Harlem Nights

Quick (Eddie Murphy) becomes Sugar Ray's (Richard Pryor) adopted son after accidentally saving his life in his childhood. 25 years later, in 1938, Ray runs the most popular club in Harlem that offers drinking, gambling, and prostitution (all illegal), with Quick as his right hand man. Before long, a mobster Bugsy Calhoune (Michael Lerner) comes knocking at the door for a hefty slice of the takings in the form of weekly protection money. Bugsy brings with him a crooked cop Phil Cantone (Danny Aiello) as the muscle, and a femme fatale Dominique La Rue (Jasmine Guy) as the bait with orders to seduce and destroy. But Ray and Quick are not willing to give up that easily and come up with a plan to trick the mobsters that involves a prizefight, a dump pick-up man, and a talented prostitute. By fixing a big boxing match they just may be able to rob blind Bugsy and his gang and get away with a huge cut of their cash in the process. Easily the best thing about the film is its gorgeous set design and costumes, which gives you a flavor of Hollywood's 1930s Harlem. Sugar Ray’s club look like the most glamorous night club of that time. The film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costumes.