Sure, I could've waited five more years to commemorate the anniversary release of one of the greatest great-ape movies ever made, but the 70th mark (this July 27th) seemed as good an excuse as any to praise its virtues.
"Mighty Joe Young" is the brainchild of "King Kong" and "Son of Kong'"s creators and participants: director Ernest B. Schoedsack; writer Ruth Rose; producer Merian C. Cooper (abetted by the legendary John Ford); brackish actor Robert Armstrong; puppet maestro Marcel Delgado; and stop motion animator Willis O'Brien. It's also the first feature film to employ the titanic talent of Ray Harryhausen, who was inspired by O'Brien to excel in the animation field. (Pete "the Black Scorpion" Peterson, an amazing animator in his own right, also worked on this fantastic feature.)
"Joe'"s format is similar to "King Kong", though with more warmth: that is, a sprinkling of "Son of ..." seasons it.
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For those unaware, Joe is a ultra-humongous gorilla, adopted when a baby by Jill Young, played as a child by Lora Lee Michel and for the film's bulk, by Terry Moore. The two hold an impregnable, sibling-like bond, which becomes most evident when a group of fortune seekers comb Africa to capture beasts for an extravagant, Hollywood show.
Among these seekers is Armstrong's Max O'Hara (a chip off the old, Carl Denham block), Frank McHugh's Windy and a congenial cowpoke named Gregg (Jill's ultimate love interest), played by western veteran Ben Johnson. Though Gregg cautions the lass against his boss' misguided intent, O'Hara convinces Jill that she and Joe could live a better life by headlining his palatial nightclub.
The nightclub scenes may seem impractical (i.e., dangerous for the vulnerable yet short-fused Joe and O'Hara's unprotected patrons), but what enfolds brims of wild whimsy. The highlights depict Joe propping Jill upon an ornate platform as she keys "Beautiful Dreamer" (his favorite song) and a tug of war which pits Joe against a queue of strongmen, led by former heavyweight champ, Primo Camera and Phil Oalfsson's Super Swedish Angel.
Such moments shine high if only for their permeating pathos, which overflows with heart, soul and heaps of humanity, especially from the expressive Joe. Armstrong's O'Hara is also pivotal in delivering the latter, taking the Denham dynamic of "Kong" and "Son of..." into a single, movie arc, performing first as Joe's exploiter, but in the end, as one of the affable ape's supreme supporters and saviors.
"Mighty Joe Young" is a film that can and will appeal to any age group and within any period in which it's viewed. Few movies can make that claim, which is why fantasy connoisseurs consider this fish-out-of-water adventure a classic.
If you're the sort to visit my blog, you likely own a copy of this marvelous movie; so go on and give another whirl. You'll find it holds up with the best of the best: every ounce the sweet, beautiful dream you've long recalled and treasured.
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