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!"
