The Jerk (1979)

"A rags to riches to rags story."Movie
Audience Score
69
The Jerk
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StarringSteve MartinBernadette PetersCatlin Adams
DirectorCarl Reiner
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R 1 hr 34 minDec 14th, 1979ComedyThe Jerk Collection PosterPart of The Jerk Collection
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Plot
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.

Movie Details

Theatrical Release:December 14th, 1979
On DVD & Blu-ray:April 29th, 1998 - Buy DVD
Movie Budget:$4,000,000
Movie Box Office Gross:$100,000,000 (Worldwide)
Original Language:English
Production Companies:Universal Pictures, Aspen Film Society
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The Jerk Movies

The Jerk (1979) follows naive Navin R. Johnson (Steve Martin) as he leaves his poor Black family, becomes a millionaire with the "Opti-Grab" invention (which makes people cross-eyed), loses it all, and finds true happiness back with his family and love, Marie, embracing his simple roots and gaining rhythm, while its sequel, The Jerk, Too (1984), sees Navin trying to go straight but getting pulled into a Las Vegas casino heist.