is Pryor. He shines in just about every scene he's seen, especially when he's paired with the Wonder-Wheel. It's just that the rest of the film isn't on the level.

That's not to say it's a bad film; it's just not a solid one. This remake of a Francis Veber film (the name escapes me) finds Pryor as Jack Brown, an unemployed writer who seeks a job with a newspaper. He arrives at Bates Industries, run by the powerful industrialist U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason). He works a variety of odd jobs, incl. a janitor in a department store, where he is spotted by U.S. Bates' spoiled son, Eric, during the afforementioned Wonder-Wheel fiasco. Eric wants Jack as a toy, and this leads to a movie that blends the comedic with the sentimental, and works about half of the time.

The movie does take it's time to illustrate the goings-on in the Bates home. Eric spends much time tormenting Jack; during their first night, he shoots firecrackers at him, among other things. The two of them play air-hockey, and when Jack is beating Eric, the boy quits. Jack questions the boy if his father knows that his son is a quitter, to which Eric replies, "He doesn't care what I am, as long as I stay out of his way." That scene illustrates Eric's m.o.; he's frustrated at the neglect and inattentiveness he receives from his father, and expresses it in rebellious behavior.

That's all good and well, and that scenario does have a positive resolution, but the movie is burdened with unnecessary elements that don't belong in a movie like this. The movie has a racist subtext: Jack essentially allows himself to be bought, even though he says he can't. There's also a subplot towards the end dealing with the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan that serves no purpose other than to wreck a party. And U.S. Bates' wife, Fancy, is a poorly-drawn character; she comes along with an impressive bust and an annoying voice, and does little that is humorous, aside from her pronounciation of "U.S."

Still, the main reason to see the film is Pryor. See it for no other reason than to see a legend doing what he does best.

Above Average Comedy

[robertlauter25 · 7/10 · 30 June 2013]

Is the toy Gleason or Pryor's best movie, don't make me laugh. But it shouldn't have been trashed the way it was and still is because a bunch of politically correct pseudo-intelectuals in the media resented the racial undertones. The weakest link in this movie is the script. it could have been so much better. The editing is pretty spotty too. That much said it will make you laugh, and Gleason's performance is sincere, especially during the emotional conclusion. The complaints if the child actor's performance are justified, but mcalaey caulken was awful...he's a kid. what do you expect? I feel as if this movie got a bum rap for political reasons, and that's just a shame because funny is funny and that's the bottem line.

Richard Pryor is a very funny man

[dafuzzbudd · 7/10 · 14 October 2010]

Richard Pryor is a very funny man. This was my first experience seeing him in a movie and I will be looking for more. The movie starts out about Pryor needing to find a job. He gets hired by a rich CEO to be his kid's toy. Towards the end the plot starts to break away from what the movie initially starts to do and gets too serious and uncomfortably unfunny at times. There's a scene where they go fishing and it felt like an forced switch up of scenery.

The racial humor is carried well by Pryor and made the movie overall a good watch.

7/10

Film toying around with viewer

[videorama-759-859391 · 5/10 · 24 February 2020]

Here's a movie that hugely disappointed me, as I never thought it would. I had seen the preview for this film, when going to see Octopussy. What I got, was a unfunny letdown. Despite it's firm standing morals, intentions, that of being neglect, The Toy becomes a misfire of a comedy, with a story that kind of loses it way, goes off the beaten path, a path of boredom. The boy is a natural acting force, and Gleason has great presence on the big screen, while a suffering Pryor, character of not, really tries to make this work. It's not his fault. It's the hand he's been dealt. Pryor's character, is a guy, desperate to make it in journalism, but isn't taken seriously, where he's resorts to demeaning positions, within this paper, that neglectful father, Gleason owns. His spoilt brat of a son, on a shopping expedition, happens upon Pryor, goofing around, one toy, and inflatable wheel, he gets caught on. The son picks his favorite toy- Pryor, where he's subjected to a new hell of a job, as this little brat, puts him through hell. You can learn lessons from this movie, that's for sure, but there's a lesson to be learnt here in film making. Beatty as a chief employer of Gleason's is nearly subjected to another Deliverance moment, and that wonder wheel does look fun, this film, far from it. Pity.

