Which Way Is Up?
Three times the Richard Pryor. Three times the laughs.
1977 | 94m | English
Popularity: 1.0 (history)
| Director: | Michael Schultz |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Cecil Brown, Carl Gottlieb |
| Staring: |
| Orange picker Leroy Jones inadvertently becomes a union leader and is forced out of town, leaving behind his sex-obsessed father, Rufus, and timid spouse, Annie Mae. He heads for Los Angeles, where he falls for union organizer Vanetta. Annie Mae seeks solace from local preacher Lenox Thomas, who eventually impregnates her. When Leroy catches wind, he heads home for a showdown with Lenox. | |
| Release Date: | Nov 04, 1977 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Michael Schultz |
| Writer: | Cecil Brown, Carl Gottlieb |
| Genres: | Comedy |
| Keywords | adultery, domestic abuse, labor union, triple role, union struggle |
| Production Companies | Universal Pictures |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $3,200,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Jan 28, 2026 Entered: Apr 15, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Richard Pryor | Leroy Jones / Rufus Jones / Rev. Lenox Thomas |
| Lonette McKee | Vanetta |
| Margaret Avery | Annie Mae |
| Morgan Woodward | Mr. Mann |
| Marilyn Coleman | Sister Sarah Thomas |
| Joe Turkel | Harry Boatwright |
| Kathy Cronkite | Photographer |
| Diane Rodriguez | Estrella Reyes |
| Ernesto Hernández | Jose Reyes |
| Gloria Edwards | Janelle |
| Bebe Drake | Thelma |
| DeWayne Jessie | Sugar |
| Morgan Roberts | Henry |
| Dolph Sweet | The Boss |
| Tim Thomerson | Tour Guide |
| Daniel Valdez | Chuy Estrada |
| Luis Valdez | Ramon Juarez |
| Marc Alaimo | Frankie |
| Victor Argo | Angel |
| Carmen Filpi | Wino |
| Tanya Lynne Lee | Althea |
| Paul Mooney | Inspector Caine |
| Korla Pandit | The Hindu |
| Hank Worden | The Flunky |
| Clifford A. Pellow | White Boss |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Michael Schultz | Director |
| Danford B. Greene | Editor |
| Cecil Brown | Screenplay |
| Sonny Gordon | Additional Writing |
| Mark Davis | Original Music Composer |
| Paul Riser | Original Music Composer |
| John A. Alonzo | Director of Photography |
| Lina Wertmüller | Original Film Writer |
| Carl Gottlieb | Screenplay |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Michael Chinich | Associate Producer |
| Steve Krantz | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 3 |
| 2024 | 6 | 7 | 15 | 3 |
| 2024 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| 2024 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 2 |
| 2024 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 838 | 838 |