History Film / MightyJoeYoung

%%* BunnyEarsLawyer: Max O'Hara all the way!

The film was a commercial flop, one of several that plagued RKO under the administration of Howard Hughes (term 1948-1955). There were plans for a sequel, but these got terminated early. However, the effects were impressive for the time, and the film gained an Academy Award for Special Effects. While a tamer and more humorous take on ''King Kong'', the film would later find its audience on television. For decades, it was broadcast alone or with other "giant ape" films, gaining a reputation as a classic.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Strasser's henchman, Garth, looks genuinely horrified when Strasser is about to shoot Jill in cold blood.

Twelve years later, Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong), a theatrical impresario, is preparing to have a safari in Africa. He plans to collect animals for his next project, an exotic Hollywood nightclub. O'Hara needs a decent animal handler. He hires Gregg Johnson (Ben Johnson), a rodeo roper. He is the first of several {{Cowboy}}s hired by Max, who figures he could give a western theme to his nightclub. Weeks later, their expedition unknowingly enters the lands owned by the Young family. An enraged Joe is there to meet them and defend his territory. The baby has grown into an enormous ape. He gets followed by a furious Jill (Creator/TerryMoore), now [[SheIsAllGrownUp all grown up]]. Max calms her down and later convinces her to join him in Hollywood. She and Joe are to become the headliners at his Golden Safari nightclub.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the Disney version, Morris the panda's owner gives him to Strasser, unaware that he's a poacher, although what happened to Morris afterward is unknown.

* KingKongCopy: Joe himself is a giant gorilla very similar to Kong (albeit somewhat smaller and friendlier), who is also taken to the city and exhibited to the public, then escapes and goes on a rampage.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the Disney version, Morris the panda’s owner, gives him to Strasser, unaware that he’s a poacher, although what happened to Morris afterward is unknown.

!!The films provide examples of:
* ABoyAndHisX: A girl and her (giant) gorilla. Jill has been taking care of Joe most of her life.
* AdmiringTheAbomination: Gregg's reaction to seeing Joe for the first time is sheer delight in the remake. When Joe outmaneuvers Gregg's group's attempts to catch him, all Gregg does is gush about Joe's intelligence.
* AloneWithThePsycho: [[spoiler:In the remake, Jill realizes part way during the truck drive to the airport that the man right next to her is the EvilPoacher who murdered her and Joe's mothers and is very likely planning to kill her too.]]
* AnimalNemesis: Joe is this to Strasser after biting two of his fingers off.
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: You hardly feel sorry for Strasser when Joe tosses him to some wires over a transformer, on which he falls and gets electrocuted to death.]]
* BenevolentBoss: In the original, there's a scene where O'Hara steps in to defend one of his cigarette girls against a trio of loutish drunks, assuring them that all of her cigarettes that they just ruined will be coming out of ''their'' tab and not her paycheck.

* ChekhovsSkill: Joe playing hide and seek in the '98 version helps him to evade police copters.

* CruellaToAnimals: Strasser is a male version.

* DisneyDeath: The 1998 version has this happen to Joe himself.

* EscapedAnimalRampage: In both versions, Joe escapes the facility where he's kept. The 1949 film has Joe running amok in a safari nightclub, and in the 1998 film, he escapes into Los Angeles after the transport truck he was in overturns. But calling either a rampage is a bit of an exaggeration. In the 1949 film, a fight between Joe and several escaped lions that Joe was trying to protect people from caused most of the damage. The 1998 film primarily consists of Joe being a large confused animal wandering around and scared out of his mind.

* [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath Family Unfriendly]] [[KarmicDeath Karmic]] [[DisneyVillainDeath Disney Villain Death]]: [[spoiler: Strasser meets his end when Joe stops him from shooting Jill and then flings him on some wires over a transformer. Strasser, being two fingers short of holding the wire, loses his grip, and he falls into the transformer electrocuting him to death, leaving only his half-glove hanging from the wiring.]]

* GentleGiant: Joe is a very docile giant gorilla unless you give him a reason to be mad at you.
* GentleGorilla: Unlike Franchise/KingKong, Joe is a docile, friendly, and playful giant gorilla who only attacks people when he's pushed too far.

