Mighty Joe Young (1949)

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 organizes a safari to ... See full summary »

Director:

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writers:

Merian C. Cooper (story), Ruth Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Robert Armstrong

Won 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Terry Moore	...	Jill Young
Ben Johnson	...	Gregg
Robert Armstrong	...	Max O'Hara
Frank McHugh	...	Windy
Douglas Fowley	...	Jones
Denis Green	...	Crawford
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Smith
Nestor Paiva	...	Brown
Regis Toomey	...	John Young
Lora Lee Michel	...	Jill Young, as a Girl
James Flavin	...	Schultz
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mary Gordon	...	Old Woman (unconfirmed)

Storyline

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 organizes a safari to Africa with the Oklahoma cowboy Gregg 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 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?

---

Plot Keywords:

gorilla | hollywood | africa | nightclub | giant ape | 

---

Taglines:

Striking! Startling! Staggering!

---

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Swahili

Release Date:

29 August 1949 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Mr. Joseph Young of Africa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argosy Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone) (some sequences) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Mighty Joe Young gets frustrated, he pounds the ground with his fist. Ray Harryhausen was inspired to do this by the scene from King Kong where Kong pushes open the gates, then forcefully brings his hand down.

---

Goofs

Joe's size varies immensely throughout film.

---

Quotes

Agent: Maxie, I can get you a great act; it can work on a raft.
Max O'Hara: What?
Agent: Monkeys!
Max O'Hara: Aw, nix, cut it out, will ya'?

---

Crazy Credits

Good Bye from Joe Young.

---

Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Stuntmakers: Episode #1.0 (1999)

---

Soundtracks

"Beautiful Dreamer"
(uncredited)
Written by Stephen Foster

User Reviews

An under rated gorilla movie.

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.