Recensioni degli utenti

Thanksgiving just can't be Thanksgiving without Mighty Joe Young. From as far back as I can remember, until about 10 years ago, WOR, channel 9 in New York City, played a King Kong festival on Thanksgiving day, and then a Godzilla festival on Friday, dubbing it "Monster Weekend." Of the 3 "ape movies" played back-to-back (King Kong, Son of Kong, and Mighty Joe Young), this was far and away the best. There were several reasons for it. (1) Mighty Joe Young has the best special effects of all the ape movies (and, truth be known, far better than those of most of the Godzillas -- which were filmed 10-20 years later!). (2) Mighty Joe Young has the best story. It's about a little girl who adopts a young gorilla in Africa on her family's plantation, and she grows up with it. The gorilla turns out to be the largest in the world (but nowhere near the size of Kong). Joe is affectionate with his "sister", and very protective of her, and the animators gave him a wonderful range of facial expressions and emotions. (3) Mighty Joe Young has the best climax, and the best ending.

All told, Mighty Joe Young is a terriffic movie. It was light years ahead of its time in so many ways, including special effects. It is well worth the time to see it.

My score: 8/10

In Africa, the girl Jill Young trades a baby gorilla with two natives and raises the animal. Twelve years later, the talkative and persuasive promoter Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong) organizes a safari to Africa with the Oklahoma cowboy Gregg (Ben Johnson) to bring attractions to his new night-club in Hollywood. They capture several lions and out of blue, they see a huge gorilla nearby their camping and they try to capture the animal. However, the teenager Jill Young (Terry Moore) stops the men that intended to kill her gorilla. Max seduces Jill with a fancy life in Hollywood and she signs a contract with him where the gorilla Joseph "Joe" Young would be the lead attraction. Soon she realizes that her dream is a nightmare to Joe and she asks Max to return to Africa. However he persuades her to stay a little longer in the show business. But when three alcoholic costumers give booze to Joe, the gorilla destroys the spot and is sentenced by the justice to be sacrificed. Will Jill, Gregg and Max succeed in saving Joe?

"Mighty Joe Young" is a surprisingly excellent movie, with a story that entwines drama, romance and adventure and with awesome special effects for a 1949 movie. I bought this DVD a couple of years ago, but I was expecting a lame rip-off of King Kong based on the awful Brazilian title. However, the plot is engaging, with lots of emotions and many plot points and Joe's runaway is spectacular. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Monstro de um Mundo Perdido" ("Monster of a Lost World")

Of all the great ape films, this one made by the same folks that brought us King Kong and Son of Kong has to be the most charming. The story is simple enough about a young girl that raises a gorilla from infancy in the wilds of Africa to be wooed and wowed by an American showman looking for acts in Africa. The showman sees her gorilla and the way she can make it listen and do tricks...and soon both beast and beauty are off to the US to star in a night club act of all things. Terry Moore is a real cutie portraying the girl. The showman is played by...well who else but the same man responsible for bringing King Kong to New York City 16 years earlier...Robert Armstrong. The rest of the cast is adequate with Nestor Paiva in a small but crucial role standing out. The real star, however, is the ape itself and the special effects centered around it. This gorilla is brutish yet humane. He is playful and yet serious and somber at times. Willis O'Brien has done it again with the effects and his stop motion animation, with a great deal of improvement since Kong. The best thing about this movie is its heart, and the heart shown between the young girl and her pet/child. Some scenes are very striking in the film. One that stands out the most is the introduction of Mighty Joe Young in the night club with Terry Moore playing the piano. It looks like Busby Berkley choreographed it. Another very powerful scene involves Joe with an orphanage on fire. The scene is tremendous and even tinted red. Very impressive for its release. A True Classic!

MIGHTY JOE YOUNG is essentially a smaller, pared-down re-run of KING KONG, with everything taking place on a smaller scale and perhaps a slightly younger audience in mind. It's nevertheless an extremely watchable and at times powerful piece, one that's at its best when depicting the worst of human nature; namely Joe's transformation from king of the jungle to a side-show freak.

