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Harlem Nights

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Videos & Photos

  • Trailer

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Eddie Murphy

Producer:

Eddie Murphy, Robert D. Wachs, Mark Lipsky

Writer:

Eddie Murphy

Release Date:

Nov 17, 1989

Runtime:

1hr 56m

Synopsis

During the 1930s, a New York City illegal gambling house owner and his associates must deal with strong competition, gangsters, and corrupt cops in order to stay in business.

Cast

  • Eddie Murphy
  • Richard Pryor
  • Redd Foxx
  • Danny Aiello
  • Michael Lerner
  • Della Reese
  • Berlinda Tolbert
  • Stan Shaw
  • Jasmine Guy
  • Arsenio Hall

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.1
28.0K
8.2K
6.0K
RATINGS 175 FANS
3.1
  • Mar 30, 2020

    This isn't without its hiccups; the acting is largely wooden, the script is barely there, the direction is just sort of adequate. But this is entirely exceptional for putting so many black performers on the screen in so many roles in an extravagantly expensive period…

    239 Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
    Feb 10, 2024

    Eddie Murphy, I'm sorry they bullied you out of directing. This movie rocks.

    164 Likes
    Ludovic Bagman
    Ludovic Bagman
    May 17, 2021

    In the 80s, Eddie Murphy was on top of the world. He had a poppin' film career, was basically handed a music career and to top it all off, he managed to write and direct his own passion project Harlem Nights, a comedic 1930s gangster film. I do really love the costumes,…

    114 Likes
    Christian Di Leo
    Christian Di Leo
  •
    Nov 26, 2025

    “Yeah, Barbara, it's Richie. Yeah look, I ain't never coming home no more. Take it easy.”

    75 Likes
    Okony
    Okony
    May 15, 2026

    I could watch this all day. The vibe of the movie is awesome it really shows how the night club scene was back in the day. To top it off the movie is hilarious. This movie is a big reason why Eddie Murphy is one of my favorite actors.

    63 Likes
    Chosen1Zay
    Chosen1Zay
    Mar 19, 2024

    Who knew I needed an Eddie Murphy vs Della Reese fist fight in my life. 🥊

    60 Likes
    ᴬⁿᵗʰᵒⁿʸ
    ᴬⁿᵗʰᵒⁿʸ
  •
    Aug 28, 2019

    I've slept on this movie for a long time and now that I've seen it, I'm struggling to find a term other the hackneyed "criminally underrated." Sure it's messy, uneven, and gets too bogged down in exposition, but some of its individual moments are so well-crafted and…

    60 Likes
    Crash Jatcko
    Crash Jatcko
    Mar 31, 2023

    Saw the low RT score on this and read a bunch reviews from when it came out that are incredibly racist and misogynistic in their attempts to call Murphy racist and misogynistic, which is wild. Richard Brody on the other hand wrote a great brief take on the film in 2016 that…

    50 Likes
    Marya E. Gates
    Marya E. Gates
    Jan 3, 2025

    timeless humor, beautiful outfits, perfect score, star-studded cast, and an engaging plot. can’t believe this is eddie murphy’s first and only film he’s directed…reallyy enjoyed watching this again

    38 Likes
    radiant ✫ ˚⋆｡ ❀
    radiant ✫ ˚⋆｡ ❀
See All Reviews on Letterboxd.com

Queue Community Reviews

90%
Community 1,133
❤️ LOVE
32%
👍 LIKE
58%
😐 MEH
8%
👎 DISLIKE
2%
Top Reviews
  • Gerben Joustra
    Gerben Joustra is "meh" on
    Harlem Nights

    The hysteria, the swearing, the childishness, the backwardness and the mafia practices don't really appeal to me. It's just not quite it.

    2M
    aydA ramuK
    aydA ramuK liked
    Harlem Nights

    Fun, really cool to see Eddie Murphy’s dramatic side. A little drawn out, but the world was really engaging.

    3Y
    KAYLIMANIZ
    KAYLIMANIZ liked
    Harlem Nights

    9/10 Fun movie and I like the comedy. I can see myself watching once in a while.

    3Y
  • Gabs
    Gabs loved
    Harlem Nights

    A classic dramedy that I find myself watching over and over again.

    6M
    Moviewatcher47
    Moviewatcher47 loved
    Harlem Nights

    This is a movie that I can watch over and over again.

    3Y
    Brett Kuprowski
    Brett Kuprowski liked
    Harlem Nights

    Great comedic icons in this show!!

    7M
  • Kim
    Kim loved
    Harlem Nights

    A true classic. One of the best.

    3Y
    Ariana Johnson
    Ariana Johnson loved
    Harlem Nights

    Hood classic.. so quotable

    2Y
    lahni
    lahni liked
    Harlem Nights

    i miss richard pryor 7/10

    8M
View More Popular Harlem Nights Reviews on Queue

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

16
metacritic
Based on 14 Critics
8.3

USER SCORE (61)

Universal acclaim based on 61 Reviews
50

People may go to see Eddie Murphy once, twice, three or even six times in disposable movies like Harlem Nights, but if he wants to realize his potential he needs to work with a better writer and director than himself.

View full review
Metacritic review by Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
20

Harlem Nights is not the disaster some people might have been expecting. Mr. Murphy has appeared in far worse films written and directed by people much more experienced.

View full review
Metacritic review by Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
The New York Times
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Harlem Nights (1989) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Harlem Nights (1989)?
The movie is 1hr 56min long.
What's Harlem Nights (1989) about?
During the 1930s, a New York City illegal gambling house owner and his associates must deal with strong competition, gangsters, and corrupt cops in order to stay in business.
Who's the cast of Harlem Nights (1989)?
  • Eddie Murphy
  • Richard Pryor as Sugar Ray
  • Redd Foxx as Bennie Wilson
  • Danny Aiello as Phil Cantone
  • Michael Lerner as Bugsy Calhoune
  • Della Reese as Vera
  • Berlinda Tolbert as Annie
  • Stan Shaw as Jack Jenkins
  • Jasmine Guy as Dominique La Rue
  • Arsenio Hall as Crying Man
Who's the director behind Harlem Nights (1989)?
Eddie Murphy directed Harlem Nights (1989).
Who produced Harlem Nights (1989)?
Eddie Murphy, Robert D. Wachs and Mark Lipsky produced Harlem Nights (1989).