The Gorilla (1939)

When a wealthy man (Atwill) is threatened by a killer known as The Gorilla, he hires the Ritz Brothers to investigate. A real escaped gorilla shows up at the mansion just as the ... See full summary »

Director:

Allan Dwan

Writers:

Ralph Spence (play), Rian James (screenplay),

Stars:

Jimmy Ritz, Harry Ritz, Al Ritz

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jimmy Ritz	...	Garrity - a Ritz Brother
Harry Ritz	...	Harrigan - a Ritz Brother
Al Ritz	...	Mulligan - a Ritz Brother
Anita Louise	...	Norma Denby
Patsy Kelly	...	Kitty - the Maid
Lionel Atwill	...	Walter Stevens
Bela Lugosi	...	Peters - the Butler
Joseph Calleia	...	Stranger
Edward Norris	...	Jack Marsden
Wally Vernon	...	Seaman
Paul Harvey	...	A.P. Conway
Art Miles	...	Poe the Gorilla
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
The Ritz Brothers	...	The Ritz Brothers

Storyline

When a wealthy man (Atwill) is threatened by a killer known as The Gorilla, he hires the Ritz Brothers to investigate. A real escaped gorilla shows up at the mansion just as the investigators arrive.

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Plot Keywords:

gorilla | mansion | scream | private investigator | cat | 

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Taglines:

A Ritz is afraid of nothing ... but ... THIS ... IS ... SOMETHING!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

A gorilla

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original play opened in New York on 28 April 1925.

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Goofs

The sailor is bareheaded when the group go to search the garage, but his hat appears suddenly in his hand when he is at the cage and looking for the keys.

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Quotes

Peters: Did I hear somebody scream?
Kitty: Well, if you didn't, you oughta have your ears cleaned out!

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Connections

Referenced in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: The Screaming Skull (2010)

User Reviews

I don't hate the film, in spite of the Ritz's

I've heard that the Ritz Brothers refused to do this film unless both their contract and the script were re-worked. The Studio should have let them walk. I admit this is only the first Ritz Bros. film I have seen so they could come off as comic geniuses in "Hotel Anchovy" and I wouldn't know it. However in this film, all they do is suck the oxygen out of the room while fellow "comic," Patsy Kelly, chews the scenery with a knife and fork. All I could think while watching this film was "poor Bela Lugosi." Reduced here to being the-guy-who-we-think-did-it (and a butler to boot), you can almost see his disinterest as he sleepwalks through yet another "creepy foreign guy" role. With a bit different casting, this could have been a funny film.

In spite of the off-the-mark gags and dental drill like screaming of Kelly, this film is not horrible. It will entertain you in spite of its shortcomings. Make it a drinking game. Take a shot every time someone says "Take that down, Garrity." Take two shots every time Garrity says anything at all, and take a shot of water whenever the word "gorilla" is spoken. Poor Bela Lugosi.