Films To Watch Before You Die #86 - See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die…

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, 1989.

Directed by Arthur Hiller.
Starring Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, Joan Severance and Kevin Spacey.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil is the classic 80s comedy caper that sees Richard Pryor as the blind Wally teaming up with Gene Wilder as the deaf Dave and work ingtogether to solve a murder and clear their own names. The pair communicate via Dave reading Wally’s lips and assist each other through Dave guiding Wally and in return, Wally explaining any sounds that Dave can’t see.

As the pair strike up a hilarious friendship, Wally helps out at Dave’s shop and that’s where the trouble starts. One morning a customer places a gold coin in the box of coins on Dave’s counter and is then shot by the beautiful Eve (Joan Severance) whilst Dave has his back turned. He misses the crime, but notices Eve’s legs as she leaves. Wally, who heard the gunshot, rushes into the shop and trips over the dead body on the floor the pair find themselves with no clue as to what happened and with poor alibis, especially since they handled the gun left at the scene by Eve. Before the two get arrested Dave instructs Wally to empty the coins in the box on the desk.

The pair are made the prime suspects and when the real criminals come to bail them out Wally recognises Eve’s perfume and Dave her legs. Wally and Dave make a break for it and escape and so begins a chase across a New York City as the pair try and prove their innocence, solve the crime and avoid getting caught by both the crooks and the cops.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil has some absolute classic comedy that still hasn’t become old even after more than 20 years and the on screen chemistry between Pryor and Wilder is perfect. Although the script or the gags are not exactly clever or complicated, the juvenile humour on display is funny nonetheless and the film is made by the performances of its main characters.

See No Evil, Hear No Evil is a film you must see before you die as the first encounter between Wally and Dave pretty much sets up the humour for the entire film. As Wally chats away to Dave, who can only understand him via lip reading, he keeps turning around and leaning down, leading to a misunderstanding as the pair hit upon a rocky start to their new friendship.