Who's Harry Crumb? (1989)

Director:

Paul Flaherty

Writers (WGA):

Robert Conte (written by) &
Peter Martin Wortmann (written by)

Release Date:

3 February 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery

Tagline:

Nerves of steel. Body of iron. Brain of stone.

Plot:

Harry Crumb is a bumbling and inept private investigator who is hired to solve the kidnapping of a young heiress which he's not expected to solve because his employer is the mastermind behind the kidnapping.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Private Investigator | Chloroform | Steel Plate In Head | Stupidity

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

John Candy	...	Harry Crumb
Jeffrey Jones	...	Eliot Draisen
Annie Potts	...	Helen Downing
Tim Thomerson	...	Vince Barnes
Barry Corbin	...	P.J. Downing
Shawnee Smith	...	Nikki Downing
Valri Bromfield	...	Detective Casey
Doug Steckler	...	Dwayne
Renée Coleman	...	Jennifer Downing (as Renee Coleman)
Wesley Mann	...	Tim the Butler
Tamsin Kelsey	...	Marie Cannell
Joe Flaherty	...	Doorman
Fiona Roeske	...	Crumb Receptionist
Lori O'Byrne	...	Karen
Michele Goodger	...	Mrs. MacIntyre (as Michelle Goodger)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #29425) | France:U | UK:12 (uncut version) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | West Germany:12 | UK:PG (cut) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Arnon Milchan/Frostbacks

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the car chase sequence, immediately after Harry's car breaks free, camera mounting equipment can be seen on the driver's side of Vince and Helen's car.

Quotes:

Eliot Draison: It's a pterodactyl egg. It's fossilized. It's ninety million years old. In the entire world, only two of these have ever been found.
Harry Crumb: You know, that may be worth something.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington (#3.3)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Big Fun (Harry Crumb)

Harry is a Crumb but the comedy isn't.

I just saw this film on local TV Sunday Night,June 17th. I had heard of this film for a long time but never had the chance to see it. Being a late 1980s comedy,I was sure it would be crummy.

The movie started out kind of slow for me,I felt it took too long to demonstrate that the bolts of Harry's brain are missing a nut or two. A few of the gags didn't work for me as well but then,thankfully the ball got rolling and so did I!

Those having seen this know that Harry's has been hired to fail in the solving of a kidnapped young heiress case,because of his incompetence. Those behind it are the very people who did hire him.

I think the first really funny thing Harry said that let me know this would be good after all was,"If we can find the crazy typewriter that made this ransom note,we'll have our man!" Referring to the pieced together note from magazine letters. Talk about a cuckoo lose in your clockwork!

Harry also manages to get his tie caught in a paper shredder,go flying through his employer's office on a runaway exercise bike,goes flying through an air vent system of a hotel dressed as an Arabic air-conditioner repairman.

He's assisted by the sister of the heiress,played by then teen Shawnee Smith,who went on to play Linda the receptionist,on Ted Danson's CBS comedy "Becker". She likes Harry but knows he really doesn't have a real idea of what he's doing. She doesn't hurt him by saying so,despite how he talks like a man whose watched to many TV detective shows. She doesn't want to see him fail and look more foolish than he does.

Annie Potts is great as the mother of the heiress,who could care less if her daughter lives or dies and is a wonderful villainous "B". (If you get my meaning. The male players are nit-wits also but only because they foul things up for themselves by both being attracted to Potts. (She looks fantastic in this by the way).

In his own befuddled way,Harry comes out victorious in solving the case,rent-borrow or buy he movie and find out how all the little crumbs lead Harry to bread. 8 out of 10,two off for the slow start and jokes that didn't work. Otherwise,"Harry" was hilarious. (END)