* KingKongCopy: Joe himself is a giant gorilla very similar to Kong (albeit somewhat smaller and friendlier), who is also taken to the city and exhibited to the public, then escapes and goes on a rampage.
* LighterAndSofter: Compared to ''Film/{{King Kong|1933}}''. Joe is gentler, causes very few fatalities, and even rescues endangered children from fire. In the 1949 film, the same actor who played Denham played O'Hara, but is a much more BenevolentBoss and realizes the error of his greed, helping the heroes get Joe back home.

* OrganGrinder: Joe is involved in a humiliating performance playing an organ grinder's monkey with Jill, acting as a little girl, turning the handle.
* OrphanageOfLove: The orphanage in the original film seems to have been one of these, with a kindly, concerned staff and a large, well-kept building. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, it catches fire. Luckily and thankfully, Mighty Joe Young arrives to ensure all the children get saved.]]
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: O'Hara, in the 1949 film, is greedy, a blowhard, and a bit crooked, but he ultimately has a good heart.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Not related in terms of plot to ''Film/KingKong1933'', but inspired by it, featuring a similar premise - a giant ape from an exotic jungle gets brought to civilization as a tourist attraction - and the same creative team: director Ernest B. Schoedsack, producer Merian C. Cooper, screenwriter Ruth Rose, special effects artist Willis O'Brien, and star Robert Armstrong.

* UngratefulBastard: In the original film, Joe saves one of the men who harassed him from a lion. When he runs into Gregg, Jill, and Max later, he claims that Joe tried to kill him.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse:
** For the 1949 film, the men who got Joe drunk, thereby causing his rampage, escape the angered gorilla and are never shown again and never punished.
** Regarding the 1998 remake, Pindi disappears from the movie after calling Strasser to tell him about Joe. Garth furiously turns against Strasser when his boss attempts to shoot Jill, but Strasser knocks him out with his gun. For the rest of the film, Garth isn't seen again, leaving his fate unknown.
* YouKilledMyFather: "You Killed Our Mothers" in this case. Both Joe and Jill have this attitude towards Strasser.

''Mighty Joe Young'' is the name shared by a 1949 film and its 1998 remake. The original film combined live action and StopMotion animation. Willis O'Brien, better known for ''Film/KingKong1933'', was credited with the animation and effects designs. In practice, his protege Creator/RayHarryhausen completed much of the actual animation, and this was the first major film work of the younger animator. The remake used animatronic models and puppets, with some CGI animation.

The film was co-produced by RKO Pictures (a corporate successor which mostly handles old properties) and Walt Disney Pictures. The director was Creator/RonUnderwood, better known for ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' (1990) and ''Film/CitySlickers'' (1991). The film established a new back story for Joe and Jill. As a little girl, Jill Young (Creator/CharlizeTheron) witnessed the death of her mother (a zoologist) and a female gorilla at the hands of {{Evil Poacher}}s. Their leader Andrei Strasser (Rade Serbedzija), loses two fingers in the process and has to retreat to get medical help. Joe, the orphaned baby gorilla, is left in Jill's care.

In the present day, Joe has grown into an enormous gorilla, and Jill is worried about his status as a target for more poachers. She gets contacted by Gregory "Gregg" O'Hara (Creator/BillPaxton), a wildlife refuge director, who convinces her to move to the United States with Joe. Joe is a great favorite with the reserve's staff and even attracts the attention of the press, alerting Strasser to the gorilla's current whereabouts. He has spent all these years blaming Joe for crippling him and now wants revenge.

** (Opening credits): "And Mr. Joseph Young AsHimself"
** The only closing credit is the message "Good Bye From Joe Young"

* DidntThinkThisThrough:Strasser and Garth were planning to provoke Joe into simply frightening the guests at the benefit. They didn't consider the possibility of Joe breaking out of his enclosure. When this happens, Joe almost kills Strasser before getting tranquilized.

