Home / Mighty Joe Young

Mighty Joe Young

Year:

1949

Duration:

94 min | USA:84 min

Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

IMDB rate:

Director:

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1949-08-29

Filming Locations: Thousand Oaks, California, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Bobby Barber

Terry Moore

Jill Young

Ben Johnson

Gregg

Robert Armstrong

Max O'Hara

Mr. Joseph Young

Himself

Frank McHugh

Windy

Douglas Fowley

Jones

Denis Green

Crawford

Paul Guilfoyle

Smith

Nestor Paiva

Brown

Regis Toomey

John Young

Lora Lee Michel

Jill Young, as a Girl

James Flavin

Schultz

Mary Gordon

Old Woman (unconfirmed)

Iris Adrian

Gloria (uncredited)

Pat Barton

Cigarette Girl (uncredited)

Ian Batchelor

Strongman (uncredited)

Sharon Bell

Girl (uncredited)

Luella Bickmore

Nurse (uncredited)

Lennie Bluett

Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)

Eugene Borden

Costume Designer (uncredited)

James Burke

Producer (uncredited)

Primo Carnera

Strongman (uncredited)

Kay Christopher

Nurse (uncredited)

Cliff Clark

McManus - Police Guard Moran (uncredited)

Russ Clark

Deputy (uncredited)

Chester Clute

Doctor (uncredited)

Joyce Compton

Alice (uncredited)

Frank Conroy

Reporter (uncredited)

Carol Coombs

Girl (uncredited)

Ellen Corby

Nurse at Orphanage (uncredited)

James Craven

First Man at Bar (uncredited)

Tom Daly

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Jacqueline Dalya

Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)

Karl 'Killer' Davis

Strongman (uncredited)

William 'Wee Willie' Davis

Strongman (uncredited)

Man Mountain Dean

Strongman (uncredited)

Joe Devlin

Reporter (uncredited)

Eddie Dunn

First Bartender (uncredited)

Richard Farnsworth

Cowboy (uncredited)

Mary Field

O'Hara's Secretary (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Nightclub Patron Behind Drunks (uncredited)

Joel Fluellen

Tall Native (uncredited)

Charles Flynn

Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)

Lee Tung Foo

Chinese Waiter (uncredited)

Byron Foulger

Mr. Jones (uncredited)

John Gallaudet

Reporter (uncredited)

Edward Gargan

Bar Patron (uncredited)

Jack Gargan

Waiter (uncredited)

Dorothy Granger

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Joe Gray

Waiter (uncredited)

Duke Green

Deputy (uncredited)

June Hedin

Girl (uncredited)

Dwayne Hickman

Boy (uncredited)

Bryan 'Slim' Hightower

Cowboy (uncredited)

Carol Hughes

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Ray Hyke

Deputy (uncredited)

Selmer Jackson

Judge (uncredited)

Jerry Jerome

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Robert Johnson

Ali (uncredited)

Fred Kennedy

Cowboy (uncredited)

Tom Kennedy

Policeman (uncredited)

Donald Kerr

Diner Proprietor (uncredited)

Marc Krah

Desk Sergeant (uncredited)

Henry Kulky

Strongman (uncredited)

Mike Lally

Deputy (uncredited)

Charles Lane

Producer (uncredited)

Richard Lane

City Attorney (uncredited)

Carey Loftin

Deputy (uncredited)

Wilbur Mack

McTavish (uncredited)

Rory Mallinson

Third Bartender (uncredited)

Gregory Marshall

Boy (uncredited)

Paul Maxey

Bascomb (uncredited)

Kermit Maynard

Red - Cowboy (uncredited)

George McDonald

Boy (uncredited)

Frank McGrath

Cowboy (uncredited)

David McKim

Soda Jerk (uncredited)

Hal Melone

Bank Messenger (uncredited)

Sammy Menacker

Strongman (uncredited)

Peggy Miller

Girl (uncredited)

Gloria Moore

Girl (uncredited)

Al Murphy

Reporter (uncredited)

Anne Nagel

Brunette at Bar (uncredited)

Norman Nesbitt

Police Announcer (uncredited)

William Newell

Man at Bar (uncredited)

Anne O'Neal

Autograph Seeker (uncredited)

Phil Olafsson

Swedish Angel (uncredited)

Garry Owen

Second Bartender (uncredited)

Netta Packer

Autograph Seeker (uncredited)

Eddie Parker

Policeman (uncredited)

Franklin Parker

Photographer (uncredited)

Jack Pennick

Sam - Truck Driver (uncredited)

Jack Perry

Thug (uncredited)

Pamela Peyton

Girl (uncredited)

Joe Ploski

Bindlestiff (uncredited)

Ivan Rasputin

Strongman (uncredited)

Allen Ray

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Joey Ray

Reporter (uncredited)

Robin Raymond

Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)

Charles Regan

Fourth Bartender (uncredited)

Addison Richards

City Attorney (uncredited)

Dick Ryan

Waiter (uncredited)