Such films are inevitably dated now, presenting a view of a world long forgotten. Despite this, MIGHTY JOE YOUNG is gripping and exhilarating in equal measure. The opening sequences are slightly twee, but once the action shifts to Hollywood it gets better and better, especially the extended "will they make it?" climax. The scene with the burning building is an incredibly complex set-piece and one which is executed beautifully.

KING KONG guru Willis O'Brien was the guy headlining this production, but by all accounts stop-motion king Ray Harryhausen did most of the work, and Joe is one of his best creations; not only is he a realistic monster, but like the best of the stop-motion beasties, he's a recognisable character too, and one you empathise with. The rest of the production is well-paced and well-made, with a level of finesse raising it above the level of the competition.

An African girl (Terry Moore) is best friends with a twelve-foot tall ape named Joe she grew up with. American promoter Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong) persuades the girl to bring her ape to America to take part in his show. You can pretty much guess how this will go wrong even if you haven't seen King Kong.

First big role for Ben Johnson as a cowboy who falls for Moore. He's pretty wooden here but then again he was a fairly wooden actor throughout his career. He does his usual John Wayne, Jr. routine. Lots of "Yassir" and "Ah reckon" type stuff. Robert Armstrong plays a role very much like Carl Denham from King Kong, although a little more comedic. Terry Moore is more Helen Mack than Fay Wray. That is to say she's cute but not much screen presence.

Re-teaming of many of the King Kong team for a story that is very similar to that film, although different enough to keep this from being considered a remake. The story is mostly kid stuff and fluff but cute nonetheless. The Willis O'Brien/Ray Harryhausen special effects alone are worth checking this movie out.

I remember seeing Mighty Joe Young before I ever saw King Kong, and for the longest time I preferred it to Kong because it seemed newer, with better effects, and more familiar actors, while Kong seemed older and a little creakier with a less familiar cast of characters. Over the years I've come to appreciate both as great movies, the same basic story or premise, but with a slightly different spin, one as a grand thrilling epic, and one as a heartwarming story with laughs and thrills. Where Kong is the tragic violent figure meeting his fate for the love of a woman, Joe Young is a warm cuddly teddy bear of a creature trying to stave off that wild beast that lives inside of him for the affection of a woman. Where Kong wouldn't expend a drop of sweat helping a human, except for Ann Darrow, Joe Young appears more than human in that he would sacrifice himself to save the children and adults in an orphanage engulfed in flames. And although Robert Armstrong doesn't play the same character in both movies, just the same type of character, it's kind of nice to see him learn from his mistakes in the previous film and early on in this one so that he can make a determined effort to have this story end differently. While King Kong may have been a grand slam out of the park, Mighty Joe Young still comes out as a solid home run.

"Mighty Joe Young" was the third of Producer Merian C. Cooper's giant ape trilogy following "King Kong" and "Son of Kong" both released in 1933. It was directed by Cooper's old pal Ernest B. Schoedsack, who also had directed the first two. At this time Cooper was producing pictures in partnership with John Ford. Ford's influence can be seen in this film. Ford's protégé of the time, Ben Johnson is cast in the lead, Ford regular Jack Pennick appears in a bit as a truck driver and the "Fordian" humor is evident, particularly in the nightclub sequence.

Robert Armstrong, who had played a similar role in the Kongs, returns as Max O'Hara a fast talking promoter who was reportedly based on producer Cooper. This film also marked the passing of the torch from legendary stop motion animator Willis O'Brien to the then young Ray Harryhausen.

The film opens in Africa where the young Jill Young "buys" a baby gorilla and names him Joe. Fast forward 12 years where Max O'Hara is planning to go to Africa to capture wild animals for his African themed restaurant. A young wrangler, Glenn Johnson (Ben Johnson) applies for a job and accompanies the group to the Dark Continent. Suddenly their camp is turned upside down by the now 12 foot tall "Mighty Joe Young". Amid the confusion, the now grown Jill (Terry Moore) emerges and calms the ape.