* EscapedAnimalRampage: In both versions, Joe escapes the facility where he's kept. The 1949 film has Joe run amok in a safari nightclub, and in the 1998 film, he escapes into Los Angeles after the transport truck he was in overturns. But calling either a rampage is a bit of an exaggeration. In the 1949 film, a fight between Joe and several escaped lions that Joe was trying to protect people from caused most of the damage. The 1998 film primarily consists of Joe being a large confused animal wandering around and scared out of his mind.

** Earlier in the movie, he is also the one who insists they should help Jill's mother after Strasser shoots her. So he's a cruel man regarding animals, but he draws the line at killing people.
* EvilPoacher: Andrei Strasser and his followers. The former has no problem gunning down humans who get in his way as much as he doesn't hesitate cruel practices like killing mother gorillas to sell the babies.

* {{Fingore}}: Andrei loses two fingers to Joe after the gorilla bit it off.

** Regarding the 1998 remake: Garth furiously turns against Strasser when his boss attempts to shoot Jill, but Strasser knocks him out with his gun. For the rest of the film, Garth isn't seen again, leaving his fate unknown.

''Mighty Joe Young'' is the name shared by a 1949 film and its 1998 remake. The original film combined live action and StopMotion animation. The designs for the animation and effects are credited to Willis O'Brien, better known for ''Film/KingKong1933''. In practice, much of the actual animation was completed by his protege Creator/RayHarryhausen. This was the first major film work of the younger animator. The remake used animatronic models and puppets, with some CGI animation.

The film was produced by Creator/RKORadioPictures and directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack, who is best known for co-directing ''King Kong''. The film starts somewhere in Africa. A little girl, Jill Young (Lora Lee Michel), asks her father to buy her a baby gorilla. He does so, against his better judgment. Jill names her new pet "Joe" and treats him like any other baby, feeding him milk from a bottle and singing him to sleep.

The scene shifts to twelve years later. Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong), a theatrical impresario, is preparing to have a safari in Africa. He plans to collect animals to use for his next project, an exotic Hollywood nightclub. He is need of a decent animal handler. He hires Gregg Johnson (Ben Johnson), a rodeo roper. He is the first of several {{Cowboy}}s hired by Max, who figures he could give a western theme to his nightclub. Weeks later, their expedition unknowingly enters the lands owned by the Young family. An enraged Joe is there to meet them and defend his territory. The baby has grown into an enormous ape. He is followed by a furious Jill (Creator/TerryMoore), now [[SheIsAllGrownUp All Grown Up]]. Max manages to calm her down and later convinces her to join him in Hollywood. She and Joe are to become the headliners at his Golden Safari nightclub.

While the duo debuts to great success, Jill is disturbed that her "friend" has to be caged every night. She wants to resign, but Max convinces her to wait until a replacement act could be found. Weeks later, the duo are still waiting. Jill has a new reason to be reluctant to leave - she and Gregg have fallen for each other. At this point, a trio of drunken customers find amusement in performing animal abuse. An intoxicated Joe is sufficiently enraged to go on a rampage. While it doesn't last long, the authorities mark Joe as dangerous and sentence him to death. Jill, Gregg and Max have to co-operate to rescue him.

The film was a commercial flop, one of several that plagued RKO under the administration of Howard Hughes (term 1948-1955). There were plans for a sequel, but these were terminated early. However, the effects were impressive for the time and the film gained an Academy Award for Special Effects. While essentially a tamer and more humorous take on ''King Kong'', the film would later find its audience on television. For decades, it was broadcast alone or with other "giant ape" films, gaining a reputation as a classic.

The film was co-produced by RKO Pictures (a corporate successor which mostly handles old properties) and Walt Disney Pictures. The director was Creator/RonUnderwood, better known for ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' (1990) and ''Film/CitySlickers'' (1991). The film established a new back story for Joe and Jill. As a little girl, Jill Young (Creator/CharlizeTheron) witnessed the death of her mother (a zoologist) and a female gorilla at the hands of {{Evil Poacher}}s. Their leader Andrei Strasser (Rade Serbedzija) loses two fingers in the process and has to retreat to get medical help. Joe, the orphaned baby gorilla, is left in the care of Jill.

