Car Wash **** (1976, Richard Pryor, Franklyn Ajaye, Darrow Igus) – Classic Movie Review 9869

‘Hey, it’s a ’70s thing! ‘

The 1976 blaxploitation comedy Car Wash is an appealing, zany farce, with director Michael Schultz giving his largely black cast plenty of room to enjoy prankish japes around the Dee Luxe Car Wash in Los Angeles.

Car Wash is extremely lively, dynamic and funny, with rumbustious performances from Richard Pryor (as preaching wonder-man Daddy Rich) and the rest of the ensemble cast, plus funky soul music by Rose Royce (‘Car Wash’, ‘Yo Yo’, ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’, ‘I Wanna Get Next to You’ and many others) and one song from The Pointer Sisters (‘You Gotta Believe’).

Car Wash (‘Where anything can happen and usually does!’) is hugely entertaining if you don’t look for a real story or any subtlety in future director Joel Schumacher’s script.

It cleaned up at the box-office.

Also in the cast are Franklyn Ajaye, Sully Boyar, Richard Pryor, Irwin Corey, Richard Brestoff, Ivan Dixon, Antonio Fargas, Tracy Reed, Bill Duke, George Carlin, Melanie Mayron, The Pointer Sisters, Clarence Muse, Henry Kingi, Pepe Serna, Ray Vitte, Jack Kehoe (as Scruggs), Lorraine Gary, Lauren Jones, Leonard Jackson, and Brooke Adams.

The TV version cuts the raunchy scenes.

Norman Whitfield was Golden Globe nominated for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for the song ‘(Theme from) Car Wash’ and won the 1977 Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, and the Best Music prize at the Cannes Film Festival (1977), where Michael Schultz won the Technical Grand Prize.

RIP Jack Kehoe, The Sting, Serpico, Midnight Run, Car Wash actor, died of a stroke on January 14, 2020, aged 85.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9869

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