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	...	Trudy Lintz
Robbie Coltrane	...	Dr. Lintz
Alan Cumming	...	Dick
Irma P. Hall	...	Emma
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. 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:

eccentric woman | gorilla | socialite | chimpanzee | 1930s | 

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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

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first feature film from Jim Henson Pictures.

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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

Featured in The Nostalgia Teen: Buddy (2011)

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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

More Plugs For Darwinism

This was a nice, gentle film with no villains, pretty colors, nice surround sound, a nice recreation of the early 20th century and a fast-moving story. That's the good news.

The bad news is that for a story that is supposed to be "true," it is ludicrous. No animal understands human language as well as another human. Duh! Not in this movie; here they do, which leads the filmmakers into their gigantic plus for Darwinism. They even bring a priest into the picture who proclaims (while looking into "Buddy" the gorilla's eyes, "Those are not the eyes of an animal!"

Are you kidding me?They aren't even subtle about their evolution propaganda and it's some of the most ridiculous baloney I've ever heard.

Too bad because, as I said, it's basically a nice film with nice people. They even show a nice husband, played by Robbie Coltrane. Hollywood usually doesn't show husbands in a good light. In their twist political correctness, women are good and men are bad. Not here.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buddy

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Griffith Park - 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,504,671, 8 June 1997

Gross USA:

$10,113,400

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,113,400

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jim Henson Pictures, American Zoetrope, Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1