A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.A private detective specializing in missing children is charged with the task of finding a special child whom dark forces want to eliminate.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
- Kala
- (as Shakti)
- Friend at Pink's
- (as Kenneth 'Fruitty' Frith Jr.)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Eddie Murphy Through the Years
Eddie Murphy Through the Years
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAlthough the Golden Child is referred to as a boy throughout the film, J.L. Reate is actually a girl.
- Goofs(at around 1h 19 mins) Chandler and the Golden Child show up to the house at the end in a green car yet leaves in a brown car. Chandler sees the brown car before he goes into the house. When he leaves, he sees that the brown car is closer and he decides to use that one instead, that's why he says "there's no keys in the car, there's no keys in the car". This is because this is not his car and he is trying to steal it.
- Quotes
Kee Nang: Gompa, I have ruined myself with the American. He is a fool.
The Old Man: But he's brave.
Kee Nang: He is irresponsible.
The Old Man: But he's generous.
Kee Nang: He thinks of nothing but protecting his own feelings.
The Old Man: But if you touch his heart, there's nothing he wouldn't do for you.
Kee Nang: He believes in nothing.
The Old Man: Yet, still he does what is right.
Kee Nang: He is a callous, thoughtless, undisciplined fool.
The Old Man: [chuckles] Yes. I, too, like him very much. It's very hard not to.
- SoundtracksThe Best Man in the World
Music by John Barry
Lyrics by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson & Sue Ennis
Performed by Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
But Chandler sez "No" when initially asked by the exotic-hot Kee, who is working on behalf of the Tibetan forces of good - some business card that would be.
"No matter", she replies, "You are already on the case". So Na-Na to you Mr Jarrell.
Jarrell is fast talking, hip, and irreverent but well meaning - in other words everything that summed up Eddie Murphy in his "relevant" phase, which ended around the release of Boomerang when Murphy got all serious and introspective and sh*t.
Kee on the other hand is poised, deliberate, sombre and calm, but surprisingly well equipped at unexpected times - and I'm not just referring to the scene where she gets her white blouse soaked for no good reason... well two good reasons.
After the two team up the trail takes them to the lair of a bikie gang, then Chinatown where they meet Kala the Oracle (of sorts) who informs Chandler of the magnitude of his quest - being that he is the Chosen One after all...
Chandler also learns that the Golden Child is a once in a thousand generations birth, born specifically to rescue humanity, capable of restoring life with a touch, wise beyond reason and with the ability to make a Pepsi can dance to classic 1950s songs...
So there's that.
There is a cool oddball dream sequence and a trip to Tibet to obtain the sacred dagger that can free the imprisoned Golden Child, and a pretty hilarious scene where Chandler and Kee have to bluff the airport security to escape from Tibet.
When finally meets his nemesis Sardo Numspaa (Charles Dance) formally to discuss the dagger for child swap things heat up, before a good quickie 80s finale in which everything builds to a crescendo, the figureheads of good and evil have a showdown and all is resolved in about 6 minutes.
Perhaps The Golden Child doesn't move quite as fast as films do today and the FX - which were pretty cool in the 80s - don't hold up quite so well now, it is fun and enjoyable while it lasts and also has a few quotables, including "One of her ancestors was raped by a dragon", which is a line you don't hear every day.
Final Rating - 6.5 / 10. Not often listed among Eddie Murphy's highlights, but The Golden Child is a very solid and worthwhile - if a little dated - relic from the 80s.
- oneguyrambling
- Dec 26, 2011
- Permalink
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Everything New on Prime Video in December
- How long is The Golden Child?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Auf der Suche nach dem goldenen Kind
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $79,817,937
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,549,711
- Dec 14, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $79,817,937
- Runtime1 hour 34 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1