In the present day, Joe has grown into an enormous gorilla and Jill is worried about his status as a target for more poachers. She is contacted by Gregory "Gregg" O'Hara (Creator/BillPaxton), a wildlife refuge director, who convinces her to move to the United States with Joe. Joe is a great favorite with the staff of the reserve and even attracts the attention of the press. This alerts Strasser to the current whereabouts of the gorilla. He has spent all these years blaming the creature for crippling him. He now wants revenge.

Strasser poses as an enviromentalist who is interested in returning Joe back to Africa. He has a henchman of his use a noisemaker to have Joe go on a rampage. In the process, Joe recognizes Strasser and attacks him. For attacking a human, the authorities condemn Joe to death. Jill wants to smuggle him out of the country and assigns Strasser with the mission. She realizes too late who Strasser actually is. Joe and Jill have to fight their way out of Strasser's hands while Gregg searches for them-partially out for their safety, partially out of falling for Jill.

This film was a box office bomb. It earned an estimated 50,632,037 dollars in the United States market and underperformed elsewhere, failing to even cover its budget. It settled at only the 44th most successful film of its year, though it eventually sold well on home video. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, but lost to ''Film/WhatDreamsMayCome''. While some critics praised the added depth to the characters and the special effects, most complained about the rather melodramatic poacher storyline.

* AdmiringTheAbomination: In the remake, Gregg's reaction to seeing Joe for the first time is sheer delight. When the outmaneuvers his group's attempts to catch him, all Gregg does is gush about Joe's intelligence.
* AloneWithThePsycho: [[spoiler:In the remake, Jill realizes part way through the truck drive to the airport the man right next to her is the EvilPoacher who murdered her and Joe's mothers and is very likely planning to kill her.]]
* AnimalNemesis: Joe is this to Strasser after having bitten two of his fingers off.
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler: You hardly feel sorry for Strasser when Joe tosses him to some wires over a transformer, on which he falls and is electrocuted to death.]]
* BenevolentBoss: In the original there's a scene where O'Hara steps in to defend one of his cigarette girls against a trio of loutish drunks, assuring them that all of her cigarettes that they just ruined will be coming out of ''their'' tab and not her paycheck.
* BringItBackAlive: In both versions, Joe is taken from Africa to the United States.
* BullyingADragon: The original film has a trio of drunkards give the titular giant gorilla alcohol -- enough to inebriate him. This clears them out of booze and in retaliation, one of them [[TooDumbToLive burns his hand]] [[{{Jerkass}} as Joe begs for more]]. Joe then bursts out of his cage for a drunken RoaringRampageOfRevenge through a nightclub.

* BusFullOfInnocents: Played straight to perfect effect in the 1949 version, with the added bonus of the title character saving himself from Death Row. Who would want to shoot him after he saves several orphans from a burning building?

* {{Deconstruction}}: The 1998 version is arguably a deconstruction of ''King Kong''. The ape isn't an island-dwelling monster, but an otherwise normal mountain gorilla with extreme giantism. Joe is treated like a scary monster by some, but is entirely harmless and friendly unless he feels threatened. The female lead has more in common with Jane Goodall than the screaming DamselInDistress of ''Kong.'' And when Joe finally does go on his "rampage" it's because he's confronted with the poacher that killed his mother.
* DidntThinkThisThrough:Strasser and Garth were planning to provoke Joe into simply frightening the guests at the benefit. They apparently didn't consider the possibility of Joe breaking out of his enclosure. When this happens, Joe almost kills Strasser, before getting tranquilized.

* DistressedDude: As opposed to the original film's BusFullOfInnocents in the burning orphanage, the '98 version has a single boy who is trapped in a burning Ferris wheel.

* EscapedAnimalRampage: In both versions, Joe escapes the facility he's kept in. The 1949 has him run amok in a safari night club, and in the 1998 film he escapes into Los Angeles after the transport truck he was in overturns. But calling either a rampage is a bit of an exaggeration. The majority of the damage in the 1949 film was caused by a fight between Joe and several escaped lions Joe was trying to protect people from. 1998 film mostly consists of Joe being a big confused animal wandering around and scared out of his mind.

