Coming to America
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Template:Infobox Film Coming to America is a 1988 romantic comedy film directed by John Landis. The screenplay was written by David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, and Eddie Murphy. Murphy also stars in the film along with James Earl Jones and Arsenio Hall.
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Plot
Eddie Murphy stars as the Prince of a fictitious African monarchy called Zamunda. The country is ruled by King Jaffe Joffer (played by James Earl Jones), and is home to the Prince's royal servant, Semmi (Arsenio Hall).
Faced with the prospect of an arranged marriage to a woman he has never met, Akeem pleads with his father, the King (James Earl Jones), to be allowed to go to the America to find a bride of his own choosing.
His father misunderstands him and believes that the Prince wishes to "sow his royal oats" before settling down with his arranged bride. The prince and his royal servant set off to New York City, New York, and Akeem picks the area of "Queens," believing it the best place to look for potential brides.
Akeem and Semmi pretend to be African exchange students so that people will not treat them differently for their royalty. Eventually Akeem meets a girl he wants to marry, who happens to be the daughter (Shari Headley) of the owner (John Amos) of McDowell's fast food restaurant where he and Semmi are employed. It takes a while to win her affection, but eventually he does, and they fall in love. After she finds out who Akeem really is, she is at first upset that he lied. In the end, love prevails and the two are married in a royal African ceremony.
Cast
- Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem/Clarence/Randy Watson/Saul
- Arsenio Hall as Semmi/Morris/Reverend Brown
- James Earl Jones as King Jaffe Joffer
- John Amos as Cleo McDowell
- Madge Sinclair as Queen Aoleon
- Shari Headley as Lisa McDowell
- Paul Bates as Oha
- Eriq La Salle as Darryl Jenks
- Frankie Faison as Landlord
- Vanessa Bell Calloway as Imani Izzi
- Louie Anderson as Mauric
- Allison Dean as Patrice McDowell
- Sheila Johnson as Lady-in-Waiting
- Jake Steinfeld as Cab Driver
- Calvin Lockhart as Colonel Izzi
- Michele Watley as Bather
Cameos
This film includes cameos of two characters from the movie Trading Places, another Eddie Murphy film. At the end of Trading Places, the Duke brothers, Randolph and Mortimer, lose their entire fortunes at the hands of Murphy's character. In this film, the brothers are now homeless and living on the streets. Prince Akeem gives them a paper bag filled with a large sum of money, enough to get them off the streets again.
Samuel L. Jackson makes a really short appearance when he plays a would-be thief who attempts to rob McDowell's in a cameo appearance. Cuba Gooding Jr. appears in a barbershop getting his hair cut. One of the rose-bearers was played by Garcelle Beauvais.
Lawsuit
The film was the subject of the Buchwald v. Paramount lawsuit, filed by Art Buchwald in 1990 against the film's producers on the grounds that the film's idea was stolen from a 1982 script that Paramount had optioned from Buchwald. Buchwald won the lawsuit and was awarded damages; Paramount settled with Buchwald, unwilling to risk an appeal.
Trivia
Actor John Amos was in a Mcdonald's commercial in the 1970's
Because of the obvious name similarity, the film's producers had to obtain permission from McDonald's before using the name McDowell's. The scenes of McDowell's were filmed at the actual address located at 85-07 Queens Boulevard, Elmhurst, Queens. Currently there is a Wendy's at that location.
Actors James Earl Jones and Madge Sinclair performed as king and queen again in Disney's Lion King. That role was also Sinclair's last, before she died of leukemia.
At multiple points in the movie, the old man in the barbershop calls Akeem "Kunta Kinte." John Amos had earlier played Kunta Kinte in the 1977 miniseries "Roots"