Buddy (1997)

An eccentric socialite raises a gorilla as her son.

Director:

Caroline Thompson

Writers:

Gertrude Davies Lintz (book), William Joyce (screen story),

Stars:

Rene Russo, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Cumming

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rene Russo	...	Mrs. Gertrude 'Trudy' Lintz
Robbie Coltrane	...	Dr. Bill Lintz
Alan Cumming	...	Dick Croner, Trudy's Assistant
Irma P. Hall	...	Emma, Lintz's Maid
Peter Elliott	...	Buddy
Mak Wilson	...	Buddy
Lynn Robertson Bruce	...	Buddy
Mark Sealey	...	Buddy
Robert Tygner	...	Buddy (as Rob Tygner)
Michelan Sisti	...	Buddy
Peter Hurst	...	Buddy
Leif Tilden	...	Buddy
Star Townsend	...	Buddy (as Star Townshend)
Paul Reubens	...	Professor Spatz
John Aylward	...	Mr. Joe Bowman

Storyline

This is a fact based story about a socialite and her husband who live in a mansion with a brood of animals including chimpanzees who are raised as her children. When she discovers an ailing baby gorilla, she decides to care for it as well. Years later, the gorilla is fully grown and its strength is sometimes out of control. However, the gorilla shows love for his mistress and obeys her commands. That all changes when she is invited to display the gorilla and chimps at the Chicago World's Fair. Accidentally freed by one of the chimps, the gorilla terrorizes the Fair. From that point on, he becomes moody and more uncontrollable until he attacks his mistress in a bestial rage.

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Plot Keywords:

gorilla | socialite | chimpanzee | animal | eccentric | 

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Taglines:

Welcome to a family that will make yours seem tame.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some threatening animal action

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buddy - Mein haariger Freund

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$3,504,671 (USA) (6 June 1997)

Gross:

$10,005,081 (USA) (15 August 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Jim Henson Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rene Russo came out a month before principal photography started to work to rehearse with each individual chimp.

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Quotes

Emma: It's enough to drive you to the nut house. Of course this place probably already is the nut house.

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Connections

Features The Play House (1921)

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Soundtracks

"Anchors Aweigh"
(1906) (uncredited)
Music by Charles A. Zimmerman
Lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles and R. Lovell
Played for the chimp act in the Chicago Century of Progress Exhibition of 1933

User Reviews

Reasonable Family Entertainment, More Indicated For Children

After growing dogs and chimpanzees, the eccentric millionaire Gertrude 'Trudy' Lintz (Rene Russo) raises a sick baby gorilla in her mansion as if it were a child, calling him "Buddy". When the animal grows, her husband, Dr. Bill Lintz (Robbie Coltrane), advises her to send it to its habitat or to a zoo. However, Trudy loves Buddy and believes she can keep it at home. After an exposition in the Chicago World's Fair, Buddy has a bad experience with the public and becomes violent, not obeying Trudy's orders anymore. "Buddy" is a reasonable family entertainment, more indicated for children. The story is not bad and focuses mainly in the relationship between Trudy and Buddy, but does not develop the characters, the place, the time. When and where the story happens? Why Trudy does not have a baby and has such abnormal behavior, preferring animals to children? How far this movie is based on a true story? With regard to the film itself, the production is not bad, but there is not "heart" in the direction and interpretation. This type of story is usually very well developed by Disney studios. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Buddy"