Silver Streak
A somewhat daffy book editor on a rail trip from Los Angeles to Chicago thinks that he sees a murdered man thrown from the train. When he can find no one who will believe him, he starts doing some investigating of his own. But all that accomplishes is to get the killer after him.
Critics Sentiment
Grover disguises George as a black man in the train station bathroom
Book editor George Caldwell boards the Silver Streak in Los Angeles
The film dramatically improves when Richard Pryor enters as Grover, jumping from moderate thriller territory to comedic brilliance in the bathroom disguise scene.
Silver Streak starts as a slow-building Hitchcockian thriller with strong romantic chemistry between Wilder and Clayburgh, then transforms into comedy gold when Pryor appears over an hour in. The film successfully balances multiple genres throughout, with critics consistently praising the Wilder-Pryor chemistry while noting the uneven pacing and overly long runtime.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 32
Gene Wilder
George Caldwell
Jill Clayburgh
Hildegard 'Hilly' Burns
Richard Pryor
Grover Muldoon
Patrick McGoohan
Roger Devereau
Ned Beatty
Bob Sweet
Clifton James
Sheriff Chauncey
Ray Walston
Mr. Edgar Whiney
Stefan Gierasch
Professor Schreiner & Johnson
Len Birman
Chief
Valerie Curtin
Plain Jane
Lucille Benson
Rita Babtree
Scatman Crothers
Ralston
Richard Kiel
Reace
Fred Willard
Jerry Jarvis
Delos V. Smith Jr.
Burt
Mathilda Calnan
Blue-Haired Lady
Margarita García
Mexican Mama-San
Henry Beckman
Conventioneer
Harvey Atkin
Conventioneer
Lloyd White
Porter
Crew
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