Going Ape!

Jeremy Joe Kronsberg wrote and directed this comedy involving orangutans (Kronsberg also wrote Every Which Way but Loose), with Tony Danza as their keeper. Danza's father was a big star in the circus world and had left him $4,000,000, providing he can take care of the monkeys. He calls in his friend Laszlo (an uproarious Danny DeVito) to help out and also has to deal with his jealous girlfriend and her disapproving mother. The comedy is really well-done with numerous set pieces involving a food fight, a wacky climatic car chase, and a showdown at a hospital involving a slew of crooks wanting Danza's inheritance. I think of this as a old-fashioned Disney comedy, but with adult themes present.

Wow. It seems like if you see this movie, you will either absolutely hate it, or absolutely love it! The movie had an interesting dynamic. It was hard to determine exactly what category this movie was meant for. It seemed to be targeted more towards kids with all of the high-jinks and buffoonery, but then there was far too much swearing in it to let kids watch.

I let my 10 and 8 year old brother and sister watch it, and they loved it! I watched it for Tony Danza, who was still very green at the time, but still managed to pull it off. Danny DeVito was brilliant, like always, and I would recommend you keep an open mind if you plan on watching this movie.

I remember seeing this movie on TV as an 8 year old and found it hilarious. I mean who doesn't love Orangutans and people acting like idiots? The jokes seemed funny and everyone acted like a cartoon character. When I watched this again in my 20s I realized how horrible and unfunny it was.

The entire movie simply existed to showcase the tricks the trained apes could do. I guess in 1980 you could make an entire movie about that. But since the early 00s, you could just go on internet and see Orangutans do stupid crap. You don't need a two hour movie for it.

Tony Danza and Danny DeVito were huge stars at the time from Taxi and weren't needed in the movie. All the human characters were made to act braindead likely cause the audience for the film were 8 year olds.

Basically this is a kids' movie. Anyone over the age of 10 probably will hate it.

This is one of the most unforgettable movies from my childhood, despite the poor reception by critics.

It takes a special kind of person to care for three orangutans. When the added bonus is 5 million dollars, what more could you ask? This movie has everything! Action, comedy, romance, and, of course, orangutans.

Tony Danza is his usual self, moderately funny and passable as a leading man, but Danny DeVito as Laszlo steals the show every time he is on camera. The orangutans don't do too bad themselves. And the three bumbling goons - icing on the cake. Many may pass this gem by as stupid, but I feel it acts as a social commentary on man's relationship with beast, and is a true vision of how he treats himself, as orangutans are a very close relative genetically.

Rusty, Poppy, Teeger!! Three names that Hollywood may have forgotten, but the eternal movie gods never will.