Uno strano campione di football

Once I was watching TV late at night and this stupid-looking movie came on. It was Gus. I can't believe movies like this could be actually pitched to an executive, but I guess Disney can never be underestimated. As I began to watch it, I became enthralled: a mule kicks field goals from any distance and never misses. Alas, the mule gets kidnapped before the BIG GAME and he must be retrieved. Boy was I surprised when he was airlifted back onto the field after an unpleasant yet unbelievable scene involving a supermarket. Don Knotts plays a terrible coach too, but Gus steals the show here. If you want to watch a movie that never should have been made, check out Gus.

It is important to always remember that Disney movies, at least then, were made to entertain; to show happiness; success; and a happy ending. Thus, other reviewers perhaps should understand this. You probably would not like Disneyland.

A pleasant story of a man (Gary Grimes), from the former Yugoslavia, who has the chance of a lifetime to come to the USA, and with the help of Gus, his mule, win football games...you know the plot, obviously.

I did not care for the role of Tom Bosley, whatsoever. It was too affected, and very goofy. How ludicrous, that in a hospital or supermarket, no one tried to detain him (or Conway), or otherwise notify the police.

Furthermore, the well-known supermarket scene, was WAY, WAY too long, and very silly.

Still, Disney movies of the 1960s and 1970s never fail to make us happy. The young man (Andy) has a father who does not value him very much.

Great footage, for you football nuts, and the ending is the whole entire movie-priceless.

This show belonged obviously, to Gary Grimes and to Gus, certainly not to Bosley and Conway.

Soon after this, Gary Grimes retired permanently from the whole entertainment world, and today is in charity work.

I saw this movie at theater when I was 6. I made my dad take me at least 3 times because I could not get enough of it. The Supermarket scene is definitely the best scene in the whole film. I always got scared when Tom Bosley fell into the tank of lobsters because it looks so painful when he limps off down the isle with the lobsters hanging off his pants. Overall, this is a fun movie with lots of slapstick. To this day, I still remember the word that was used to get Gus to kick the ball: "Oyage!!" The live-action Disney film is a lost treasure and they just don't make them anymore like they did back in the 60's and 70's.

Despite the fact it's about a Donkey kicking field goals, GUS is one of the most entertaining Disney live action ventures made during the 1970's. The plot involves an underdog teen from some foreign land who is the younger brother of a perfect, square-jawed soccer star sibling, worshiped by his father. But Gary's Andy Petrovic has something that will make him famous without making him famous, but rather, his pet mule has all the talent: able to kick a football far into the surrounding forest. Although Gary's Andy is not altogether worthless.

Gus only kicks after hearing the important word, spoken by Andy and, for the most part, Andy only: "Oyage!" Thus, mule and boy is witnessed by a football scout for a losing team called THE ATOMS played by Ronnie Schell, voice-star of the second best Disney venture, THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE, who was sent to the Petrovic farm to witness the older brother for his magic foot for the team's punter. But compared to the ball kicking jackass, Soccer boy means nothing.

The best scenes occur when Andy and Gus get slowly, awkwardly warmed up with the team and his fans, and like the first half of most Disney films, our title hero just can't loose. Eventually, Andy gets lost in the mix despite falling in love (and vice versa, which rarely occurs so quickly) with one of the cutest Disney ingenues ever, Louise Williams as Debbie, who, along with Don Knotts, is on the DVD cover (shown above) autographed by Ed Asner, as the team's grumpy coach who really has to put faith into this risky decision, while Tim Conway plays...

So let's center on the bad guys who rule one particular scene that intentionally steals the entire movie; Gus causing two hired thugs, Tom Bosley as Alpha Male ex-con Spinner with his dopey sidekick, Tim Conway's Crankcase, to chase the escaped-kidnapped donkey around in a supermarket. Wide-eyed when experienced on the big screen as a child, this fifteen minute scene, occurring while Gus is trying to return to a big climactic game.

And hell, if this store scene doesn't bring a smile to your face, something is wrong. But poor actor Gary Grimes despises GUS for ruining an already fledgling, at that time, career... And yet, GUS doesn't hurt our career one bit, but provides an eclectic two-hours of one of the most bizarre, wonderfully campy and genuinely creative comedy films ever. And you CAN'T quote the film's star on that, but Cult Film Freak stands behind it fully: "OYAGE, Muthas!"

I saw this film for the first time when I was a little boy, which was when it came out. I remembered two funny parts: 1. The supermarket sequence, where everything gets messed up. 2. A lady's hat gets eaten, showing the woman being bald. As I got older, I understood more of the story and finally was able to tape the film off of TV and then Disney (no commercials). The film is not very realistic, but pretty funny. The opening sequences showing how bad the Atoms team are are so ridiculous that you think a Pee Wee football league could beat them. Also, how come they don't fire the Coach, played by Don Knotts? Could Hank Cooper be such a loyal friend that he can't do that? Also, notice how the owner, Mr. Cooper, is always on the sidelines during the games? What owner does that today? And you also have to wonder why the opposing team doesn't score each time, since the Atoms are so bad, right? Still, it is a fun movie and you can't take it so seriously. It was also nice to see a twist on the winning play, which I won't reveal here. Oh, here's something else. Notice how muddy the field is during the Super Bowl. When has it even rained on that day in real life? NEVER! Would like to see it happen, though, and have the field be so muddy. I'll also mention that the actors are pretty good, especially Gary Grimes as Andy, who feels in his brother's shadow, Ed Asner as the Atoms' owner, Don Knotts as the befuddled Coach of the Atoms, and Tim Conway and Tom Bosley as Crankcase and Spinner, two con men hired to prevent the Atoms from winning the Super Bowl. They had great chemistry-almost and Abbott and Costello relationship. Disney really doesn't make these films anymore and it is too bad.