The Jerk

Steve Martin brought his sensational standup persona to the screen, in his utterly hilarious screen debut about a loser who momentarily finds success.

The Jerk is Navin R. Johnson (Steve Martin), who regales us with his hilarious life story, which begins in poverty as part of an adopted African-American family. Soon after Navin leaves for St Louis to find his place in the world, along the way becoming an assassin’s target, part of a travelling carnival and a famous inventor. But is it all too good to be true?

Martin drew on elements of his wildly successful stand-up act when writing The Jerk, paving the way for a remarkably successful Hollywood career. But he was never funnier - and the anarchy rarely flowed as freely - as here, in his debut film. His 'idiot savant' persona was also hugely influential, inspiring a range of comic leading men from Jim Carrey to Adam Sandler.