The Distinguished Gentleman (1992)
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Lane Smith, (more)
- Director(s):
- Jonathan Lynn
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Comedy
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A smooth-talking confidence trickster makes his way into congress (where the cynical would suggest he'd have plenty of company) in this comedy. Thomas Jefferson Johnson (Eddie Murphy) is a con man from Florida who gets the bright idea that a scam artist could make a tidy sum if he was able to get inside the political arena. When a Florida congressman named Jeff Johnson dies and a special election is held to replace him, Thomas puts his name on the ballot as "Jeff Johnson," and enough confused voters check the ballot for him that he wins the race and is on his way to Washington D.C. Johnson soon finds a mentor in Dick Dodge (Lane Smith), chairman of the Power and Industry Committee, who shows Johnson the ropes on raking in PAC money while the late Mr. Johnson's aide, Reinhardt (Grant Shaud), gives him the inside scoop on how things work in Washington. Johnson's plans are going just as he hoped until he meets Celia Kirby (Victoria Rowell), a volunteer lobbyist and political activist whose uncle is a noted religious leader, The Rev. Elijah Hawkins (Charles S. Dutton). Johnson quickly becomes smitten with Celia, but it's obvious that she's not buying his act, and if he wants to win her heart, he'll have to stop fooling people into thinking he's honest and actually be honest. Joe Don Baker and Sheryl Lee Ralph also co-star. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 112 mins
Complete Cast:
- Eddie Murphy - Thomas Jefferson Johnson
- Sheryl Lee Ralph - Miss Loretta
- Victoria Rowell - Celia Kirby
- Kevin McCarthy - Terry Corrigan
- Victor Rivers - Armando
- Sonny Jim Gaines - Van Dyke
- Gary Frank - Iowa
- Dion Anderson - Distilled Spirits Lobbyist
- Cliff Bemis - Gun Lobbyist
- Susan Forristal - Ellen Juba
- Brad Koepenick - Rafe Simon
- Rosanna Huffman - Mrs. Bridges
- Cynthia Harris - Vera Johnson
- Brian Gelatto - Crabhouse Waiter
- Julianna McCarthy - Blue Haired Lady
- Daniel Petrie - Asbestos Lobbyist
- J.D. Williams - Himself
- Nina Totenberg - Election Anchor
- Roger E. Reid - Florida Reporter
- David A. Penhale - Voting Husband
- Frances Foster - Grandma
- John Doolittle - Ira Schecter
- Daniel Benzali - "Skeeter" Warburton
- Sarah Carson - Kimberly
- Lane Smith - Dick Dodge
- Joe Don Baker - Olaf Anderson
- Grant Shaud - Arthur Reinhardt
- Charles S. Dutton - Elijah Hawkins
- Chi - Homer
- Noble Willingham - Zeke Bridges
- Richard Anders - Poultry Lobbyist
- Prudence Barry - Teacher
- Tom Dahlgren - Chief of Police
- Stu Levin - Tobacco Lobbyist
- Marty Kaplan - Ned Grable
- Cordis Heard - Voting Wife
- Doris Grau - Hattie Rifkin
- James Garner - Jeff Johnson
- Mary Goldberg
- Autumn Winters - Mickey John
- Dianne Turley Travis - Mrs. Dodge
- Angela Stribling - DC Anchor
- Gary Price - Taxi Driver
- Mel Owens - Bo Chandler
- Tom Finnegan - Ethics Committee Chair
- Patricia Ciaffa - DC Correspondent
- Tommy Boggs - Himself
- Director(s):
- Jonathan Lynn
- Writer(s):
- Marty Kaplan, Jonathan Reynolds
- Producer(s):
- Michael Peyser, Leonard J. Goldberg, Marty Kaplan
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Questionable for Children, Nudity, Profanity)
- Categories:
- Comedy
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
