“A rags to riches to rags story.”
After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson sets off on a hilarious misadventure that takes him from rags to riches and back 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.
Where to Watch
Streaming, rent and purchase options
Cast & Crew
Steve Martin
Navin R. Johnson
Bernadette Peters
Marie Kimble Johnson
Catlin Adams
Patty Bernstein
Mabel King
Mother
Richard Ward
Father
Carl Gottlieb
Iron Balls McGinty
Dick Anthony Williams
Taj
Bill Macy
Stan Fox
M. Emmet Walsh
Madman
Dick O'Neill
Frosty
Maurice Evans
Hobart
Helena Carroll
Hester
Ren Woods
Elvira
Pepe Serna
Punk #1
Sonny Terry
Blues Singer
Brownie McGhee
Blues Singer
Jackie Mason
Harry Hartounian
Sharon Johansen
Lenore Hartounian
Gene LeBell
Con Man
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner the Celebrity
Larry Hankin
Circus Hand (uncredited)
Howard Hesseman
Carnival Worker (uncredited)
Rob Reiner
Truck Driver Picking Up Navin (uncredited)
Gailard Sartain
Guy with Cracked Airplane Seats (uncredited)
Story & Production Details
Reviews & Thoughts
***Steve Martin’s breakout comedy*** A homeless mentally-challenged man (Steve Martin) shares his amusing tale of rags-to-riches-to-hobo with flashbacks. Catlin Adams plays a stunt rider at a carnival who has the hots for Navin (Martin) while Bernadette Peters plays a more important woman in his life. “The Jerk” (1979) has several laugh-out-loud scenes like the eventual confrontation between Patty (Catlin) and Marie (Peters), but there are also some flat, overlong parts, like when Navin departs the mansion in the last act. “Forrest Gump” (1994) was obviously inspired by “The Jerk” and made a more serious, popular picture. Jim Carrey also took a lot of inspiration from Martin and “The Jerk” to forge the even funnier “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” (1994). The movie runs 1 hour, 34 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area. GRADE: B
