Eddie Murphy Breaks Down the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Scene That Almost Everyone Got Wrong
What To Know
- The Netflix documentary Being Eddie explores Eddie Murphy’s rise to stardom.
- A memorable scene in Beverly Hills Cop, where Murphy’s character laughs at men in leather outfits, is often misinterpreted.
- Murphy clarifies why he was laughing in that misunderstood scene.
In the Netflix documentary Being Eddie, Eddie Murphy‘s life is put under the microscope, revealing the highs and lows of his remarkable journey, with every triumph and tragedy laid bare for fans to witness.
In the film, the focus turns to the pivotal moments that transformed Murphy from a rising comedian into a full-fledged cultural icon, particularly the massive success of 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop. The pic follows fast-talking Detroit detective Axel Foley as he heads to Beverly Hills to investigate his friend’s murder, clashing with local cops while uncovering a major crime operation.
It was the top movie at the box office for 14 weeks, an unheard-of triumph back in the day, and it cemented a young Eddie Murphy as a superstar. “I saw Beverly Hills Cop three times when it came out,” said Chris Rock in the documentary. “We wouldn’t leave the theater.”
Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
The fish-out-of-water premise, blending sharp comedy with classic cop-movie action, struck a chord with audiences who instantly embraced Murphy’s charismatic and quick-witted Foley as he navigated the absurdities of Beverly Hills culture. But in the doc, Murphy also talks about the one scene that fans and critics often get wrong.
“There’s a scene in Beverly Hills Cop where he’s walking down Rodeo. He walks past the guys in the leather outfits. He starts laughing at them. You’re thinking, ‘You’re laughing at guys wearing leather outfits?’,” said film critic Elvis Mitchell in the film.
Mitchell was referring to Murphy’s iconic stand-up film, 1983’s Delirious, in which the comedian wore a similar red leather outfit while delivering his set. The scene appeared to parody Murphy’s own signature style, with him taking a good-natured jab at himself.
Paramount
“It didn’t seem hypocritical because he’s in that moment, it’s a real performance in terms of who that character is. But it is also Eddie Murphy kind of making fun of himself,” said Mitchell. “There’s so much going on in that moment. It’s such a complex beat in pop culture.”
Murphy, however, had a completely different take on the scene, which starred his friend Derrick Lawrence.
“In Beverly Hills Cop, there’s a scene where I’m walking down the street…and I’ve heard reporters and other people talk, ‘Oh yeah, that’s an interesting moment because Eddie Murphy is laughing at Eddie Murphy.’ And that’s not what’s happening at all,” explained Murphy. “I’m not laughing at me. Derrick was one of those guys and he walked past, and as he walked past, he made a weird face. And I was laughing at the face he made. I wasn’t laughing at me. I was laughing at Derrick!”
Being Eddie, now streaming, Netflix
TV Insider