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Ernest Goes to Jail 1990

A hapless man named Ernest P. Worrell finds himself embroiled in a bizarre situation involving jury duty. A clever lawyer orchestrates a scheme to switch identities with a dangerous crime boss, Mr. Nash. Ernest unwittingly assumes Nash's life, and soon faces a dire threat of execution. However, a surprising event grants him extraordinary strength, leading to a chaotic and humorous jailbreak adventure filled with unexpected twists.

A hapless man named Ernest P. Worrell finds himself embroiled in a bizarre situation involving jury duty. A clever lawyer orchestrates a scheme to switch identities with a dangerous crime boss, Mr. Nash. Ernest unwittingly assumes Nash's life, and soon faces a dire threat of execution. However, a surprising event grants him extraordinary strength, leading to a chaotic and humorous jailbreak adventure filled with unexpected twists.

Does Ernest Goes to Jail have end credit scenes?

No!

Ernest Goes to Jail does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Ernest Goes to Jail

Explore the complete cast of Ernest Goes to Jail, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Ernest Goes to Jail

See how Ernest Goes to Jail is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Ernest Goes to Jail stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

40

Metascore

7.2

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

11%

TOMATOMETER

review

49%

User Score

IMDb

5.4 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

50

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Ernest Goes to Jail Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Ernest Goes to Jail with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Ernest Goes to Jail Quiz: Test your knowledge on the zany adventures of Ernest P. Worrell in this hilarious quiz about 'Ernest Goes to Jail'.

What job does Ernest P. Worrell hold at the bank?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Ernest Goes to Jail

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Security guards, the clumsy and overweight Chuck (played by Gailard Sartain) and the reserved Bobby (portrayed by Bill Byrge), entertain themselves during their night watch at Howard County Bank and Trust by playing a game of Red light/Green light, their minds racing with outlandish schemes to catch potential thieves. One night, they hear a commotion from a floor polisher, where Ernest P. Worrell (embodied by Jim Varney), a night custodian who aspires to be a clerk, struggles to operate the machine, inadvertently causing chaos within the bank as he becomes magnetized due to a mishap.

The following day, Charlotte Sparrow (played by Barbara Tyson), the assistant to the bank’s president Oscar Pendlesmythe (portrayed by Dan Leegant), demands that Ernest clean up his supernatural mess. President Pendlesmythe is determined to fire Ernest, but Charlotte, possessing a soft spot for misfits and lost causes, defends him passionately.

In his home, Ernest hilariously takes a bath in a tumble dryer and uses a blow dryer set to wind tunnel strength to prepare for his dinner date with Charlotte at a restaurant. During this time, he also informs the two watchmen about his jury duty summons.

During the jury trial, a convict from Dracup Maximum Security Prison, Rubin Bartlett (played by Barry Scott), recognizes that Ernest closely resembles the death row inmate, Felix Nash (a dual role also played by Jim Varney). Bartlett’s lawyer manipulates the jury into allowing a tour of the prison, where Nash and another inmate, Lyle (played by Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb), kidnap Ernest and coerce him into swapping identities with the incarcerated felon. Despite tirelessly protesting his innocence, Ernest finds no one believes him, and he remains oblivious to his predicament involving a death sentence that has been placed on Nash.

During lunch, a guard demands silence, and when Ernest inadvertently makes noise, he nearly faces punishment. He desperately tries to convince the guards that he is not Nash, but is only met with hostility and disbelief, leading to him being thrown into a cell. There, Lyle pushes him back as he tries to defend himself, while the guard misinterprets the situation, unknowingly causing Ernest even more trouble. Bartlett informs Ernest that Nash has usurped his identity, advising him to remain silent to survive.

As the situation unfolds, Ernest attempts to escape multiple times but finds himself on death row, facing the electric chair commanded by the warden, Charles Napier. Strangely enough, the electrocution goes wrong, transforming Ernest into a superhuman who develops the extraordinary ability to shoot lightning bolts from his hands, calling himself ‘Electroman.’ He dramatically blasts through the prison gates in an attempt to escape, but Bartlett tries to thwart him, only to be stopped by Lyle, who recognizes the uniqueness of Ernest and allows him to flee.

On his way home, Ernest is shocked to discover that his home decor has been transformed into a flashy Lounge Lizard style, exclaiming, “I’ve been vandalized - by Elvis!” Meanwhile, Nash plots to detonate the bank’s vault with a time bomb, with Charlotte and the hapless Chuck captured nearby. Charlotte pleads with Nash not to proceed, but he accidentally reveals his true identity as an impostor. Initially skeptical, Charlotte begins to believe him when he points out the improbability of Ernest’s cleaning efforts compared to his own.

As Ernest confronts Nash, they engage in an explosive showdown. Ernest faces electrocution yet again and gains the ability to fly, propelled by his newfound powers. Soaring through the bank’s skylight with the bomb, he culminates in a spectacular mid-air explosion that surprises everyone, including Chuck, who fears Ernest has perished. However, Ernest dramatically crashes through the skylight, landing atop Nash, leading the warden and guards to realize the truth in his claims. Tired and bewildered, Ernest declares, > “I came, I saw, I got blowed up,” before fainting from exhaustion.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Ernest Goes to Jail

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Ernest Goes To Jail

Cars Featured in Ernest Goes to Jail

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Explore all cars featured in Ernest Goes to Jail, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Chevrolet

1978

Chevy Van

E-Z-Go

Marathon

Ford

1967

B-Series

Ford

1983

LTD Crown Victoria

Oldsmobile

1987

Calais

Volkswagen

1987

Fox Wagon Typ BX

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


ernest p. worrell charactersecurity guardfloor cleanerbankchain reactionelectrocutedmagnetizedmaximum security prisonjanitormine fieldmurder trialarm wrestlingdeath rowbank robberyhidden gunhit on the headreference to elvis presleyflat tirehandcuffed to a bank vaultexplosionconfederate flagcandy cinemaevil doppelgangercomic reliefcrooked lawyerhighlight reel during end creditsjury dutyelectric chaircourtelectrocutionfour word titlestupiditykillerinventordoppelgangerdogcult filmcrushbankerthird partcourtroomcafeteriaprisonbased on commercialactor playing multiple rolessequelindependent filmcharacter name in title

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