O'Hara seeing an opportunity, convinces the girl to bring the ape to America to perform in his nightclub. Along the way Jill and Glenn become an item. Following a successful introduction in "civilization", Joe is taunted by three drunks (Douglas Fowley, Nestor Paiva, Paul Guilfoyle). They then sneak down to where the gorilla is caged and feed him liquor. Well..you know what happens next. Joe escapes and runs amok in the nightclub, releasing the lions and wrecking the joint.

Jill, Glenn and O'Hara seeing the plight of Joe decide to take him back to his home. The police having been ordered to destroy the beast in pursue them. Along the way, they come upon a fire (filmed in a red sepia tone) in a children's orphanage. Joe becomes a hero and everyone lives happily ever after.

One cannot comment upon "Mighty Joe Young" without praising the special effects. Under the supervision of O'Brien, Harryhausen creates some amazing effects. Gone are the jerky movements of the Kongs. The facial expressions of the ape are simply amazing. Its movements are very realistic and convincing. The wrecking of the nightclub and the orphanage sequence are unbelievable. In spite of the sanitized script (no one is actually killed), the effects carry the day.

For both Johnson and Moore, this was their first leading roles. Johnson who at this time as an actor made a great cowboy, went on to a distinguished career lasting almost 50 years (including an Oscar in 1971). Moore, who provides an informed commentary (along with Harryhausen)on the DVD, became more famous for her alleged marriage to the then middle aged playboy, Howard Hughes.

Also on board are Frank McHugh as O'Hara's assistant, Regis Toomey as Jill's father and a number of then famous wrestlers playing the strongmen in the night club sequence: Primo Carnera, Carl "Killer" Davis, William "Wee Willie" Davis, Man Mountain Dean and Henry Kulky who went on to a acting career of his own. Also watch for Ellen Corby and Charles Lane in bits.

Not in the same class as "King Kong" but an entertaining film nonetheless.

A wonderfully entertaining slant on "King Kong" by Kong's creators, Cooper and Schoedsack (along with John Ford). Much better than Kong's 1934 sequel, "Son of Kong", which was hurriedly made. The creators put a lot of thought and effort into this worthy follow-up and it shows. More superb special effects from Willis O'Brien as technical director, featuring the budding talents of protege, Ray Harryhausen.

A return to "King Kong" territory, with Oscar-winning special effects by "Kong"'s main wizard Willis O'Brien, is bubblegum, bubble-headed nonsense, though viewed strictly as matinée fodder does entertain in its gaudy fashion. Campy plot has Terry Moore and her humongous pet gorilla lured out of their African seclusion for stardom in the big city, but things predictably go awry. Silly, occasionally slow-moving picture with a decent cast. Moore is a good sport (if not a first-rate actress) and the effects (with help from Ray Harryhausen) are fantastic. Impressionable viewers should be awed. Remade in 1998. **1/2 from ****

Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack. Starring Robert Armstrong, Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Frank McHugh, Lora Lee Michel, Regis Toomey.

Armstrong and Johnson take a trip to Africa to find wild animals for entertainment, and they stumble upon quite the find: a massive gorilla named Joe (credited as "Mr. Joseph Young") owned by Moore. Predictably, the big ape is transported back to the States to be shown off, and even more predictably, the big fella breaks loose and wreaks havoc. Something of a "'Kiddie' Kong," with a repetitive bag of tricks, reduced sense of style, imagination and adventure, and much milder thrills, but the Oscar-winning stop-motion effects work is first-rate (handled by, among others, Ray Harryhausen in his first Hollywood production). As far as acting acumen goes, Moore makes Fay Wray look like Fay Bainter and rigid Johnson is a drippy brand of hero, but Joe is a dashing diva. Although abrupt and tacked-on, the color-tinted climax involving a rescue operation at a burning orphanage is a marvelous set-piece. Watch the beautiful beast in action, skip the human drama. Produced by Merian C. Cooper and John Ford.

