Coming to America Page #5

Synopsis: It is the 21st birthday of Prince Akeem of Zamunda and he is to marry a woman he never saw before. Now the prince breaks with tradition and travels to America to look for the love of his life.
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Director(s): John Landis
Production: Paramount Pictures
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
47
Rotten Tomatoes:
67%
R
Year:
1988
116 min
17,021 Views


- Would you like some champagne?

- No, I don't feel like celebrating.

Wait. Sit down and keep me company.

If you're going to hang out with me,

you've got to loosen up.

I can be loose. See?

Much better.

- Are you all right?

- I'm fine.

But I won't be pressured into marriage,

not by Darryl, my father or anybody.

I understand.

In my country they arrange marriages,

but no one should marry

out of obligation.

You're right. How could I even have

considered marrying a guy like Darryl?

- I wondered the same thing.

- He made me so furious back there.

- Do you think I overreacted?

- The first reaction is often correct.

You're very easy to talk to.

I feel like I could tell you anything.

Hey, Akeem. We need

some more champagne over here.

I almost forgot that I was here

in a domestic capacity.

Thanks for listening to me, Akeem.

I really appreciate it.

Any time, Lisa McDowell.

Hey! Be careful.

I think my sister likes you.

Semmi!

Semmi.

- Come, you're going to be late for work.

- So what if I am?

We cannot anger Mr McDowell.

Things are going so well with Lisa.

I do not care.

I'm not going to work today.

Yes, you are going to work today.

I'm sick of living like a peasant.

Look at this filth.

Do you want to live better? Fine.

Fix this place up.

But you are going to work today!

- Hello!

- Hi!

I started on clean-up just like you guys,

but now...

See, I'm washing lettuce.

Soon, I'll be on fries. Then the grill.

In a year or two,

I'll make assistant manager

and that's where the big bucks

start rolling in.

Just two years, huh?

Maybe I've stayed with him

because everyone expected me to.

- You must be tired of my problems.

- No, not at all.

I feel like I owe you a favour.

Come to my house and I'll fix

you dinner. Patrice will be there.

Let's go to my house.

I'd like to cook for you.

- You cook?

- I dabble a little, yes.

Great! Tell you what,

I'll buy the groceries.

Fine. But I have to warn you.

My home is very poor.

I don't care about that.

I'd love to see where you live.

Welcome to my humble abode.

- What's wrong?

- Nothing's wrong.

Everything's fine.

Excuse me for a moment, please.

- What have you done?

- You told me to fix up the place.

I should kill you!

I'm supposed to be a poor man.

Akeem? Akeem.

- Is everything all right?

- Everything is fine.

Excuse me, I have to tidy up.

What are you doing?

For God's sake,

do not take my pocket money.

If you have no more money,

you can cause no more mischief.

You are being unreasonable.

If you have ruined my chances

with Lisa, I will never forgive you.

- I'm very sorry.

- Can we go in now?

- No, we cannot.

- Why not?

There's a big rat inside.

I think there is no rat.

You're so ashamed of your apartment

you can't even let me see it.

Once again, you have judged correctly.

- If it bothers you, we can go out to eat.

- That would be much better.

Excuse me for a moment, please.

- What did you give him?

- I just gave him some pocket change.

- Randolph...

- Leave me alone, Mortimer.

Randolph! Randolph!

- I'm still not talking to you.

- Look!

Mortimer, we're back.

Yeah!

To America!

Why did you come here?

- To find something special.

- It's a long way to travel.

No journey is too great,

when one finds what he seeks.

- Does everyone in Africa talk like you?

- Why, do you not like it?

I love it. It's nice to be with a man

who knows how to express himself.

- Thank you!

- Thank you very much!

Let's have lunch.

You have the most amazing effect

on people.

- No, I don't.

- Take the guy at the basketball game.

People love you.

I bet where you're from,

women throw themselves at your feet.

- Why do you say that?

- You have an inner glow.

You're above anything petty.

It's almost regal.

- What did you do back home?

- I was... in the family business.

- What's that?

- Goat herding.

Yes, yes. Does it surprise you?

No, it's just that you seem so educated.

The life of a goat herder is easy,

the goats take care of themselves.

Which leaves a man

with a great deal of time to read.

- Please, let me.

- No, I should pay.

Akeem, I wish you'd stop

worrying about being poor.

If I wanted a wealthy guy,

I'd be with Darryl.

Not you.

- Would you like to dance?

- Yes.

What about Patrice?

I'm not interested in Patrice.

What about Darryl?

I'm not interested in Darryl, either.

- Do you actually want to send this?

- Why? What is wrong?

Read it to me.

"To his Majesty King Jaffe Joffer,

the Royal Palace, Zamunda."

"Sire, Akeem and I

have depleted our funds."

"Kindly send 300,000 American dollars

immediately,"

"as we are in dire straits.

Your humble servant, Semmi."

Semmi.

- Should I make it 400,000?

- Do you think that'll be enough?

You are right. 500,000.

As long as you're asking,

why not go for a cool million?

- Don't you think that's too much?

- Nah.

Okay, what's going on?

Patrice...

I came to see Akeem.

What are you involved in?

You can't afford this on your salary.

Someone to kiss

Someone to miss

When you're away

Through here, gone each day

To be loved, to be loved

Wow! What a feeling

- Quiet! People are trying to sleep.

- Some wish to be a king or a queen

- Some wish for fortune and fame

- Shut up!

But to be truly, truly, truly, truly loved

It must mean all of these things

Someone to care

Someone to share

Lonely hours and moments of despair

To be loved, to be loved

Wow! What a feeling

Semmi, I just had the most wonderful...

Hi, Akeem. Semmi told me everything.

Sorry things didn't work out between

you and me, but you understand.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Remember, you must not tell a soul.

Your secret is safe with me,

your Highness. Bye...

If you're the prince, then who am I?

My servant.

They smell good. Darryl must be

spending a fortune on flowers.

Stay out of this, Dad.

- Where are you going?

- To a museum. With Akeem.

- I don't like that one bit.

- What's wrong with Akeem?

You told me yourself.

He's a goat herder.

Why don't you marry Darryl?

He dresses nice, he treats you good.

You only like Darryl because he's rich.

I don't want you to have to struggle

like your mother and I did.

I know. Bye, Daddy.

Come in.

- You boys wanted to see me.

- We would like to change apartments.

Goddamn! What the hell

have you done in here?

My friend Semmi has altered the

apartment, so we would like to change.

This stuff ain't hot, is it?

No, but I'm bringing a young lady up,

and she can't see me living like this.

I'll let you boys stay in my apartment

and I'll move up here.

- Does your apartment look poor?

- It's a real shithole. You'll love it.

Here are the keys. It's apartment 1 A.

Downstairs. First floor.

Thank you, you're too kind.

Semmi, move our things.

I have a date with Lisa.

Isn't that wonderful?

Who in the hell is that?

What's up, brother? You're a little late

for the Christmas pageant.

I'm King Jaffe Joffer, ruler of Zamunda.

Have a seat. Chair number two

Rate this script:3.8 / 8 votes

David Sheffield

David Sheffield (born 1948) is an American comedy writer best known for his writing on Saturday Night Live and the screenplays for Coming to America and The Nutty Professor all written in collaboration with Barry W. Blaustein. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Coming to America" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/coming_to_america_5811>.

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