Richard Pryor sell-out phase meets Revenge of the 80's: The Americanzied remakes.

[Captain_Couth · 6/10 · 18 August 2005]

The Toy (1982) was another Americanized remake of a French hit. Richard Pryor also puts another nail in the coffin that once was his career by starring in another sell-out role. During the seventies, Mr. Pryor was once an innovative comic who stretched the boundaries of bad taste. Now, he was starring in anything that would pay him handsomely.

The story is about a spoiled rich kid who get anything his rich dad can afford. One day he's shopping late night in a toy store and watches a janitor (Richard Pryor) acting real stupid and breaking a lot of expensive toys. After watching him break an expensive toy called "The Wonder Wheel", the kid laughs and wants to buy him as a personal toy. Will this rich kid get what he wants? Can his father afford his services? How will Richard react to it? Is this one of those message movies? To find out the answers to these questions you'll just have to watch THE TOY.

An okay time waster, but it's sad to see Richard Pryor stoop so low just to pick up a pay check.

This may have ended my marriage

[pmtelefon · 2/10 · 17 January 2019]

I was fan of Richard Pryor then and I'm a fan still. But for some reason, I was never really interested in "The Toy". I saw a quite a few of his movies that came out after "The Toy" but I never regretted missing this bomb. Wow, it's so bad. It's a dopey comedy ruined by Richard Donner's politics. Anyway, I watched it with my wife tonight. About half way through "The Toy", I couldn't take it anymore. I was just about to go on a rant when I turned my head and saw my wife's face. She was smiling... It was all down hill from there...She cried at the end...We're doomed.

Love Richard Pryor

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 February 2015]

Jack Brown (Richard Pryor) is a struggling writer in Baton Rouge. He's even playing poker for food stamps. His family home is about to be auctioned off unless he can come up with $10k or get a job. In desperation, he applies for a maid's job for wealthy U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason). Sydney Morehouse (Ned Beatty) reluctantly hires him after getting threatened with a lawsuit. U.S. fires him but U.S.'s spoiled 9 year old son "Master" Eric Bates (Scott Schwartz) finds the black janitor fascinating. Eric demands to buy him since U.S. promised Eric anything in his department store. U.S. is an absentee divorced father with Eric only one week every year. U.S. is married to bubbly new wife Fancy (Teresa Ganzel).

I love Richard Pryor. Yes I'm the one guy who likes Superman III. He has an instant likability and that makes all the difference. Quite frankly, I missed all the racial undertones as a kid watching this movie. I just found it fun with a touching story of a family coming back together. I don't even mind the annoying brat because it allows him to grow as a human being. It's all very heart warming. I also loved all the toys as a kid and there is nothing better than Pryor.

Don't bother unwrapping this one

[jmkoons · 3/10 · 17 July 2009]

The comedic might of Pryor and Gleason couldn't save this dog from the tissue-thin plot, weak script, dismal acting, and laughable continuity in editing this mess together. It has a very few memorable moments, but the well dries up quickly. As a kid I remember this as a Luke-warm vehicle for the two actor-comedians, but there was always something strange about the flow and feeling of what was being conveyed in each scene and how this ties to the plot overall. Watching it again after many years, it screams schlock-a-mania. I'm not so concerned with the racial controversy, as I wouldn't mind seeing a movie take that issue on with a little levity. The most obvious fault to me is that the scenes are laid out like a jumbled, non-related series of 2 minute situation comedy bits (any not very good ones at that), that were stapled together by the editor after an all-nighter at the local watering hole. Characters change feelings and motivations on a dime, without rhyme nor reason, between scenes and within scenes, making this feel as though no one had any idea of what to get out of the screenplay. Not that it was any gem to start with. I feel bad for the two actors whose legacy is marred by this disaster that should never have been made. Maybe my sense of humor has become too refined...

Chill Folks

[possedard · 10/10 · 18 March 2009]

Everyone wants to talk about the racial overtones. ***NEWS FLASH*** White folks do not wake up every morning thinking about how to screw over black folks. The movie was great. I loved it then and I love it now. I'm pretty sure the people who made this movie decided to make a funny movie with a great comedian of that era. I couldn't think of a better comedian to have as a toy, white or black.

