Movie Type: Family-Oriented Adventure, Animal Picture
Themes: Sibling Relationships, Down on Their Luck, Mischievous Children
Main Cast: Wil Horneff, Helen Shaver, Peter Boyle, Jean Marie Barnwell, John C. McGinley
Release Year: 1995
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
The unbreakable bond forged between a troubled boy and a gorilla forms the basis of this family-oriented children's adventure. Fourteen-year old Rick has become quite rebellious since his father abandoned them. Margaret Heller, his mother, is a behavioral scientist who studies communication with gorillas. She is finding it increasingly difficult to communicate with the sullen, isolated Rick. The story opens just as Rick, who had stolen his mother's van for a joyride, is released from jail. To punish him, Margaret forces him to clean out the animal research lab. Rick is especially loathe to clean out the gorilla cage. In that cage is a gorilla adept at sign language, Katie, whom Rick immediately despises. In time, he and Katie begin conversing, and the two become friends. But then Katie's legal owner, the cruel Gus Charnley, reclaims her and forces her to perform caged up in a carnival act. The degradation of his friend is more than Rick can handle, so he frees her and together they hit the road. Mayhem and adventure ensues until the two end up in court where Katie makes a touching plea on their behalf. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Marvin J. McIntyre - Bob the Paramedic; Obba Babatunde - Interpreter; John Billingsley - Daryl; Don Brady - Search Cop; Debbie Lee Carrington - Gorilla Team; Janet Carroll - Judge Billings; Troy Evans - Farmer; Burton Gilliam - Dwayne; Gregory Itzin - Walter Mallison; Dave MacIntyre - Charnley's Guard #1; Michael MacRae - Country Store Cop; Don McLeod - Gorilla Team; Talia Paul - Gorilla Team; John Pleshette - Donald Carr; Alan Ruck - Dan Woodley; Titus Welliver - Sergeant Markle; Thomas F. Wilson - Det. Lou Greenberg; Drake Collier - Anchorman; John Procaccino - Ed Price; Bruce Wright - Jack Graham
Credit
Gilbert Wong - Art Director, Tony Gardner - Associate Producer, Susan E. Novick - Associate Producer, Jennifer Graham Billings - Associate Producer, Debi Manwiller - Casting, Ingrid Ferrin - Costume Designer, John Gray - Director, Maryann Brandon - Editor, Mark Snow - Composer (Music Score), John Pritchett - Songwriter, Leslie Shatz - Songwriter, Katharina Hirsch-Smith - Makeup, Roy Forge Smith - Production Designer, Donald M. Morgan - Cinematographer, Robert Newmyer - Producer, Brian Reilly - Producer, Jeffrey Silver - Producer, Jan Pascale - Set Designer, Paul Young - Screenwriter, Robert "Bobby Z" Zajonc - Pilot, Richard Feury - Assistant Director
Rick Heller is a juvenile delinquent who keeps getting himself into trouble. To keep him out of trouble his mother puts him to work cleaning the cage of a female gorilla named Katie which she is teaching to communicate through the use of sign language. When the owner of the gorilla takes her back to become a flea market freak Rick takes it upon himself to break Katie out and take her on an adventureous journey to get her out of the country.
Frank Welker as Katie Gorilla's vocal effects (uncredited)
Reception
Peter Stack of the San Francisco Chronicle said the animatronic gorilla looked phony, but concluded "The film has its moments of nutty fun" and "it also has a couple of touching scenes -- if you can get beyond that bogus ape look."[1]Washington Post critic Rita Kempley called it "a heart-yanking family yarn that resembles a simian adaptation of Nell" and also compared the movie to Free Willy.[2]
