Cover Eugene Levy, Catherine O’ Hara and Emily Hampshire star in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (photo: YouTube/Schitt’s Creek)
Eugene Levy, Catherine O’ Hara and Emily Hampshire star in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ (photo: YouTube/Schitt’s Creek)
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Stories of losing net worth and gaining self-worth? In these shows, they come served with a side of hilarity and humility.
There’s something extra cinematic about watching the mighty fall. After all, they usually do it in bespoke suits and designer stilettos. Riches-to-rags stories rely partly on schadenfreude, reminding us that bad luck (or crooked accountants) is a foolproof equaliser. But while these characters have lost their yachts, private jets and credit, they have allgained something far more valuable: redemption, independence, and dignity—all through a journey of hilarity.
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From clueless socialites adjusting to middle-class life to one-percenters forced to face their worst nightmare (the Economy cabin) here’s a round-up of the funniest riches-to-rags shows and movies.
1. 'The Jerk' (1979)
This clever film is Steve Martin’s cinematic breakout role. The raucous comedy follows Navin R. Johnson (Martin), a dim but well-meaning man who was raised by a poor Black family in the South. He is blissfully unaware that he was adopted—until he discovers he has no rhythm. This prompts him to find his place in the world, triggering misadventures that take him from rags to riches and then back again. He invents a wildly successful product, falls in love, loses everything in comedic fashion, and then manages to regain true happiness.
2. 'Schitt’s Creek' (2015 to 2020)
The name alone already hints at the hilarity that you’ll get. This series is about the down-on-their-luck Rose family who loses their US$500-million fortune thanks to an underhanded business manager. They’re forced to live in their remaining asset, a small town called Schitt’s Creek that patriarch Johnny Rose bought for his son, David, as a joke. The entire family, including Johnny’s wife, former soap star and sesquipedalian Moira, must adjust from living the high life to slumming it in a hotel. More than just your standard fish-out-of-water comedy, though, audiences have lauded the character development and redemption arcs in Schitt’s Creek, giving its humour rare depth and substance. For its final season, Schitt’s Creek received 15 Emmy nominations, winning seven.
3. 'The Money Pit' (1986)
Couple Walter (Tom Hanks) and Anna (Shelley Long) jump into what seems to be a too-good-to-be-true real-estate investment. But the deal turned out to be a nightmare. The mansion they purchased turned into a financial blackhole, swallowing up all their savings and sanity. The plot twists can get a bit cheesy, but this is an ol’ fashioned, light-hearted comedy that’s perfect for kicking back.
4. 'Trading Places' (1983)
This sharp comedy flips the lives of streetwise con artist Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) and snobbish commodities broker Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) after two wealthy brothers wager on nature versus nurture. Through a devious scheme, the brothers swap the fortunes of Billy Ray and Louis, with one rising to privilege and the other falling into ruin. However, when the unlikely duo discovers the cruel bet, they team up to exact revenge in a hilarious and cunning takedown of the corrupt elite.
5. 'Arrested Development' (2003 to 2006, 2013, 2018-2019)
The mighty Bluth family, once the epitome of status in Orange County, faces a crumbled empire after patriarch George Bluth Sr is arrested for illicit business dealings. The family’s extravagant lifestyle comes to a screeching halt, forcing the responsible middle son, Michael (Jason Bateman), to hold the dysfunctional group together while navigating their new, hilariously chaotic “rags” existence. Stripped of their mansions and luxuries, the Bluths hilariously cling to delusions of grandeur, with each episode showcasing their inability to adjust to their diminished status.
6. 'Goodfellas' (1990)
Yes, this is a comedy, albeit a dark one. Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas recounts the rise and fall of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a Brooklyn kid whose lifelong dream is to be part of the mafia. Seduced by the power, wealth, and glamour of mob life, Henry thrives alongside his ruthless associates, Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). But as greed, paranoia, and law enforcement close in, the gilded lifestyle crumbles, leaving Henry scrambling to escape his former glory.
Ultimately, Goodfellas is a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of power and excess.