54/100

RKO managed to put out a sweet movie, even with the cheesy backdrops (the African scenes) and special effects (they obviously used toy vehicles in one scene). You'll root for the good guys and laugh at the rougish character played by Robert Armstrong as he schemes to get Joe back home. Look for Irene Ryan (who later played "Granny" on the Beverly Hillbillies) in a quick scene in the nightclub.

Compared to its predecessors in the giant ape genre, Mighty Joe Young is rather a tame film, but the old Cooper-Schoedsack-Willis O'Brien charm is still evident in its every frame. There's a engaging and child-like feel for exotic places and things that's been largely killed off over the years by mass media and air travel, and the movie has for me a sort of wide-eyed boys' book quality that still works. In this respect the film is rather like the Tarzans and the Maria Montez-Sabu-Dorothy Lamour jungle and island pictures, full of a love for the exotic and faraway, anything unlike Main Street, USA. As the story of yet another giant ape and his problems with 'civilization' it's okay but nothing special; that so much of it is played for laughs is all for the good. Mr. Young's rampage in the nightclub is still something to see; breathtaking and funny, it is in some ways the movie's climax. There's a bigger sequence to come, however, as an orphanage is (conveniently) burning down, which gives Joe a chance to show what a humanitarian he is despite his temper. The movie is awfully sentimental at times, and though it's a kind of sentiment I can live with and even sometimes share, it does seem to indicate a lessening of the creative powers of the men behind the camera.

Story line similar to KING KONG, but much better than SON OF KONG. Special effects were top notch for the late 40s. A young girl, Jill Young, makes friends with a small gorilla and names him Joe. After Joe is grown, he is taken from Africa to America by a Hollywood promoter. Mighty Joe Young is a featured attraction until he is ordered to be shot because of some bad conduct.

A scheme is devised to get Joe out of the country and back to his homeland. Enroute to escaping, Joe becomes a hero by saving children in a fire.

Joe's antics during the escape are quite humorous. This is really a neat film to watch again. Young and old can't help but enjoy this.

Jill is played by the beautiful Terry Moore. The rest of the cast is solid and well acted; Robert Armstrong, Ben Johnson, Frank McHugh and Regis Toomey.

Great film about an oversize gorilla (about 10-11 feet), its owner (Terry Moore) and what happens when an unscrupulous promoter Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong) lures them from Africa to America to become a hit. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way--the story is nothing new; Terry Moore and Ben Johnson are among the worst actors I've ever seen and there's zero lack of characterization among the humans. But when Joe Young appears all is forgiven. He looks great, moves realistically and has incredible facial motions. You can tell exactly what he's thinking by his expressions! Also, the scenes where he's grappling with humans, horses, lions look extremely realistic--that's saying a lot for a film that's over 50 years old! A fun family film. Try to see restored prints--there's a final sequence involving a burning building in which the whole reel is tinted red--very nicely done.

For Ernest Shoedsack's final feature as director (he directed a prologue uncredited for a film later on), he takes the King Kong concept, but makes it sweeter, more amiable for a family or small kids, and has the wisdom to put on Ray Harryhausen for Mighty Joe Young's special effects and stop motion. While Harryhausen will always be synonymous with Jason and the Argonauts, among other monster movies, this one shows so much care and energy on a first official go-around. It might not be as wild as the original Kong from 1933, but it's a little more polished, with lots of cool fights with lions, and freak-out in an auditorium, and a climax that involves (don't laugh) a burning orphanage. If for no other reason the movie has instant appeal for fans of the great Harryhausen as one of his quintessential efforts.

