Action Cult Classic

Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby chase a stolen lottery ticket through the nightlife of 1970s urban America.

UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT

They get funny when you mess with their money.

1974 · 1h 44m · PG · Action / Comedy / Crime · IMDB TMDB

Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby team up in this hilarious misadventure as buddies Steve and Wardell, who head uptown to a swanky nightclub. Unfortunately, thieves hit the club and steal Steve's wallet -- which happens to hold a winning lottery ticket. Poitier also directed this classic 1970s comedy, which co-stars Harry Belafonte as Godfather figure Geechie Dan Beauford and Richard Pryor.

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Quick Answer

What is Uptown Saturday Night about?

Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 American action-comedy crime film directed by Sidney Poitier about two friends who set out to recover a stolen wallet containing a winning lottery ticket after a nightclub robbery.

Programmer's Pick

Poitier directs and stars alongside Cosby, delivering a buddy comedy that’s as stylish as it is sly. With a cast stacked with icons and a plot fueled by a missing lottery ticket, Uptown Saturday Night is a blaxploitation gem where the laughs are as rich as the stakes.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Uptown Saturday Night pairs Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby as Steve Jackson and Wardell Franklin, two working-class buddies whose Saturday night fun at Madame Zenobia's upscale club takes an unexpected turn. When the club is robbed and Steve's wallet is stolen—along with a lottery ticket worth $50,000—the duo embarks on a wild quest to reclaim their fortune. Their pursuit draws them into the orbit of colorful underworld figures, including gangster Geechie Dan Beauford and his rival Silky Slim. With sharp humor and a sense of camaraderie, Steve and Wardell navigate the urban jungle, devising schemes and relying on their wits in this blend of action, comedy, and crime.

Details & Specs

Director: Sidney Poitier
Writer: Richard Wesley
Release: 1974
Runtime: 1h 44m
Country: United States of America
Language: Spanish, English
Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime

Why This Matters

Directed by and starring Sidney Poitier alongside Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte, this action-comedy launched a trilogy of collaborations between Poitier and Cosby and was later selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Sidney Poitier Writer: Richard Wesley

Sidney Poitier Steve Jackson

Bill Cosby Wardell Franklin

Harry Belafonte Geechie Dan Beauford

Flip Wilson The Reverend

Richard Pryor Sharp Eye Washington

Calvin Lockhart Silky Slim

Rosalind Cash Sarah Jackson

Roscoe Lee Browne Congressman Lincoln

Paula Kelly Leggy Peggy

Lee Chamberlin Madame Zenobia

Johnny Sekka Geechie's Henchman

Lincoln Kilpatrick Slim's Henchman #1

Ketty Lester Irma

Don Marshall Slim's Henchman #2

Harold Nicholas Little Seymour

Jophery C. Brown Geechie Dan's Henchman (uncredited)

Juanita Brown Congressman Lincoln's Receptionist (uncredited)

Morris Buchanan Waldorf Patron (uncredited)

Richard L. Duran Waldorf Patron (uncredited)

Paul Harris Police Officer (uncredited) SM Stevie Mack Church Member (uncredited)

Earl Maynard Waldorf Bartender (uncredited) GM Gene McDaniels Member of the Choir (uncredited) MO Marie O'Henry Girl at Robbery Scene (uncredited)

Ray Parker, Jr. Ray (uncredited)

Stack Pierce Gambler in Tuxedo (uncredited) CP Cyril Poitier Rock (uncredited)

George Reynolds Big Percy (uncredited) RW Richard Warren Driver (uncredited)

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