The stage curtains open ...
"Not so fast! I've had my eye on you for a while, lady. I knew you were up to something, now here's my proof. It was YOU who were having an affair with your husband all along!"
"Who's Harry Crumb?" (1989) starring John Candy, Annie Potts, Jeffrey Jones, and Shawnee Smith is just one in a long line of inept detective comedy films, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. This movie I did see when it first hit the silver screen, and I really enjoyed it. It isn't the best of its kind I've ever seen, but it isn't the worst either. There are some real duds out there, but "Who's Harry Crumb?" is good entertainment.
Harry Crumb (Candy) is a down-on-his-luck private investigator who thinks more of his skills than he ought to. He is lucky if he can get a job tailing an unfaithful spouse and take racy pictures for a small fee. But when a high class socialite is kidnapped for a hefty ransom, her father demands action. Harry Crumb is brought in to investigate and he solicits the help of the kidnapped girl's younger sister, Nikki (Smith), as he stumbles and bumbles from one clue to the next. In his unorthodox way, Crumb works hard to identify the culprit of the kidnapping, and the results are a surprise, even to him. Everyone seems to have an agenda and everyone is suspect. In a way, Harry Crumb, despite his incompetence, might be the only person who can solve the crime.
In the tradition of the Peter Sellers' character of Chief Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies, comes John Candy's version, Harry Crumb. And, like Clouseau, Crumb fancies himself as a master of disguise. Despite being idiotic, Crumb has a heart of gold and there is no doubting his devotion to his profession.
This film wasn't as humorous as any of the Pink Panther movies, but I still had a fun time watching it. There were some great gags and I was laughing and smiling through the whole movie. John Candy brings his own unique comedic style to the role, and I felt it works here. I've always been a fan of Shawnee Smith, and I liked her in this movie as well.
I think the critics might've been a little too harsh in their reviews for this film - but, despite these, I remember quite a few people hoping for a sequel, but one never developed. I would certainly recommend it at a solid 7 stars out of 10. It is one of my personal favorite John Candy comedies, one I have seen several times over the years, and I like it just as much with each viewing.
"Not so fast! I've had my eye on you for a while, lady. I knew you were up to something, now here's my proof. It was YOU who were having an affair with your husband all along!"
"Who's Harry Crumb?" (1989) starring John Candy, Annie Potts, Jeffrey Jones, and Shawnee Smith is just one in a long line of inept detective comedy films, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. This movie I did see when it first hit the silver screen, and I really enjoyed it. It isn't the best of its kind I've ever seen, but it isn't the worst either. There are some real duds out there, but "Who's Harry Crumb?" is good entertainment.
Harry Crumb (Candy) is a down-on-his-luck private investigator who thinks more of his skills than he ought to. He is lucky if he can get a job tailing an unfaithful spouse and take racy pictures for a small fee. But when a high class socialite is kidnapped for a hefty ransom, her father demands action. Harry Crumb is brought in to investigate and he solicits the help of the kidnapped girl's younger sister, Nikki (Smith), as he stumbles and bumbles from one clue to the next. In his unorthodox way, Crumb works hard to identify the culprit of the kidnapping, and the results are a surprise, even to him. Everyone seems to have an agenda and everyone is suspect. In a way, Harry Crumb, despite his incompetence, might be the only person who can solve the crime.
In the tradition of the Peter Sellers' character of Chief Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther movies, comes John Candy's version, Harry Crumb. And, like Clouseau, Crumb fancies himself as a master of disguise. Despite being idiotic, Crumb has a heart of gold and there is no doubting his devotion to his profession.
This film wasn't as humorous as any of the Pink Panther movies, but I still had a fun time watching it. There were some great gags and I was laughing and smiling through the whole movie. John Candy brings his own unique comedic style to the role, and I felt it works here. I've always been a fan of Shawnee Smith, and I liked her in this movie as well.
I think the critics might've been a little too harsh in their reviews for this film - but, despite these, I remember quite a few people hoping for a sequel, but one never developed. I would certainly recommend it at a solid 7 stars out of 10. It is one of my personal favorite John Candy comedies, one I have seen several times over the years, and I like it just as much with each viewing.