Ernest Rides Again
Ernest Rides Again is a 1993 American comedy film written and directed by John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. It opens with the song "There Once Was A Man Named Worrell". It is the sixth film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, the fifth film in the Ernest series, and the last to be released theatrically. Its gross was $1,433,496. In this movie, Ernest and a history professor discover a long-lost Revolutionary War cannon and must protect it from others who want the precious jewels hidden inside. Its budget was $5,500,000.
| Ernest Rides Again | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John R. Cherry III |
| Produced by | Stacy Williams |
| Written by | John R. Cherry III William M. Akers |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Bruce Arntson Kirby Shelstad |
| Cinematography | David Geddes |
| Edited by | Craig Bassett |
Production company | Emshell Producers |
| Distributed by | Emshell Producers |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5.5 million |
| Box office | $1,433,496 |
It was the first "Ernest" movie to be filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Plot synopsis
That lovable know-it-all knucklehead Ernest P. Worrell, who is working as a janitor at a local college, meets a history professor named Dr. Abner Melon. After discovering an antique metal plate near a construction site, Ernest shows it to Dr. Melon, who believes that it came from a giant Revolutionary War cannon called "Goliath", (named after the legendary biblical giant). Dr. Melon had previously been ridiculed by his peers for theorizing that the real Crown Jewels of England were stolen during the Revolutionary War and were actually hidden inside the long-lost cannon.
They begin to search for the artifact near the construction site and eventually locate it inside an abandoned mine. They are ambushed by historical antiquity collector and Dr. Melon's colleague Dr. Glencliff whom they then lead on an action-packed chase through the countryside. Things become more complicated for them when British authorities hear about the incident and send a team of secret agents after them to retrieve the jewels. Dr. Melon's wife, Nan, on the other hand is only after him and Ernest for the jewels. While everyone is hot on their trail, Ernest develops a deep friendship with Dr. Melon. After crashing the cannon into a forest, Ernest locates the jewels, not in its barrel as the legend describes but in the gunpowder kegs. After putting the crown on his head, he finds himself unable to get it off. Dr. Glencliff shows up, abducts him, and takes him to his clinic in an attempt to surgically remove it and kill him at the same time. Dr. Melon meets up with Nan and convinces her to help him save Ernest.
While at the clinic, Ernest manages to escape from the surgery room and lead Dr. Glencliff on a chase through the building. When he has nowhere else to hide, he and Dr. Glencliff have one last fight to get the crown before Dr. Melon arrives with the police. At the last minute, Dr. Glencliff takes an axe off of the wall and attempts to behead Ernest. Just as he is moments away from death, Dr. Melon bursts through the door and hits Dr. Glencliff over the head with the same antique metal plate Ernest found, knocking him out. Ernest realizes that Dr. Melon has saved his life and they both realize that they have gone from being adversaries to friends. At the same time, British authorities arrive and explain to Ernest that the crown must be taken back to its rightful home. He explains that it will not come off his head and the authorities declare that whoever wears it is King of England. Dr. Melon removes it for him by joking him about what is on his shirt, flicking him in the face. It causes it to fall off his head while everyone laughs. This is followed by him giving Dr. Melon a noogie while they argue about who would make a better king of England. The film wraps here with a not-so-subtle moral, being that friendship is more valuable than status or material wealth.
Cast
- Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell, Auntie Nelda
- Ron James as Dr. Abner Melon (as Ron K. James)
- Tom Butler as Dr. Glencliff
- Linda Kash as Nan Melon
- Duke Ernsberger as Frank
- Jeff Pillars as Joe
- Russell Roberts as Suits Commander
- Dave "Squatch" Ward as Construction Worker 1
- Dee Jay Jackson as Construction Worker 2
- Alf Humphreys as Surgeon
- Frank C. Turner as Van Driver
- Alek Diakun as Librarian
Reception
Box office
Ernest Rides Again was released on November 12, 1993 in the United States. In its opening weekend, the film debuted at #16 at the box office, grossing $905,000 from 1,190 theaters. It grossed $1,433,496 in total, which was the lowest gross of the Ernest films and was consequently the last to be released theatrically. All future movies would be released direct-to-video.
Home media
| Name | Release Date | Discs | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernest Rides Again | April 27, 1994 | VHS | Features a preview to Ernest Goes to School and the Saturday Night Live-based Mr. Bill short "Mr. Bill Goes to Washington", a spoof of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. |
| Ernest's Wacky Adventures: Volume 1 | June 5, 2012 | 4 | Set includes Ernest Rides Again, Ernest in the Army, Ernest's Greatest Hits, Volume 1 and Ernest's Greatest Hits, Volume 2. This four-disc set was the only time Ernest Rides Again had a DVD release in Region 1. |
| Best of Ernest | June 5, 2012 | 10 |
Set includes Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam, Ernest Rides Again, Ernest Goes to School, Slam Dunk Ernest, Ernest in the Army, Ernest Goes to Africa, Hey Vern, It's My Family Album, Your World As I See It, Ernest's Greatest Hits, Volume 1 and Ernest's Greatest Hits, Volume 2.[1] |