Buddy (1997 film)

Buddy is a 1997 American family comedy film written and directed by Caroline Thompson and produced by Columbia Pictures and Jim Henson Pictures. It starred Rene Russo as Mrs. Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz and Robbie Coltrane as her husband.

Buddy
Theatrical release poster
Directed byCaroline Thompson
Screenplay byCaroline Thompson
Story byWilliam Joyce
Caroline Thompson
Based onAnimals Are My Hobby
by Gertrude Davies Lintz
Produced byFred Fuchs
Steve Nicolaides
Starring
CinematographySteve Mason
Edited byJonathan Shaw
Music byElmer Bernstein
Production
companies
Distributed byColumbia TriStar Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • June 6, 1997 (1997-06-06) (United States)
  • September 25, 1997 (1997-09-25) (Australia)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$19 million
Box office$10.1 million

The film was based on the life of a gorilla called Massa with elements of Gertrude Lintz's other gorilla Gargantua (who was called "Buddy" at the time). In real life, Massa became the oldest gorilla on record until 2008, while Buddy/Gargantua died young as a circus attraction and his remains are now on display in a museum.

The gorilla suit used for Buddy was created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Plot

Millionaire animal lover and overall spoiled rich girl Trudy (Rene Russo) adds Buddy, a gorilla, to her family. Buddy finds life in the city very difficult to deal with. Although Trudy raises him as her own son in her mansion (which also houses a few comical chimpanzees, a kitten, a horse, a cheeky talking green parrot, her prize-winning champion pack of briards, a raccoon, and a flock of geese), he becomes hard to control due to his strength. A particularly bad experience in the Chicago World's fair makes things even harder for Buddy. After he goes on an aggressive rampage and nearly destroys Trudy's home, Buddy is taken to an ape sanctuary to live among his own kind in peace.

Cast

Dane Cook cameos as a cop at the Chicago World's fair. Buddy operated by Peter Elliott (adult Buddy), Lynn Robertson Bruce (juvenile Buddy), Peter Hurst, Mark Sealey (toddler Buddy), Michelan Sisti, Leif Tilden, Star Townsend, Robert Tygner, and Mak Wilson (facial controls). Buddy's vocal effects provided by Hector C. Gika, Gary A. Hecker, and Frank Welker.

Production notes

Rene Russo began rehearsals with the chimpanzees a month before principal photography even started.

The story is loosely based on a real life socialite from the 1920s who raised animals in her mansion to protest inhumane zoo conditions.[1]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 25% based on reviews from 20 critics.[2]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 2 out of 4, and wrote: "One of the peculiarities of the film is the vast distance between the movie they've made and the movie they think they've made."[3] Entertainment Weekly gave it a grade C+.[4]

The film was criticized for its unrealistic animatronics, especially when compared to the real ape performers.[5]

In spite of the film's message, animal rights activists objected to the depiction of chimpanzees as docile pets, happily carrying on wearing human clothes. Among their concerns, was the perpetuation of the idea of chimps as acceptable pets.

References
  1. Steve Persall (October 1, 2005). "HOLLYWOOD SAYS grow up!". Tampa Bay Times.
  2. "Buddy (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  3. Ebert, Roger (June 6, 1997). "Buddy movie review & film summary (1997)". Chicago Sun-Times.
  4. Owen Gleiberman (June 6, 1997). "BUDDY". Entertainment Weekly.
  5. "BUDDY". Entertainment Weekly.
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