** Earlier in the movie, he is also the one who insists they should help Jill's mother. So he's clearly a cruel man when it comes to animals, but draws the line at killing people.

* [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath Family Unfriendly]] [[KarmicDeath Karmic]] [[DisneyVillainDeath Disney Villain Death]]: [[spoiler: Strasser meets his end when Joe stops him from shooting Jill and then flings him on some wires over a transformer. Strasser, being too fingers short of holding the wire, loses his grip and he falls into the transformer electrocuting him to death, leaving only his half-glove hanging from the wiring.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: Compared to his outwardly thuggish demeanour when he was younger, Strasser seems rather kind and grandfatherly, which is how he gets Jill to trust him. Indeed his living revolves around getting people to trust him to look after animals at a phoney wildlife reserve, before selling them on the black market.
* FerrisWheelOfDoom: The burning orphanage is replaced by a burning carnival in the 1998 remake, with a young boy trapped on the Ferris wheel and Joe going to save him before it collapses. The rescue is considered one of the most memorable scenes of the film.

* GentleGiant: Joe is a very docile giant gorilla, unless you give him a reason to be mad at you.
* GentleGorilla: In stark contrast to Franchise/KingKong, Joe is a docile, friendly and playful giant gorilla who only attacks people when he's pushed too far.

* KingKongCopy: Joe himself is a giant gorilla very similar to Kong (albeit both somewhat smaller and friendlier), who is also taken to the city and exhibited to the public, then escapes and goes on a rampage.
* LighterAndSofter: Compared to ''Film/{{King Kong|1933}}''. The giant gorilla is much more gentle and causes very few fatalities, and even rescues a child trapped on a Ferris wheel. O'hara is even played by the same actor as Denham, but is a much more BenevolentBoss and realizes the error of his greed, helping the heroes get Joe back home.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Jill has this moment after she realizes who Strasser really is.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the Disney version Morris the panda’s owner gives him to Strasser unaware that he’s really a poacher, although what happened to Morris afterward is unknown.

* OrphanageOfLove: The orphanage in the original film seems to have been one of these, a kindly, concerned staff and a large, well kept building. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, it catches fire. Luckily, thankfully Mighty Joe Young is there to ensure all the children are saved.]]
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: O'Hara is greedy, a blowhard, and a bit unscrupulous, but he ultimately has a good heart.

* SheKnowsTooMuch: Strasser attempts to murder Jill because she knows he is a poacher and that he killed her mother. This is because he fears that his cover operation as a faux wildlife protector will be ruined if she tells other people who he really is.
* TheSociopath: Strasser is not only a ruthless and greedy poacher but also a cold blooded murderer who is not against in killing humans as well.
* SpiritualSuccessor: Not related in plot to ''Film/KingKong1933'', but obviously inspired by it, featuring a similar premise - large ape from an exotic jungle is brought to civilization as a tourist attraction - and the same creative team: Director Ernest B. Schoedsack, producer Merian C. Cooper, screenwriter Ruth Rose, special effects artist Willis O'Brien, and star Robert Armstrong.
* StockAnimalDiet: In one scene in the remake Joe is seen eating a banana ''tree''.
* UngratefulBastard: In the original film, Joe saves one of the men who harassed him from a lion. When he runs into Gregg, Jill, and Max later on he claims that Joe tried to kill him.

** For the 1949 film, the men who got Joe drunk, thereby causing his rampage, escape the angered gorilla and are never shown again.
** Regarding the 1998 remake: Garth furiously turns against Strasser when his boss attempts to shoot Jill, but Strasser knocks him out with his gun. Garth is not seen again for the rest of the film, leaving his fate unknown.

* NiceHat: Strasser's hunting hat that he wears near the climax.

%%* ABoyAndHisX: A girl and her (giant) gorilla. %% Add more context to describe their relationship and what effect it has on them. %%

* {{Fingore}}: Andrei lose two fingers to Joe after the gorilla bit it off.

* AloneWithThePsycho: [[spoiler:In the remake, Jill realizes part way through the truck drive to the airport the man right next to her is the EvilPoarcher who murdered her and Joe's mothers and is very likely planning to kill her.]]

