Mighty Joe Young (1949)

Director:

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writers:

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

Release Date:

29 August 1949 (Sweden)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Ten Terrific Thrills !

Plot:

In Africa, the girl Jill Young trades a baby gorilla with two natives and raises the animal. Twelve years later...

Plot Keywords:

Gorilla | Hollywood | Africa | Nightclub | Giant Ape

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

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)
Iris Adrian	...	Gloria (uncredited)
Bobby Barber	...	Diner Customer (uncredited)
Pat Barton	...	Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Ian Batchelor	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Sharon Bell	...	Girl (uncredited)
Luella Bickmore	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Lennie Bluett	...	Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
Eugene Borden	...	Costume Designer (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Producer (uncredited)
Primo Carnera	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Kay Christopher	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Cliff Clark	...	McManus - Police Guard Moran (uncredited)
Russ Clark	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Chester Clute	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Joyce Compton	...	Alice (uncredited)
Frank Conroy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Carol Coombs	...	Girl (uncredited)
Ellen Corby	...	Nurse at Orphanage (uncredited)
James Craven	...	First Man at Bar (uncredited)
Tom Daly	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Jacqueline Dalya	...	Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
Karl 'Killer' Davis	...	Strongman (uncredited)
William 'Wee Willie' Davis	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Man Mountain Dean	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Joe Devlin	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn	...	First Bartender (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Mary Field	...	O'Hara's Secretary (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Patron Behind Drunks (uncredited)
Joel Fluellen	...	Tall Native (uncredited)
Charles Flynn	...	Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
Lee Tung Foo	...	Chinese Waiter (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Mr. Jones (uncredited)
John Gallaudet	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Jack Gargan	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Dorothy Granger	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Duke Green	...	Deputy (uncredited)
June Hedin	...	Girl (uncredited)
Dwayne Hickman	...	Boy (uncredited)
Bryan 'Slim' Hightower	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Carol Hughes	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Ray Hyke	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson	...	Judge (uncredited)
Jerry Jerome	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Robert Johnson	...	Ali (uncredited)
Fred Kennedy	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
Tom Kennedy	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Diner Proprietor (uncredited)
Marc Krah	...	Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Henry Kulky	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Charles Lane	...	Producer (uncredited)
Richard Lane	...	City Attorney (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Wilbur Mack	...	McTavish (uncredited)
Rory Mallinson	...	Third Bartender (uncredited)
Gregory Marshall	...	Boy (uncredited)
Paul Maxey	...	Bascomb (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	...	Red - Cowboy (uncredited)
George McDonald	...	Boy (uncredited)
Frank McGrath	...	Cowboy (uncredited)
David McKim	...	Soda Jerk (uncredited)
Hal Melone	...	Bank Messenger (uncredited)
Sammy Menacker	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Peggy Miller	...	Girl (uncredited)
Gloria Moore	...	Girl (uncredited)
Al Murphy	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Anne Nagel	...	Brunette at Bar (uncredited)
Norman Nesbitt	...	Police Announcer (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Man at Bar (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Autograph Seeker (uncredited)
Phil Olafsson	...	Swedish Angel (uncredited)
Garry Owen	...	Second Bartender (uncredited)
Netta Packer	...	Autograph Seeker (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Franklin Parker	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Jack Pennick	...	Sam - Truck Driver (uncredited)
Jack Perry	...	Thug (uncredited)
Pamela Peyton	...	Girl (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	Bindlestiff (uncredited)
Ivan Rasputin	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Allen Ray	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Joey Ray	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Robin Raymond	...	Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)
Charles Regan	...	Fourth Bartender (uncredited)
Addison Richards	...	City Attorney (uncredited)
Dick Ryan	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Irene Ryan	...	Southern Belle at the Bar (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell	...	Pierson (uncredited)
William Schallert	...	Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Charles Sherlock	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Milton Shockley	...	Native (uncredited)
Edward Short	...	Ahmed (uncredited)
Carl Sklover	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Tom Steele	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sammy Stein	...	Strongman (uncredited)
Clarence Straight	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Harry Strang	...	Policeman with Tramp (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan	...	Kifa - Young Family Servant (uncredited)
Robert Tafur	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Archie Twitchell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Juan Varro	...	Gigolo (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Thug (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Bill Wallace	...	Player (uncredited)
Luana Walters	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Stage Manager (uncredited)
Jane Weeks	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Max Willenz	...	Sketch Artist (uncredited)
Norman Willis	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Fay Wray	...	Woman's Scream (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writing credits
Merian C. Cooper		(story)
Ruth Rose		(screenplay)

Produced by
Merian C. Cooper	....	producer
John Ford	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Roy Webb

Cinematography by
J. Roy Hunt

Film Editing by
Ted Cheesman

Production Design by
James Basevi

Costume Design by
Adele Balkan

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lloyd Richards	....	production manager
Lloyd Richards	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Ford	....	second unit director
Sam Ruman	....	assistant director
David Sharpe	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
George Altwils	....	set dresser
Howard Richmond	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
John L. Cass	....	sound
Walter Elliott	....	sound editor
Clem Portman	....	sound

Special Effects by
Fitch Fulton	....	technical staff
Ray Harryhausen	....	first technician
George Lofgren	....	technical staff
Willis H. O'Brien	....	technical creator (as Willis O'Brien)
Pete Peterson	....	second technician
Bert Willis	....	photographic effects
Marcel Delgado	....	technical staff: miniatures (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Linwood G. Dunn	....	optical effects (as Linwood Dunn)
Linwood G. Dunn	....	optical photography (as Linwood Dunn)
Ray Harryhausen	....	technician
Harold E. Stine	....	photographic effects (as Harold Stine)
Herb Willis	....	photographic effects
Jack Shaw	....	matte artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Rod Amateau	....	stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Gray	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Kennedy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Mapes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kermit Maynard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Sharpe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Emmett Bergholz	....	camera operator
Louie Anderson	....	grip (uncredited)

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director
Gil Grau	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Lannan	....	production effects

Production Companies

• Argosy Pictures (as ARKO Inc.)

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Films (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Films (1950) (Finland) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Arcade Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (????) (USA) (VHS)
• StudioCanal (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Turner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Turner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• VidAmerica (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min | USA:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Swahili

Color:

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

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:12 (nf)

Company:

Argosy Pictures

Trivia:

Terry Moore claims that another actress was already hired for the role of Jill. She claims that she got the role by running to the end of the RKO lot and back after Ernest B. Schoedsack asked her, and claims that she was then hired on the spot.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wires visible when Joe throws down the piano.

Quotes:

Max O'Hara:Come on, Windy, I got a million things to do.
Windy:You got time for this.
[turns on movie projector. Jill and Gregg come into the scene]
Max O'Hara:Hey, it's the kids!
Windy:Crawford told me to spring it on you. He shot it when he was down there.
Max O'Hara:[calling to the screen] Hey, Jill.
Jill Young:[silently] Hello Max.
Max O'Hara:Hey, they said "Hello, Max".
Max O'Hara:[Joe walks into the scene. O'Hara steps back] *Yipe*.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Dreamer

Fun, fast-moving with fantastic special effects

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.