| Some Kind of Hero | |
|---|---|
 The movie poster for Some Kind of Hero. |
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| Directed by | Michael Pressman |
| Produced by | Howard W. Koch |
| Written by | Robert Boris James Kirkwood Jr. |
| Starring | Richard Pryor Margot Kidder |
| Music by | Patrick Williams |
| Cinematography | King Baggot |
| Editing by | Christopher Greenbury |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 2, 1982 |
| Running time | 97 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8 million |
| Box office | $23,671,186 |
Some Kind of Hero is a 1982 film starring Richard Pryor as a returning Vietnam War veteran having trouble adjusting to civilian life. Soon he is involved in an organized crime heist. It was directed by Michael Pressman. Although James Kirkwood and Robert Boris are jointly credited with the screenplay, in fact the script was Boris’ rewrite of Kirkwood’s adaptation of his novel. Originally intended to be a straight drama, the studio insisted that Pryor perform comedic scenes as well.
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Plot [edit]
Eddie Keller is one of the last POWs to be brought home from Vietnam, after several years of torture and deprivation at the hands of the Vietcong. During his captivity, he resists signing a 'confession' admitting to war crimes repeatedly, but finally consents to save the life of another prisoner. Eddie is eventually returned home, but finds the world has moved on without him. His wife has remarried, and had children. His mother has suffered a stroke, and requires constant (and expensive) medical attention. Eddie is initially called a hero when he is finally released, but when his signed confession is discovered (and no one can track down the other prisoner he tried to save), his veteran's benefits are suspended pending further investigation.
Eddie tries to integrate back into society, but find himself stopped at every turn. The Army refuses to help, he cannot find a job, and is running out of options. The only bright spot in his life is Toni, a high priced prostitute who picks Eddie up at a bar. Despite Toni's profession, the two begin a romance.
While trying to secure a loan, Eddie is witness to a bank robbery, and begins to plot a way to gain the funds he needs to provide for his mother, and also to revenge himself on the system that abandoned him in Vietnam, then turned him into a traitor. Eddie plans to hold up a bank, but fails repeatedly in his efforts to embark on a life of crime. Eventually, he succeeds in stealing a briefcase full of bonds, which he arranges to sell to a mobster for a large sum of cash. The mobsters plan to kill Eddie and take the bonds. Eddie turns the tables on the mobsters, and escapes with the cash and the bonds with Toni.
Cast [edit]
Reception [edit]
The movie gained mixed reviews.[1][2]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Canby, Vincent (1982-04-02). "Movie Review - Some Kind of Hero - PRYOR IN 'SOME KIND OF HERO' - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
- ^ "Some Kind of Hero (1982); Richard Pryor Vs. Existentialism - Yahoo! Voices". voices.yahoo.com. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
Further reading [edit]
- Egan, Sean (2011) “Ponies & Rainbows: The Life of James Kirkwood” Bearmanor Media, ISBN 1-59393-680-X
External links [edit]
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