The film itself is a fun, heartwarming concoction where we see an ape that's smaller than Kong, and less obsessed with diddling the woman of the picture. In fact, the gorilla this time is in the form of a pet, and as such it's friendlier, funnier, but easy to provoke unless its girl is with him (the lovely Terry Moore as Jill). He's surrounded by some 'stock' characters, like the greedy show-biz-man Max O'Hara, and the kind-hearted 'cowboy' Gregg played by Ben Johnson. And the story has a somewhat predictable end. But what makes it enjoyable is that the attitude stays strong enough for its target audience to stay in tune, and there's even a rather amazing climax with the burning orphanage; Shoedsack puts a red tint on the entire sequence, and without much dialog (save for the obvious "JOE!" and screaming children) and thrilling music it's like a near perfect silent movie sequence done with some extra flair. It gives it just that little boost that makes it comparable (if not as iconic) as the building climax of Kong. 7.5/10

"Mighty Joe Young" is a fun, escapist movie. However, as I sat and watched it, I couldn't help but think that the much more famous "King Kong" (completed 16 years earlier) looked a heck of a lot better. For example, the matte paintings used through much of the film look much less realistic--they looked just like paintings. In "King Kong", they had an other worldly look that was priceless--such as the great looking Skull Island. Also, as Joe the gorilla ran about, the background images looked like they were projected on a movie screen behind it--and looked much more fake than it should have. You would have thought after all those years that this all would have looked a lot better. However, I do seem to be in the minority here, as MANY of the other reviews talked about how great the effects looked! I stand by my opinion--this should have been a lot better.

The film is very much like a reworking of "King Kong". Like "Kong", it stars Robert Armstrong and also is about a big gorilla--though Joe is minuscule compared to Kong. Joe's big compared to a gorilla but only about 15 feet tall--not the HUGE creature Kong was. Also, Joe is NOT the dangerous and scary monster that Kong was--he's a beloved pet of a girl living in Africa. When they are discovered by Armstrong, they agree to come to America to go on tour. There, they become a huge hit. Sadly, however, poor Joe and the girl soon tire of this life and long to go back home. Then tragedy strikes and,...well, you should see what happens next for yourself.

The biggest difference between Kong and Joe is far more than size. Joe is a nice-guy--and the film is very much like a child-friendly giant ape film. He doesn't eat anyone, doesn't kill any creature and is VERY family-friendly. In other words, while enjoyable, Joe is also a bit dull! I know a lot of people loved the film, but I wanted a bit more violence and mayhem instead of the sweet, lovable creature we see in this film. This, combined with the fair special effects make this a pale shadow of Kong. Enjoyable, certainly, but it could have been so much better without the schmaltz.

By the way, what is with that scene in the nightclub where everyone is tossing things at Joe to torment him?! This made little sense and just seemed awful and out of place. And what followed really didn't make a whole lotta sense.

When WOR TV in New York got the RKO film library for its disposal and use, of course the most popular films easily were the ape trilogy of King Kong, Son Of Kong, and Mighty Joe Young. Forget Astaire&Rogers, Cary Grant, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, if you were below the age of 12 these were the films you wanted to see. Every Labor Day the Ape trilogy was run and when WOR had Million Dollar Movie all day, it's highest ratings went to the simians.

When you realize that unlike the other two, Mighty Joe Young was specifically geared to that audience you can relax and return to your childhood to enjoy this film about two young lovers and their pet 15 foot gorilla.

The same folks, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack who did the Kong films have brought you this one and Willis O'Brien had a resident special effects genius as an assistant in Ray Harryhausen. Watching the film now I see clear traces of Harryhausen that become apparent in his later work.

Young Terry Moore who is played in a prologue by Shirley Temple wannabe Lora Lee Michel is seen acquiring the baby gorilla to the chagrin of her father Regis Toomey. She must have cared for him good because he grew to some immense size.

Enter Robert Armstrong whose character is clearly influenced by producer Billy Rose as it was in King Kong and Son Of Kong has come to Africa for publicity and animal acts in that order. He's brought some rodeo cowboys led by Ben Johnson and Terry Moore who's not seen any of the outside world is influenced by Armstrong's fast talk and Johnson's boyish charm to come to America with the gorilla named Mighty Joe Young.

