Harlem Nights (1989): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Harlem Nights is a 1989 comedy drama starring Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. It runs 1 hour 56 minutes and earned $60.9 million worldwide. Critics gave it 27% on Rotten Tomatoes and 16 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 56m (116 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Harlem Nights About?
The premise of Harlem Nights without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
During the waning years of Prohibition, Sugar Ray and his young apprentice, Quick, find success running a popular nightclub in Harlem. However, their prosperity draws the attention of Bugsy Calhoune, a powerful and ruthless gangster whose own establishment is threatened by their success. Determined to eliminate the competition, Bugsy resorts to corrupt law enforcement and manipulative tactics to shut down Club Sugar Ray, leading to a dangerous conflict in the vibrant world of 1930s Harlem.
Harlem Nights Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- harlem manhattan new york city
- african american
- nightclub
- lingerie slip
- child with a gun
- gun
- directorial debut
- written by director
- cigarette smoking
- house
- strong
- live action
+38 more Show fewer
- period drama
- organized crime
- police
- gangster
- black independent film
- dark comedy
- broken hand
- shot to death
- threatened with a knife
- brothel
- written and directed by cast member
- opening action scene
- adoptive father adopted son relationship
- hitwoman
- explosion
- bomb
- booby trap
- boxing ring
- bully
- car chase
- semiautomatic pistol
- beretta
- violence
- seduction
- f word
- male female relationship
- wisecrack humor
- machine gun
- switchblade
- kissing while having sex
- sex in bed
- kiss
- love interest
- sex on the first date
- sex
- physical comedy
- slapstick comedy
- boxing match
Harlem Nights Cast
Richard Pryor leads the cast, with Eddie Murphy.
Harlem Nights Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Harlem Nights 27% on Rotten Tomatoes and 16 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.1/10.
-
IMDb 6.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 27% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 80%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 16 Metascore
User score 5.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 61% User score
See on TMDB
Harlem Nights Plot Summary
What happens in Harlem Nights from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1918 Harlem, New York City, the charismatic Sugar Ray Raymond, portrayed by Richard Pryor, runs a bustling backroom saloon. One night, as a young boy named Dezi Arnez Hines II delivers cigarettes, a desperate, toothless gambler loses his cool during a game of craps, threatening violence against everyone present. To everyone’s shock, the boy surprises Sugar Ray by shooting the gambler dead. Seeing that the boy is an orphan, Sugar Ray kindly decides to take him under his wing.
Full summary
The whole story of Harlem Nights, scene by scene
Harlem Nights Box Office
Harlem Nights grossed $60.9 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$60.9M
- US & Canada
- $60.9M
Harlem Nights Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 2 trailers.
- Trailer Harlem Nights ≣ 1989 ≣ Trailer
How Well Do You Know Harlem Nights?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What year does 'Harlem Nights' primarily take place?
Cars in Harlem Nights
33 cars on screen, including the 1930 Buick Series 60 and the 1936 Chevrolet Master.
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1930 Buick Series 60 Important role -
1936 Chevrolet Master Important role -
1939 LaSalle Coupe Important role -
1931 Chevrolet Independence Minor role
Harlem Nights Also Known As
23 alternative titles, including “Oi nyhtes tou Harlem” and “Oi nyxtes tou Harlem”.
- Also known as
-
- Oi nyhtes tou Harlem
- Oi nyxtes tou Harlem
- Oi nyxtes tou Xarlem
- Les Nuits de Harlem
- Harlemi éjszakák
- Noches de Harlem
- Гарлемские ночи
- לילות הארלם
- Os Donos da Noite
- Noci v Harlemu
- Харлемски нощи
- 할렘 나이트
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- Harlemin yöt
- Noce Harlemu
- Οι Νύχτες του Χάρλεμ
- Harlemske noči
- ハーレム・ナイト
- Harlemi ööd
- Harlemské noci
- Ночі Гарлема
- 哈林夜总会
- Los Reyes de la Noche
- Harlem Geceleri
Seen Harlem Nights?
Movies Like Harlem Nights
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including A Rage in Harlem, Harlem Is Heaven and Sugar Hill.
Harlem Nights FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Harlem Nights, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Harlem Nights?
Harlem Nights runs 1 hour 56 minutes (116 minutes).
When was Harlem Nights released?
Harlem Nights was released on November 17, 1989.
Who is in the cast of Harlem Nights?
Harlem Nights stars Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.
How much did Harlem Nights make at the box office?
Harlem Nights grossed $60.9 million worldwide.
How is Harlem Nights rated?
Harlem Nights has 6.1/10 on IMDb, 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, 16 on Metacritic and 61% on TMDB.
Does Harlem Nights have a post-credit scene?
No. Harlem Nights has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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