See No Evil, Hear No Evil

Infobox_Film
name=See No Evil, Hear No Evil


caption = The movie cover for "See No Evil, Hear No Evil".
imdb_id=0098282
writer=Earl Barret
Arne Sultan
Marvin Worth
Eliot Wald
Andrew Kurtzman
Gene Wilder
starring=Richard Pryor
Gene Wilder
Joan Severance
Kevin Spacey
Alan North
director=Arthur Hiller
music=Stewart Copeland
editing=Robert C. Jones | distributor=TriStar Pictures
released=May 12, 1989
runtime=103 min.
language=English
movie_series=
awards=
producer=Marvin Worth
budget= |

"See No Evil, Hear No Evil" is a 1989 comedy film starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, directed by Arthur Hiller.

Plot summary

Richard Pryor plays a blind man named Wally Karue and Gene Wilder plays a deaf man named Dave Lyons. They meet in Dave's shop, where Wally wants to get a job. After a few complications, Dave hires him. As Wally goes outside to get the newspapers for Dave, a man (Wally's bookie) comes in and asks Dave for some antacid (Dave reads lips). Playing for some time to hide a valuable coin, the man asks Dave to read the back of the packet to him. As Dave is reading it, the man slips the coin in a cigar box (for tips), hoping that nobody would find it. After he does it, a tall lady dressed in red comes looking for the coin. While Dave is reading, she shoots the bookie when he fails to give it to her. She slips away and disappears out of sight. Dave didn't hear the gunshot and Wally didn't see anybody but he heard the gunshot. Soon after finding that there is a dead man on the floor and with Dave holding the murder weapon, the two of them are put into jail for questioning. Wally and Dave become the prime suspects and the police refuse to believe them. The two then cunningly escape from the police station. On the run from the law, they are also tracked by the real killers, played by Joan Severance and Kevin Spacey, who want the gold coin in their possession. Dave and Wally must be each other's eyes and ears to stop the criminals and clear their names.

Reception

TriStar Pictures was looking to produce another film starring Wilder and Pryor, and Wilder agreed to do "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" only if he was allowed to re-write the script. The studio agreed and "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" premiered on May 1989 to mostly negative reviews. Many critics praised Wilder and Pryor, and even Kevin Spacey's performances but they mostly all agreed that the script was terrible. Roger Ebert called it "a real dud", [Ebert, Roger. [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19890512/REVIEWS/905120304/1023 "See No Evil, Hear No Evil."] RogerEbert.com. May 12, 1989. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.] the Deseret Morning News described the film as "stupid", with an "idiotic script" that had a "contrived story" and too many "juvenile gags", [Hicks, Chris. [http://deseretnews.com/movies/view/1,1257,1616,00.html "See No Evil, Hear No Evil."] "The Deseret Morning News". May 18, 1989. Retrieved on March 16, 2008.] while Vincent Canby called it "by far the most successful co-starring vehicle for Mr. Pryor and Mr. Wilder", also acknowledging that "this is not elegant movie making, and not all of the gags are equally clever." [Canby, Vincent. [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=950DE1DC103AF931A25756C0A96F948260&oref=slogin "Review/Film; Pryor and Wilder Pool Handicaps in 'See No Evil'."] "The New York Times". (May 12, 1989). Retrieved on March 16, 2008.]

External links

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References