Continuity mistake: When Eddie Murphy is getting the bananas from the waiter in the hotel, the bananas he gets are straight. When he places the bananas in the tailpipe of the detectives' car, they are curved.
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Plot summary
Directed by: Martin Brest
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Ronny Cox, Steven Berkoff, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher
The movie begins in Detroit, where undercover detective Axel Foley receives a call from his childhood friend, Mikey Tandino. Mikey invites Axel to come visit him in California. However, soon after Axel arrives in Beverly Hills, he receives a phone call notifying him of Mikey's murder. Determined to find the killer and seek justice for his friend, Axel decides to conduct his own investigation, against the wishes of the local police department.
Axel begins his investigation by heading to a local art gallery, which Mikey had connections to. Inside the gallery, Axel meets Jenny Summers, an employee who seems to be hiding something. While questioning her, two men posing as police officers arrive and attempt to arrest Axel. A high-speed chase ensues, with Axel managing to escape and steal a police car.
Now on the run, Axel seeks assistance from Jenny, who reveals that Mikey was involved in a smuggling operation. Axel suspects that Jenny's boss, Victor Maitland, is connected to Mikey's murder and the smuggling ring. Determined to find the evidence he needs, Axel sneaks into Maitland's mansion and discovers bank records and bearer bonds related to the smuggling operation.
Axel delivers the evidence to his old friend, Inspector Todd, back in Detroit, who agrees to help him. However, when Axel returns to his hotel room in Beverly Hills, he finds that it has been ransacked and the evidence stolen. Realizing they are being watched by Maitland's men, Axel and Jenny decide to enlist the help of two local detectives, Billy Rosewood and Sergeant Taggart.
Together, the trio conducts a stakeout at Maitland's warehouse, where they witness a shipment of smuggled cigarettes. In an ensuing shootout, Axel, Billy, and Taggart manage to apprehend some of Maitland's henchmen, but Maitland escapes. Axel deduces that Maitland is keeping his real assets in a shipping container at the Beverly Palm Hotel.
Determined to catch Maitland, Axel infiltrates the hotel and discovers a secret compartment inside the container. Inside, he finds a large amount of confiscated heroin from the Detroit Police Department and realises that Maitland is using the smuggling operation as a cover to move drugs. He also finds incriminating evidence against Maitland in his suite.
With the evidence in hand, Axel, Billy, and Taggart confront Maitland during a charity event at his mansion. A chaotic shootout erupts, with Axel eventually subduing Maitland and his remaining henchmen, while also exposing Maitland's criminal activities to the attending guests and the media.
In the aftermath, Axel returns to Detroit, having successfully avenged his friend's death and dismantled the smuggling operation. The movie ends with Axel being warmly welcomed back by his colleagues at the Detroit Police Department, who commend him for his bravery and investigative skills.
More mistakes in Beverly Hills Cop
Police Chief Hubbard: What's this man doing here?
Axel Foley: Bleeding, sir.
Trivia: The role of Axel Foley originally went to Sylvester Stallone. The producers decided to go with Eddie Murphy though after Stallone wrote in too much action, and they wanted it to be more of a comedy.
Question: Did Eddie Murphy improvise his hotel meltdown speech (where he claims to be a reporter) or was it scripted?
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Chosen answer: Much of Axel Foley's lines were improvised, including this scene, according to the commentary. But many other actors improvised their lines too, most notably Bronson Pinchot. The script was originally written with the intent of Sylvester Stallone playing Axel and as such, the issue of his race wasn't scripted and the director tried to avoid mentioning race in the film. It was Eddie Murphy that would bring it up in improvised lines.
Bishop73