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the Disney version Morris the panda’s owner gives him to Strasser unaware that he’s really a poacher.

The scene shifts to twelve years later. Max O'Hara (Robert Armstrong), a theatrical impresario, is preparing to have a safari in Africa. He plans to collect animals to use for his next project, an exotic Hollywood nightclub. He is need of a decent animal handler. He hires Gregg Johnson (Ben Johnson), a rodeo roper. He is the first of several {{Cowboy}}s hired by Max, who figures he could give a western theme to his nightclub. Weeks later, their expedition unknowingly enters the lands owned by the Young family. An enraged Joe is there to meet them and defend his territory. The baby has grown into an enormous ape. He is followed by a furious Jill (TerryMoore), now [[SheIsAllGrownUp All Grown Up]]. Max manages to calm her down and later convinces her to join him in Hollywood. She and Joe are to become the headliners at his Golden Safari nightclub.

The film was co-produced by RKO Pictures (a corporate successor which mostly handles old properties) and Walt Disney Pictures. The director was RonUnderwood, better known for ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' (1990) and ''Film/CitySlickers'' (1991). The film established a new back story for Joe and Jill. As a little girl, Jill Young (Creator/CharlizeTheron) witnessed the death of her mother (a zoologist) and a female gorilla at the hands of {{Evil Poacher}}s. Their leader Andrei Strasser (Rade Serbedzija) loses two fingers in the process and has to retreat to get medical help. Joe, the orphaned baby gorilla, is left in the care of Jill.

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Featuring a pet gorilla. Technically a great ape, not a monkey.

* [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath Family Unfriendly]] KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Strasser meets his end when Joe stops him from shooting Jill and then flings him on some wires over a transformer. Strasser, being too fingers short of holding the wire, loses his grip and he falls into the transformer electrocuting him to death, leaving only his half-glove hanging from the wiring.]]

* BringItBackAlive: In both versions, Joe is taken from Africa to the United States.

Strasser poses as an enviromentalist who is interested in returning Joe back to Africa. He has henchmen of his use a noisemaker to have Joe go on a rampage. In the process, Joe recognizes Strasser and attacks him. For attacking a human, the authorities condemn Joe to death. Jill wants to smuggle him out of the country and assigns Strasser with the mission. She realizes too late who Strasser actually is. Joe and Jill have to fight their way out of Strasser's hands while Gregg searches for them-partially out for their safety, partially out of falling for Jill.

* SeeYouInHell: Strasser's [[spoiler: FamousLastWords]].

* {{Deconstruction}}: The 1998 version is arguably a deconstruction of ''King Kong''. The ape isn't an island-dwelling monster, but an otherwise normal African gorilla with extreme giantism. The female lead has more in common with Jane Goodall than the screaming DamselInDistress of ''Kong.'' And when Joe finally does go on his "rampage" it's because he's confronted with the poacher that killed his mother.

* EscapedAnimalRampage: In both versions, Joe escapes the facility he's kept in (night club in the 1949 version, zoo habitat in the 1998 version) and rampages through the city.

* EvilPoacher: Andrei Strasser and his followers.

* LighterAndSofter: Compared to ''Film/{{King Kong|1933}}''. The giant gorilla is much more gentle and causes very few fatalities, and even rescues a child trapped on a Ferris wheel.

* OrphanageOfLove: The orphanage in the original film seems to have been one of these, a kindly, concerned staff and a large, well kept building. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, it catches fire. Luckily, Mighty Joe Young is there to ensure all the children are saved.]]

* RedRightHand: Andrei Strasser and his missing fingers.

** For the 49 film, The men who got Joe drunk, thereby causing his rampage, escape the angered gorilla and are never shown again.

This film was a box office bomb. It earned an estimated an 50,632,037 dollars in the United States market and underperformed elsewhere, failing to even cover its budget. It settled at only the 44th most successful film of its year. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Special effects, but lost to ''Film/WhatDreamsMayCome''. While some critics praised the added depth to the characters and the special effects, most complained about the rather melodramatic poacher storyline.

'''Jill:''' What did I do? Those are the guys who killed my mother! We gotta go, Joe’s in trouble!