To all my folks who seem to get upset at Richard Pryor and or the directors for making this movie, don't be. Be upset at Petey Greene for showing everyone how to eat a watermelon. You Tube that if you don't believe me.

Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason made The Toy tolerable as entertainment

[tavm · 7/10 · 17 February 2012]

Just rewatched this Richard Donner movie starring Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason after 30 years on Netflix Streaming just now. In this one, Pryor plays Jack Brown, an unemployed reporter whose house may be put up for sale unless he gets a job so he finds employment, initially as a maid, for Gleason's U.S. Bates before being reassigned as his son, Eric's (Scott Schwartz), "toy". I'll stop there and just say that despite the silly premise and some potentially stereotypically offensive situations, I did laugh plenty again at many of Pryor's shenanigans with Schwartz and Gleason still was good for some reaction shots especially when he says "woof". Also funny are Ned Beatty-who previously was in Pryor's Silver Streak but has scenes with him here for the first time since co-star Gene Wilder had the lion's share of lines with him there-as toady Mr. Morehouse and Teresa Ganzel as Fancy, U.S.'s (or in her pronunciation-You Ass) wife. It does get really contrived near the end but still, The Toy was fun and somewhat inspirational to me still. With that out of the way, if you're familiar with my reviews, you know that I always like to cite when productions have something associated with my current hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Well, this movie was shot there and I always like recognizing many of the city's landmarks like a brick structure I noticed at the beginning as Pryor encounters a limousine with his first meeting with Fancy there or a scene inside Goudchaux's Department Store-a building that still exists though the store is no more-with his riding the Wonder Wheel or the Indian Mounds near LSU that Jack and Eric walk on and, most awesome of all, two scenes of the State Capital-one seen through the windows of U.S. Bates's office as he makes Morehouse take his pants off in front of Jack and Eric and the other as the latter two are walking near the building's grounds. Also, a couple of players are familiar to me: Linda McCann, who appears in a party scene and at the end, was a teacher of a classmate of mine during my days before high school. She plays Honey Russell. And Robert Earle, who played a poker player at the beginning, was known to me as Bob Earle, president of WIBR-AM 1300, who did promotions for and introed many old-time radio programs for the Top 40 station during the 1979-80 season before it switched to country as I-13 during the latter part of the year. That station went off the air after Hurricane Gustav went through the area on September 1, 2008. Oh, and one more thing, I also like to cite when someone from my birthtown of Chicago, Ill. is associated with the production who in this case was screenwriter Carol Sobieski who had also adapted Annie starring Albert Finney and Carol Burnett earlier in the year.

One of the worst movies ever...here's why:

[DrSatan · 1/10 · 23 August 1999]

One: Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason, two great comics turned into saps for a bratty kid. They've both sold themselves out in this one, worse than Pryor's character. Two: Horrible, overly sentimental script that could have been used in a Harold Lloyd movie its so cliched. Three: Choice of a black actor as the toy; the racial subtext of this is unbearable, as its never addressed. There's no message here, Pryor's part could have been played by any comedic actor. Four: That kid...I wish I could go back in time and prevent him from ever acting...that would mean movies like this one and Kid Co. might not have been made...and my childhood would have been free of their mind-warping power. So if you want to watch a couple of great comics defile themselves in a sickly sweet kiddie flick, go ahead. If you want to see them in something good, see Pryor's old standup act and Gleason in something better, like the Honeymooners.

Good on more than one level.

[Count Orlok · 7 November 2000]

This film can be enjoyed by children due to it's obvious subject matter. But it also has a subtheme about racial and class divisions. Depending on the scene, the film's racial connotations range from depicting the use of blacks in subservient positions, to blatantly expressing that people can still sell themselves or be bought out of desperation.

"Good 80's Comedy!"

