Toy, The (1982, U.S.A.)

For the first time in movies, the talent of Richard Pryor and the comedic sense of Jackie Gleason star in the same film. Gleason plays U.S. Bates, a megalomaniac millionaire who owns most of south central Louisiana.  Pryor is Jack Brown, a former journalist who has worked his way down the vocational ladder to the position of janitor in Bates’ department store.  Among Bates’ other vast holdings is a young son Eric, who visits his father for one week a year.  Typically, Eric is chauffeured to the department store after-hours to pick out anything he wants. This time, however, Eric has a more elaborate toy in mind – Jack Brown.  So begins the unique relationship that teaches Eric more about life than fun and games.