MovieChat Forums > Prince of Bel Air (1986) Discussion > This is listed as a TV movie - Really? A...

This is listed as a TV movie - Really? And DVD is rated "R"...


I suspect someone got their database links crossed somewhere.

Having just viewed the movie, there is so much "dating" done by Mark Harmon, and his mentoring the awkward and socially inept son of a rich man (he cleans the guy's pool), there is enough reason this movie is rated "R". (I would say a rather soft "R" these days though.)

They did have one amusing gag about how the group of four pool cleaners would notice a beautiful woman on the beach, and 'introduce' one of the group to the woman by pretending he was somehow injured. (Not as well done, but think of the scene in TOP GUN when the whole bar sings "You've lost that loving feeling" to pilot Maverick's woman-of-interest...). Somehow, these pool cleaners seem to have access to a large sailboat and even a private jet though.

At one point, Robin (Mark Harmon's character) came back to his house, and the formerly socially inept guy is entertaining two partially dressed blonde women.
Just before that, Robin has one of his car's headlights kicked out by a client who fired him as well. That is about the extent of the "sex and violence" in the entire movie though, but I just don't see that on broadcast TV. Maybe it could have been on a pay cable channel though.

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I think the reason it got the R rating is the two female co-eds who show up topless with the younger guy. I think that is why it was rated R. And I read somewhere that that scene with the topless women was edited out of some TV broadcasts. Remember this was the 1980s so females going topless was frowned upon then. Look at Revenge of the Nerds (although that had much more nudity) was rated R. So that one scene gave it an R rating back then.

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It debuted on ABC in the USA in January, 1986. The top nudity scene involving Justin's two girls wasn't included in the American TV version, nor the cussing, but both were included in the European theatrical version and the ensuing VHS release.

Somehow, these pool cleaners seem to have access to a large sailboat and even a private jet though.


Robin's three friends that he regularly socialized with weren't in the pool maintenance business, only he was. The rich teen, Justin, was just working with him for the summer, before going off to Ivy League college. (Two other guys are shown at Robin's business, but they're his employees, not his friends). One of his friends lived on a yacht, but he didn't own it, his boss did (and he seldom came around to use it). I'm assuming this was the vessel the group took to Santa Catalina Island, but I'm not sure; it might not have been.

None of these guys owned a private jet, although the good-looking blonde, Kelli, was a flight attendant and the guys visited her at the airport.

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