[gwnightscream · 6/10 · 9 May 2012]

Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason, Scott Shwartz, Teresa Ganzel and Ned Beatty star in Richard Donner's 1982 comedy. Jack Brown (Pryor) is a writer who needs a job to make a down payment on his house and wants to be a reporter for millionaire, U.S. Bates (Gleason). He gets a job working as a cleaner for U.S. until his spoiled son, Eric (Schwartz) notices him goofing around and decides to buy him as a toy. U.S. learns what Eric has done and makes a deal with Jack to play with Eric for a week earning $10,000. Jack gets practical jokes thrown at him, but gets close with Eric and helps him and U.S. with their troubled relationship in the process. Ganzel plays Eric's stepmother, Fancy and Beatty plays Morehouse, one of U.S.' right hand men. I've liked this since I was a kid, Richard and Jackie were great in it together and I recommend this good 80's comedy.

Money means never having to say you're sorry.

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 13 August 2017]

Richard Pryor makes the most of the situation in this 1982 comedy which some viewers could continue to find distasteful. He's Jack Brown, a broke writer, supposedly working on a book, who's also been trying to get a job on a newspaper. Since work is awful hard to come boy, he takes a job as a "cleaning lady", and while goofing around in a toy store one night, he's spotted by Eric Bates (Scott Schwartz), a spoiled brat son of a pompous zillionaire (Jackie Gleason). Eric's under the impression that he can help himself to anything as long as he has the money, so Jack is hired as a plaything for the boy.

Based upon the French comedy "Le Jouet", it's understandable that one would wince at various indignities to which Pryor must be subjected. But he and his fellow comic talent Gleason are able to mine a fair amount of laughs from various scenes and lines. Pryor really is at his best when reacting to other characters, while Gleason is perfect as a man who lives with his own version of reality: because he has all the wealth and power, he can make others do whatever he wants them to. Young Schwartz is appealing as the kid who must learn the movies' blatantly stated "you don't buy friends, you EARN them" message.

The whole cast is great, though: Ned Beatty as sniveling flunky Morehouse, Wilfrid Hyde- White as Barkley the butler, sexy Teresa Ganzel as Gleasons' air headed trophy wife # 3, and Annazette Chase as Jacks' activist girlfriend.

While not always terribly funny, there are some good gags, such as Jack marching into supposedly piranha infested water and getting his clothes cut to ribbons. The evolving relationship between Jack and Eric really is the heart and soul of the movie, though. Gleasons' activities sort of get glossed over by the end, but we can see that he is also a father who does genuinely love his son and does want to make a connection with him.

If you're a fan of Pryor or Gleason, you'll likely have a good time with this.

Six out of 10.

Pryor at his Worst

[view_and_review · 2/10 · 27 December 2017]

When I was a kid I would watch this movie over and over and never tire of it. It was a favorite of mine. I knew nothing of the plot I only knew that Richard Pryor was a cut up and he was playing the role of a child's toy.

Well, I just watched this movie this morning and this movie is humiliating. Richard Pryor plays Jack Brown, a clown claiming to be a journalist. No, he wasn't a clown by trade, he was a journalist but he was such a buffoon that there's no way he could've legitimately became a journalist. His foolish antics were so extreme that they got him fired as a cleaning "lady" (yes, cleaning lady) and got him hired as a child's toy. Not only was it humiliating watching Richard Pryor play the role of a total screw up but the humiliation only intensified when he was purchased. Yes, purchased; much like a slave trader would purchase a slave at an auction. A rich white kid named Eric Bates (Scott Schwartz) quite literally said, "I want to buy that black man." Jack Brown allowed himself to be bought/rented all the while proclaiming he had dignity.

From there it was a series of abuse at the hands of Master Eric as is the norm with children and their toys. I guess there was a message built into the movie but it was lost on me because it was so horribly done. Whatever point that was made when Jack Brown and Eric Bates forged their relationship was lost amidst the complete buffoonery on Jack Brown's part. He lavishly screws up time and again yet had the nerves to ask U.S. Bates (Jackie Gleason) for a job as a journalist at his paper--commenting that no men of color worked there. If he hired Jack Brown it would have only been to fill a quota because Jack wasn't qualified to shine shoes let alone write for a newspaper.

