22 unknown facts about the film "Coming to America": how many roles did Eddie Murphy play in the film? (14 photos)

The crown prince of an African state wants to find himself a wife. To do this, he goes to America incognito. Upon arrival, he gets a job at a diner, where he really likes the owner's daughter.





"Coming to America" ​​is not just a linear, clumsy fairy tale - there are many semantic gaps, friendly trolling, funny inconsistencies, historical and geographical excursions. After reading this post, next time you will look at the film from a completely different side - from the inside! :)



1. American writer and journalist Art Buchwald sued Paramount Pictures for plagiarism. He claimed that his script for the film (the pilot title "King for a Day"), which he gave to the studio for review, was stolen. Although Paramount won the case, it still decided to settle out of court to avoid appeals and settled the case for $900,000.

2. The film crew received approval from McDonald's management to film McDowell's, but for some unknown reason, they did not notify people on the ground about it. When a logo for a fictitious fast food chain was unfurled in Queens, a delegation of angry managers immediately arrived from the nearest Mac, who promised to sue everyone.

3. The couple of homeless people to whom Prince Akeem throws a cutlet of money are Ralph Bellamy and Dom Amici, who are strikingly similar to their characters in another John Landis film, Trading Places, 1983. No surprise - the credits honestly indicate that they are Randolph and Mortimer Dukie. "From poverty to prison..." as they say.





4. In this film, Eddie Murphy played several characters at once for the first time in his career. Subsequently, this became the actor's calling card.



5. After Murphy's Soule makeup was finished, the actor drove around the studio in an electric car, but no one believed that it was him.



6. The name of the country "Zamunda" was invented by actor Richard Pryor.

7. The dances before the presentation of Prince Akeem's bride are an accelerated choreography (under the direction of Paula Abdul) of dances from the short film "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, which, mind you, was also filmed by John Landis.



8. This is the first feature film by Cuba Gooding Jr., a future Oscar winner for his role in Jerry Maguire (1996). So what if it's a cameo - you have to start somewhere!



8.1. At Cuba's suggestion, a scene was filmed where a boy refuses to pay, and then barber Clarence (also Eddie Murphy) shaves half his head. Alas, these shots were not included in the film.

9. King Jaffe Joffer's (James Earl Jones) line, "Don't let him know I'm here. I'll handle him myself" in McDowell's Cafe is a reference to Star Wars Episode VI, where Darth Vader says a similar line. Well, you know that Vader was voiced by James Earl Jones, right?



10. The appearance of comedian Lou Anderson (Maurice) was a requirement of Paramount. As Murphy later recalled, "the studio gave me three white comedians to choose from."

11. The scenes in Akeem's apartment were actually filmed in Brooklyn, not Queens. Who would know the difference? It's like Slovenia and Slovakia :)

12. The hundred-pound note from the Bank of Zamunda that King Joffer gives to McDowell was copied from the English one-pound note.



13. King Joffer is surprised at breakfast that Prince Akeem has grown a moustache. In the same way, Jenny is surprised by Axel's (Eddie Murphy) moustache in another of the actor's films, Beverly Hills Cop (1984).

14. There are no direct flights between Zamunda and the US because Akeem and Sammy fly in on a British Airways Concorde. Apparently with a layover in London.

15. Arsenio Hall improvised the scene where he slams the door in King Joffer's face. Everyone liked the idea so much that they left it in the film.1

6. Burners :)



17. The manager from Queens describes the apartment as having "only one window that looks out onto a brick wall." In the next shot, Akeem is standing on a balcony overlooking the area.



Morning, neighbors! Fuck you! Yeah, and fuck you too!

18. Darryl is rooting for both teams at a basketball game.

19. A Zamunda official at a gala in a yellow shirt and denim jacket? I doubt it!



20. What's that thing on the hood? That's a camera mount, guys. When the cab stops in Queens to drop off Akeem and Sammy, the mount is gone.



21. Eddie Murphy had a falling out with John Landis (despite the fact that he had previously saved the director's career after a series of flops) and vowed never to work with him again. But in 1994, the actor again asked Landis to take over the direction of Beverly Hills Cop 3.

22. Budget - $39 million, box office - $290 million.



Eddie Murphy as Saul