Who's Harry Crumb? (1989)

In many, many ways Hollywood failed John Candy just as much as it failed Brooke Shields. The movies he was given never matched his comic talent. He had supporting roles in Stripes (1981) and Splash (1984), which showed what he could do. But when he was given a movie for himself, usually the results were a letdown. 1989’s Who’s Harry Crumb? is the one people really thought might be his big hit. Instead, it was a massive failure at the box office and only made $11 million. The thing is, he is so incredibly charming in it, it should work far better than it does. It’s got moments, but not enough of them. His surrounding cast is strong, with Annie Potts, Tim Thomerson, and Shawnee Smith, all trying to play straight to his character. It would get a small second life on HBO, Cinemax, and the like. If you ever have a John Candy night, don’t overlook it, it’s still got a lot of worth. And it will make you miss him, knowing he still had years of work ahead of him before his death a few years later.