This farcical show was wretched. Pryor is a total stooge, Gleason is an oblivious quasi-racist rich fat cat and the kid is just another spoiled rich kid. If you like seeing black men playing stereotypical dumb you-know-what roles then this is the movie for you.

Not too bad

[juanbuddha · 6/10 · 31 August 2005]

Richard Pryor again plays the bumbling idiot in this comedy with a morality twist. The premise revolves around Richard losing his house, an opportunity to make a lot of money fast being a human toy for a rich store owner and the hilarity that ensues. While the film (and Richard) are indeed funny, it's hard to watch at times as the movie ATTEMPTS to balance racial/social class commentary with blaxpotation comedy. In one scene, Richard is giving the kid a lesson in friendship and the next we watch him running around bug eyed. And in the end, Richard plays the stereotypical blaxpotation character while Jackie Gleason is the great white rich dad. Its fun to watch but hard to digest.

This toy is kind of beat up.

[Aaron1375 · 4/10 · 29 May 2012]

With Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason as the stars most people would say this has to be a funny film. Well there is a kid and he is kind of who the film revolves around so that will in all likelihood make this one more cute than need be. Still, Pryor and Gleason, two guys known for comedy, going to be a laugh riot...right? Well, the film for reasons unknown gets a bit to heavy handed at time adding social issues to a film that should be a comedy in the truest sense. Seriously, this film is one of those movies that just does not know what direction it wants to go in. One would think it was trying to appear to families, what with the kid with everything wanting a friend and such. Then why make the film so racial? The film at times becomes a movie about racial injustice and such, and then completely shifts to the moronic comedy when Richard Pryor's character runs over the top of the water to get away from piranha. Make up your mind, do not have a bit of looney tunes comedy in the middle of a film that up until that point did not have humor such as this. This film just tried to be to much and it ends up making the film a bit to boring at times for kids and to childish at times for adults. This film should of been about the kid wanting the person as a friend, you could have ditched Richard Pryor in favor of Jerry Lewis and scrap all the heavy handed stuff. Or you could of kept Richard Pryor, and still ditched all the heavy handed stuff. Though just seems that this film was somehow made for Jerry Lewis, do not ask me why. What we do get is a toy that is broken and not as shiny as it once was.

A good story, but a poor execution

[mieriks · 6/10 · 23 September 2023]

This movie, about an underemployed reporter who finds himself literally purchased as a toy for a rich spoiled brat, is an okay comedy movie.

One of my first thoughts at the beginning was that the protagonist Jack Brown was a bit annoying because I think he exaggerated, which I was right about for the rest of the movie. I think Richard Pryor (as Jack Brown) tried too hard to be funny. It felt very forced. When it comes to the comedy in general, I sometimes felt that it worked, speaking of some of Jack's interactions with people around him, but that's about it. It was hard to get much out of this genre.

Jack and Eric Bates were the heart and soul of this movie, and I think the concept itself about their relationship was valuable. However, there were several things that didn't really get my interest, like rush and pacing issues. Sometimes their relationship didn't have flow, and it was sometimes confusing. It also felt forced and underdeveloped.

The third act was alright. It was far from perfect, but it had some good action, and the last scene was one of the best moments in the movie. However, a small detail that bothered me was that Eric's father, Ulysses Simpson "U. S." Bates, put his relationship with Jack behind himself mainly based on his rescue by Jack in the pool. We barely saw that detail. It wasn't obvious enough, and I coincidentally guessed that Jack saved him. What I'm trying to say is that there were several details like this that set the plot in motion. It was unnecessary confusing sometimes, especially for a simple movie like this one.

This movie has many flaws, but in the end I don't think it was directly bad. The cinematography was okay, and I liked the score. What ruined some of my experience was that when the good elements appeared, the bad elements appeared right after, which overshadowed much of the positivities.

I have to mention one thing. I have 10,825 movies in my watchlist at this date, and I shuffle my watchlist and pick the first movie that comes up every time I'll watch a movie because I prefer to go in blind. What follows is crazy: Ned Beatty (as Sydney Morehouse) was forced to take off his own pants in this movie, and literally the exact same thing happened to another character played Beatty in the previous movie I first-watched. What a coincidence! There was a 0.009 % chance for this...!