Irene Ryan

Southern Belle at the Bar (uncredited)

Frank J. Scannell

Pierson (uncredited)

William Schallert

Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)

Charles Sherlock

Policeman (uncredited)

Milton Shockley

Native (uncredited)

Edward Short

Ahmed (uncredited)

Carl Sklover

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Tom Steele

Policeman (uncredited)

Sammy Stein

Strongman (uncredited)

Clarence Straight

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Harry Strang

Policeman with Tramp (uncredited)

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Kifa - Young Family Servant (uncredited)

Robert Tafur

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Archie Twitchell

Reporter (uncredited)

Dale Van Sickel

Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Juan Varro

Gigolo (uncredited)

Max Wagner

Thug (uncredited)

Ray Walker

Reporter (uncredited)

Bill Wallace

Player (uncredited)

Luana Walters

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Billy Wayne

Stage Manager (uncredited)

Jane Weeks

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Max Willenz

Sketch Artist (uncredited)

Norman Willis

Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Bud Wolfe

Deputy (uncredited)

Fay Wray

Woman's Scream (voice) (archive footage) (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Willis O'Brien's original concept for the nightclub sequence had Joe rescue Terry Moore from another gorilla. He clashed with Merian C. Cooper, who insisted on the drunken ape sequence.

Share this

When Mighty Joe Young gets frustrated, he pounds the ground with his fist. Ray Harryhausen was inspired to do this by the scene from King Kong (1933) where Kong pushes open the gates, then forcefully brings his hand down.

Share this

The strongmen who appeared in the "tug-of-war" scene with Joe were all professional wrestlers. They were: Sammy Stein, Slammin' Sammy Meneker, Max the Iron Man, Bomber Henry Kulky, Killer Karl Davis, Rasputin the Mad Russian, Wee Willie Davis, Man Mountain Dean, The Swedish Angel, and Primo Carnera. Carnera had briefly been the World Heavywight Boxing Champion. Dean, Kulky, and Davis also had careers in movies and TV.

Share this

Goofs

When Mighty Joe Young is carrying the young girl up the burning tree a metal position gauge, a stop-motion special effects tool appears on screen for a single frame.

Share this

When Joe makes his first appearance, and starts poking around the wagons containing the lions, watch the background carefully. Immediately to the left of Joe, between him and the far left wagon is a large bush. Just after Joe shoves the wagon the first time a light suddenly shines on the bush (presumably someone had repositioned a spotlight between shots) and from that point on you can see the reflection of Joe and the wagon reflected in what appears to be an unpainted area of the glass painting behind him.

Share this

Wires visible when Joe throws down the piano.

Share this

Quotes

Max O'Hara: We're goin' to Africa- we're gonna lassoo lions.

Share this

Max O'Hara: Don't worry kid. There's nobody in the world gonna shoot Joe now.

Share this

Bartender: [In response to a patron asking about the safety glass that shields her from the lions] Don't worry, lady; O'Hara had it made special. [raps his knuckles on the glass twice] Bartender: That'll hold *anything*. Is this interesting? Interesting? Yes No | Share this Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Golden Safari patron: [walking through the Golden Safari] Gee, this looks just like Africa. Her escort: How would you know? You've never been out of the state. Is this interesting? Interesting? Yes No | Share this Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Nightclub patron: [condescendingly to her escort as they are being led to an upstairs table] And I thought you knew every headwaiter in town. Is this interesting? Interesting? Yes No | Share this Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Max O'Hara: [to Windy] Who's the greatest press agant in the world, you or me; don't answer that.

Share this

Faq

What is 'Mighty Joe Young' about?

When she was a young girl living on her father's ranch in Africa, Jill Young (Lora Lee Michel) traded her father's flashlight for a baby gorilla that she named 'Joe'. Twelve years later, Jill (Terry Moore) is now the owner of the ranch and Joe has grown to 12-feet or more.While on safari to collect lions, big-time promoter Max O'hara (Robert Armstrong) and Oklahoma cowboy Gregg Johnson (Ben Johnson) attempt to capture Joe but are stopped by Jill's invention. However, Max persuades Jill to bring Joe to Hollywood where he will become the lead attraction at Max's new African-themed nightclub.

A Note Regarding Spoilers

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

How does the movie end?

Jill realizes that there is still one more child trapped on the roof of the burning orphanage and sends Joe up a nearby tree to rescue her. Joe is able to grab her and starts climbing down the tree only to find the bottom of the tree engulfed in flames. Suddenly, the wall of the orphanage collapses, knocking the tree over and sending Joe to the ground. He cradles the child so that she escapes injury, but Joe is obviously in pain. Yet, when another wall collapses and threatens to fall on the child, Joe grabs her again, moves her to safety, and the wall collapses on him. Jill rushes over to comfort Joe and is assured that nobody will shoot him now. In the final scene, O'Hara returns to his New York office where Crawford (Denis Green) makes him sit down long enough to see a home film of Jill, Gregg, and Joe, all happy and well on their ranch in Africa.

Share this