A small-time talent agent discovers an amazing boxing kangaroo and figures to use it as his stepping-stone into the big time.A small-time talent agent discovers an amazing boxing kangaroo and figures to use it as his stepping-stone into the big time.A small-time talent agent discovers an amazing boxing kangaroo and figures to use it as his stepping-stone into the big time.
Shepherd Sanders
- Hood #6
- (as Shep Saunders)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Elliott Gould, he and co-star Robert Mitchum would share a sandwich (and a joint) every day at lunch.
- GoofsWhen Bernie confronts Kathleen outside her apartment, one dog (the bloodhound) follows her up the steps when she goes back inside. In the next shot, it is back down at the bottom of the steps with Bernie.
- Quotes
[regarding Bernie taking baby kangaroo 'Junior' to the gym]
Kathleen Smith: Bernie, it's inhuman to do that to a baby kangaroo! It's inhuman!
Bernie Bonnelli: Has anyone ever told you that you're always repeating yourself? This is no ordinary kangaroo... Junior's different. Remember who his father was.
- SoundtracksWhen I'm with You, I'm Feelin' Good
Music by Carol Connors
Lyrics by Ernie Shelton
Sung by Pat Boone & Debby Boone
Record Produced by Mike Curb
Featured review
The main problem as I see with Matilda is that there is no sense of enchantment in what is clearly a most improbable tale. The film would have to be handled that way for any chance of success.
Matilda is a tale written in the 30s by Paul Gallico updated for the current 70s times. In it Clive Revill who is the only one in the cast to sense that this should be a fantasy in his performance tells the tale of how he came to America from Great Britain with a trained boxing kangaroo. The beast has a punch like Dempsey and no one can stand up to him.
Elliott Gould who sees possibilities here as an animal act agrees to be their agent. One night the real heavyweight champion who's had a few steps in the ring. Larry Pennell gets nailed and goes down for the count. The act is made.
It's also not pleasing to mobster Harry Guardino who controls Pennell. The best scenes in the film are some of his inept hitmen trying to carry out a contract on a kangaroo. Things are most pleasing to sportswriter Robert Mitchum who wants to take Guardino down.
In Lee Server's book on Robert Mitchum, actor/stuntman Gary Morgan who got into the kangaroo suit to play Matilda said that the producers actually tried to convince critics this was a real kangaroo. The littlest kid out there could see that wasn't the case and they roasted the film.
It sure didn't help trying to put over a lie like that. But there's more to it. I think that it might have worked with some special effects and an animated Matilda. Even with that though Matilda still would have had a long way to go to succeed as fantasy.
Matilda is a tale written in the 30s by Paul Gallico updated for the current 70s times. In it Clive Revill who is the only one in the cast to sense that this should be a fantasy in his performance tells the tale of how he came to America from Great Britain with a trained boxing kangaroo. The beast has a punch like Dempsey and no one can stand up to him.
Elliott Gould who sees possibilities here as an animal act agrees to be their agent. One night the real heavyweight champion who's had a few steps in the ring. Larry Pennell gets nailed and goes down for the count. The act is made.
It's also not pleasing to mobster Harry Guardino who controls Pennell. The best scenes in the film are some of his inept hitmen trying to carry out a contract on a kangaroo. Things are most pleasing to sportswriter Robert Mitchum who wants to take Guardino down.
In Lee Server's book on Robert Mitchum, actor/stuntman Gary Morgan who got into the kangaroo suit to play Matilda said that the producers actually tried to convince critics this was a real kangaroo. The littlest kid out there could see that wasn't the case and they roasted the film.
It sure didn't help trying to put over a lie like that. But there's more to it. I think that it might have worked with some special effects and an animated Matilda. Even with that though Matilda still would have had a long way to go to succeed as fantasy.
- bkoganbing
- Dec 15, 2018
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