Leonard Part 6 is a 1987 American spy parody film, directed by Paul Weiland, starring comedian\actor Bill Cosby (who also produced the movie and wrote the screenplay).
The movie is considered to be one of the worst films ever made and even Bill Cosby himself has disowned it.
Plot[]
Former secret agent, Leonard Parker, comes out of retirement to save the world from an evil genius named Medusa.
Cast[]
- Bill Cosby as Leonard Parker
- Tom Courtenay as Frayn
- Joe Don Baker as Nick Snyderburn
- Moses Gunn as Giorgio Francozzi
- Gloria Foster as Medusa Johnson
- Pat Colbert as Allison Parker
- Victoria Rowell as Joan Parker
Box Office[]
The movie grossed $1,316,337 during its opening weekend and ranked at #10 at the box office and in total, it grossed $4,615,255 which was a mere fraction of its $24 million budget.
After it was released, Bill Cosby publicly criticized it and urged people not to waste their money seeing it. The movie was only in theaters for three weeks.
Critical Reception[]
“Leonard Part 6” received poor reception from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it was given a score of 9% with an average rating of 1.9\10 based on 11 reviews.
The Los Angeles Times wrote that the movie is “a smug, tedious exercise in self-indulgence ... There's virtually nothing to laugh at in this film, and too much of everything else."
Caryn James of The New York Times wrote: "Mr. Cosby and the director, Paul Weiland, were reportedly at odds while filming Leonard Part 6, which opens today at Cine 1 and other theaters, but there's plenty of blame for them to share. Mr. Weiland's direction, Mr. Cosby's story and Jonathan Reynolds's screenplay seem equally trite.”
Rita Kempley of the Washington Post wrote in her review of the film: “The only good thing about Bill Cosby's "Leonard Part 6" is that we didn't have to see Parts 1 through 5.”
Because of the film’s failure, Bill Cosby bought the TV rights for it to make sure the movie would never air on television.
Accolades[]
The movie won three Golden Raspberry Awards for “Worst Actor” (Cosby), “Worst Picture” and “Worst Screenplay” (Jonathan Reynolds and Cosby). It was also nominated for two more Razzie Awards for “Worst Supporting Actress” (Foster) and “Worst Director” (Weiland).
On January 2nd 1988, The movie nominated for the CVF Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Bill Cosby), Worst Actress (Gloria Foster), Worst Supporting Actor (Tom Courtenay), Worst Supporting Actress (Victoria Rowell), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, and Worst Original Song (Without You).
A few weeks after the awards ceremony, Bill Cosby accepted his three Razzies on Fox's “The Late Show” and demanded that the three Razzies he earned be specifically made out of 24 karat (99.99%) gold and Italian marble which were later paid for by Fox. He later brought the awards with him when he was a guest on “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson”, happily displayed them and proclaimed, "I swept the awards!”
When director Paul Weiland was asked years later about working on the film, he said: “It was a terrible mistake. ... When anyone gets into that position (Bill Cosby's position of power in the 1980s), they are surrounded by sycophants and no one tells them the truth. But Cosby just wasn't funny. I couldn't tell him directly. I'd say it feels slow, and he'd say, 'You worry about construction, let me worry about funny.”
For the 2005 Razzies, it earned a nomination in the Worst "Comedy" of Our First 25 Years category.
Trailer[]
Leonard Part 6 Trailer