After making a name for himself as a stand-up comedian, leading to memorable appearances as host of Saturday Night Live, "wild and crazy guy" Steve Martin took the plunge to star in his first film. Teaming with TV legend Carl Reiner proved pure magic in 1979's The Jerk. A classic comedy that has lots of funny moments--throwing viewers for a loop from the get go.



Navin Johnson (Martin), a not so-bright white boy raised by a family of African American sharecroppers led by Mother (Mabel King) and Father (Richard Ward), somehow manages to reach adulthood without ever discovering he was adopted. His parents finally tell him the truth on his birthday and, shocked by the news, he decides to head off to the big city to face his future. Although he embarks on his journey with much optimism, Navin soon learns the cruel ways of the world as his crazy invention--a device to stop one's glasses from sliding--leads him from rags to riches and back to rags. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with Marie Kimbal, (Bernadette Peters) who decides that Navin is the man for her.



Given the politically correct climate in which we find ourselves today, I doubt this film could be made today.Martin is very funny in this no-holds-barred broad slapstick comedy, who has great chemistry with Peters. The film also includes great smaller roles for M. Emmet Walsh as a process server, Bill Macy as Stan Fox, and Dick O'Neill as Navin's boss Frosty. The script, by Martin, Carl Gottlieb, and Michael Elias, is filled with memorable bits, including a dog whose name would probably cause your mom to scold you, if she knew you said those kind of words.



The DVD extras are disappointing. I would have liked to see a special edition version of The Jerk. The theatrical trailer, talent bios, filmographies, and production notes just don't cut it. The presentation of the film itself is also a bit of a letdown. It doesn't look as good as it should--given the nature of the DVD format.



Despite those faults, The Jerk is Martin at his best, from early in his career.