Of course if you remember the havoc that King Kong wrought upon New York when Armstrong brought him back, then you have some idea where the story is going. But only some idea believe me.

Mighty Joe Young does have some stupidity in it. For instance I don't think any rodeo cowboy is good enough to capture a lion by roping him. But that's what the film has you believe about Ben Johnson. And Ben Johnson ought to know better because that's what he was before going into acting.

Still the film has an innocent charm about it and you can't help, but like it and the characters in the film. I daresay if WOR ran it again it would get the same high ratings. It's a children's classic for kids of all ages.

Maybe "King Kong" (1933) has garnered such a reputation for boyish appeal, especially after its post-Code censorship, that it might sometimes be forgotten how sexual was the titular giant ape's relationship with Fay Wray, as well as how it was complicated by the era's colonialist and racial attitudes. It also doesn't help that ever since these monster movies have been largely kiddie junk. It happened almost immediately with the cash-grab sequel "Son of Kong" (1933), whereby the King was replaced by an infantilized, diminutive and more friendly Kong. Here, in "Mighty Joe Young," we get merely a large gorilla, who despite his apparent adulthood lacks any demonstrative sex drive. Ditto his human female pal. Even here supposedly romantic relationship with a cowboy is extraordinarily plutonic. This is a matinee flick for children. It was even remade in 1998 by Disney. That's going to be a hard pass from me there. Peter Jackson's sexless version and the MonsterVerse are bad enough. Maybe only the 1976 remake comes close to the original, but even there the sex is handled ham-fistedly.

On the other hand, we do get more stop-motion animation and visual effects overseen by Willis O'Brien, with Ray Harryhausen, who would go on to make "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" (1953), among other films, joining the crew this time. The effects were awarded an Oscar. Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack and Ruth Rose, all from the 1933 production, are back here, along with, apparently, John Ford as a producer. Consequently, perhaps, "Mighty Joe Young" does do fairly well, at least, in reflexively exposing the hypocrisy of Western attitudes towards exotic lands, including Africa. The African-themed nightclub, including with its moving camera work, is outrageously on the nose, chalk-full of offensive stereotypes of Africans and stupid comments by New Yorkers. This meta construction is extended to Robert Armstrong once again playing a showman bringing a giant gorilla to the "civilized" city, his writing bogus press reports, the play-within-plays on the stage and the final film-within-the-film.

The most daring part of this is the inference that the film itself is a fantasy of Africa, which indeed it is, with its jungle film tropes of the white woman mediating between the dark continent and white civilization--as in "King Kong," Tarzan burgers and many other expedition pictures of the day. Like our surrogate audience within the film at the nightclub, then, "Mighty Joe Young" is something of an indictment against its own audience.

Mighty Joe Young (1949)

Wow, there sure are some silly moments and bad acting in this movie--and yet I watched it to the end! Why? For the story itself (I love the King Kong idea) and for the campy fun of it. It's actually pretty horrible, and the special effects are interesting but not exactly convincing, so I would recommend not seeing this movie unless you are especially into the genre. The director, Ernest B. Schoedsack, is the very same Schoedsack who directed the original King Kong way back in 1933, but after a series of similar adventure films in the 1930s, he had been inactive for nearly a decade before getting involved here.

The story we've seen before--big ape taken from the jungles of Africa to become a stage act for a impresario of dubious character. The acting is terrible terrible. Say no more there (okay, Robert Armstrong isn't quite terrible). The effects, for all their Harryhausen fame, are pretty basic, though there are a lot of them (the ape, but also lions behind glass, and some mutilation to the lions, PETA folk and other decent people beware). Remember this isn't the early 1930s, when the effects for King Kong were pretty amazing in that context. This is post-war America. The fact that everything has to be created by hand and matte shot (double exposed in a selective way) does make it impressive, but even if you like Harryhausen's efforts, the rest of the movie will likely let you down.