The film stars Richard Pryor as a janitor at a department store owned by a businessman played by Jackie Gleason.

Jack Brown is an unemployed writer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in danger of having his house repossessed.

Emotionally estranged from his father, Eric takes a liking to Jack but still manages to humiliate him with numerous pranks.

After a particularly humiliating incident in the mansion incited by Bates' ditzy trophy wife Fancy, who introduces him at a dinner party as Eric's new "toy", Jack grows tired of the situation and leaves.

He agrees to return only when Bates (with Morehouse as his proxy) offers Jack enough money to pay off the full mortgage.

After witnessing multiple examples of Bates' cruelty to his employees, they dig up dirt on him, such as a story of how he won his butler, Barkley, in a game of billiards.

When Morehouse finds a copy and presents it to his boss, Bates is outraged, but keeps his anger in check and calls Jack and Eric for a private meeting at his office.

The next day, while driving Eric to the airport to return to military school, Bates tries desperately to have a heart-to-heart talk.

Moreover, in a 1982 Los Angeles Times interview Pryor stated he had "loved Jackie Gleason for years.

[9] Michael Jackson attempted to write a theme song for the film and a possible soundtrack in 1981, but did not complete it due to his commitments working on the Thriller album.

A version recorded in 2008 was remixed by Theron "Neff-U" Feemster and Brad Buxer, being released posthumously on the Michael album in 2010.

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 3% based on reviews from 30 critics, with the consensus reading: "A muddled and unfunny collision of two comedic titans, The Toy is unsuitable for children -- or anyone else seeking entertainment.

[12] Vincent Canby gave the film a negative review, stating "My mind wasn't simply wandering during the film—it was ricocheting between the screen and the exit sign.