01
Life
Why this pick
Like Harlem Nights, it pairs Eddie Murphy’s fast-talking comic energy with period Black American life, crime-adjacent hustles, and a friendship that gives the jokes unexpected warmth.
A FILM WORTH A CLOSER LOOKTHE FEATURE PRESENTATION
MOVIE1989 1h 56m USA
IF THIS ONE STAYED WITH YOU
Movies like
Harlem Nights
ComedyCrimeDrama
CINEHUNCH / THE NEXT FRAME
Keep the feeling.
SIMILAR PICKS / A PERSONAL CONNECTION
If you loved Harlem Nights, try these.
01
02
The Cotton Club
Why this pick
A lush Prohibition-era Harlem underworld tale with nightclub glamour, rival operators, music, and the same affection for colorful criminal ensembles.
03
Hoodlum
Why this pick
Its 1930s Harlem setting, elegant gangland atmosphere, and community-minded criminal lead echo Harlem Nights’ blend of stylish period detail and street-level power plays.
04
The Sting
Why this pick
For the pleasure of watching sharply dressed hustlers engineer an elaborate con: it has Harlem Nights’ playful criminal camaraderie, period polish, and breezy comic confidence.
05
A Rage in Harlem
Why this pick
This colorful Harlem caper shares the period neighborhood texture, eccentric supporting players, criminal schemes, and heightened comic sensibility of Harlem Nights.
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01 / THE STORY
A little about the film.
In Harlem, New York, 1918, Sugar Ray has a dice game. Nearly killed by an angry customer, Ray is saved by seven-year-old errand boy Vernest Brown, who shoots the man. After being told that his parents are dead, Ray decides to raise the boy as his own. And because of the boy's savvy, he is nicknamed "Quick."
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02 / FACES IN THE FRAME
The people who bring it to life.
Eddie Murphy
Quick
Danny Aiello
Phil Cantone
Lela Rochon
Sunshine
Christopher Jackson
Crapshooter
Stan Shaw
Jack Jenkins
Vic Polizos
Richie Vento
David Marciano
Tony
Thomas Mikal Ford
Tommy Smalls