In conclusion, despite the movie's many flaws, it's not a terrible movie. The cinematography and score are decent, and the relationship between Jack and Eric has the potential to be heartwarming. However, the movie is bogged down by poor execution, including rushed pacing, underdeveloped characters, and forced comedy. As a result, the good elements are often overshadowed by the bad, leaving me with a mixed bag experience.

Awkward, but too much talent on hand to hate it.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 5/10 · 3 May 2009]

Yes, this is a wrong-headed and awkward little farce, but the stars are fun to watch. The Toy is the story of Richard Pryor desperately needing a job and being hired first as a cleaning LADY, and then as a playmate for the spoiled son of a tycoon. Director Richard Donner is able to showcase the tough economic times of the early 1980s and even sprinkle a little social awareness in terms of race. However the basic plot of a black man being bought or rented by a rich white man is an easy target for the race-bating crowd. Despite some scenes that might make the viewer feel uneasy, there are still a few good laughs here. Pryor is always watchable, and Gleason was unable to work much after this film. He makes his character believable, though.

The film suffers from a few problems, to say the least. Scott Schwarz is certainly whiny and annoying as the boy. Yes, he is supposed to be but his performance on many levels is grating. I like one line Pryor has about him when Gleason tells him he only gets the boy for one week each year. Pryor suggests that Gleason get some better lawyers, because nobody should have to put up with that kid for as long as a week! Ha! There are a couple of uncomfortable scenes regarding the boy's German nanny coming onto to Pryor. In one scene she asks if he is brown all over while feeling him up while he's wearing spider man pajamas! Ughh! There is also an embarrassing scene where the boy asks Pryor some pointed questions about sex, while straddling a huge old cannon at a park area. Ewww. Ned Beatty is forced to drop his pants in one scene, but its nothing as graphic as the scene in Deliverance.

I loved the scene where a huge outdoor Klan fund raiser is disrupted by Pryor and the kid. Actually Pryor is funny in just about every scene. The big-chested trophy wife of Gleason has some funny moments, too. I guess if you just don't take it seriously, than that is the only way to watch it. Still not a classic, if nothing else, The Toy is a curiosity best enjoyed by die hard fans of Pryor and Gleason. 5 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Amazing!!

[jamurph-70963 · 10/10 · 1 June 2020]

There is a lot of white guilt in the review section. This movie is great. Get over yourselves

Pitiful

[fiftycentqueen · 3/10 · 14 January 2019]

As a kid I thought this movie was ok. But now that I'm an adult this movie is pathetic. A rich white man BUYING a black man for his spoiled rotten son. Reminds me of a specific time in America when that was the thing to do. This movie is sickening. 3 Stars because I love Richard Pryor.

Nothing wrong with "The Toy"

[stevenfallonnyc77 · 8/10 · 30 August 2022]

Underneath all the "controversy" about the rich whitey "buying" the po' black man as a toy for his son, there's actually a very touching story about a kid and his dad who don't know how to communicate their feelings.

All this "slave" stuff seems a bit silly - in the early '80s, Richard Pryor was probably the most popular (and funniest) comedian out there, so who better to play the role of Jack Brown? They needed someone with great comic timing, who is fantastic delivering funny lines and doing slapstick, and who can emote as good as anyone then when a dramatic scene called for it. Who would have been a better choice than Pryor? No one.

The bratty kid and his "toy" Pryor raise heck in every scenario, from a dinner party, to a democrat KKK fundraiser, to a printing press room, and just about everywhere in the dad's mansion. Along the way, Eric the kid learns more and more about how to be a decent person from Jack, who is trying to get a job from the kid's dad (the amazing Jackie Gleason) who owns the local newspaper, among everything else.

Ned Beatty shines as always as one of Gleason's flunkies, showing that he was one of those guys who could play just about every kind of role.

Pryor of course is absolutely hilarious as Jack, paid to befriend the kid, and take the brunt of the kid's jokes and pranks, always with hilarious results.

Sure this isn't the funniest film ever made, but this is a very likable film for anyone that puts the prejudices against it aside and just chills and enjoys it.