Monkeys, Go Home!

 

History and Review by Michael J. Ruhland

Year Released: 1967
Michael's Movie Grade: C

History

By the time Monkeys, Go Home! was released in theaters, Walt Disney had passed away. However, movie-goers would still be treated to more films that had Walt's direct influence on them for over a year. The first feature length of Walt Disney's films to be released after his death was Monkeys, Go Home! Though this film was released after Walt's death, production had been completely wrapped up before his passing. 

This was the first and only theatrical feature film Andrew V. McLaglen directed for Disney. However, he would later direct a made-for-TV movie for the studio, Trail of Danger (1978). As a director, Andrew V. McLaglen is best known for his westerns. For TV he directed 116 episodes of Have Gun Will Travel and 96 episodes of Gunsmoke. He also directed western movies with such stars as John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Kirk Douglas. These films include McLintock (1963), Shenandoah (1965), The Rare Breed (1966), The Way West (1967), Chisum (1970) and Cahill U.S. Marshall (1973). He also directed John Wayne in a non-western Hellfighters (1968). The screen writer for this film was Maurice Tombragel, who had previously written Moon Pilot (1962) for Disney. That film had a comedic monkey in it. He had also written various episodes of the Disney TV anthology show (known at various times as Disneyland, Walt Disney Presents, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, etc.). These include the Texas John Slaughter episodes, many of the Gallegher episodes, The Waltz King and The Tenderfoot. His work outside of Disney included many B-movies and TV westerns. 

This movie marked the last film role for Maurice Chevalier. Though Chevalier had been working in films since the silent era, his greatest movie successes were in early 1930's, when he appeared in many wonderful musical comedy films including some directed by Ernest Lubitsch. However today Chevalier is probally best remembered for his role in the Best Picture Oscar winner, Gigi (1958), where he sang the song Thank Heaven for Little Girls. He had previously appeared in the Disney film, In Search of Castaways (1962). Though Monkeys, Go Home! marked his last acting role, Chevalier would later sing the title song for the animated Disney feature, The Aristocats (1970). As well as his film work, Chevalier also recorded an album of Disney songs for the company's Disneyland Records. After appearing in That Darn Cat! (1965) and The Ugly Dachshund (1966), Dean Jones was becoming the Disney studio's top comedy star. Though this is the last time he appeared in a movie produced by Walt Disney, he would appear in many more live action Disney comedies that were produced after Walt's death. These films include Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), The Horse in the Grey Flannel Suit (1968), The Love Bug (1969), The Million Dollar Duck (1971), Snowball Express (1972), The Shaggy D.A. (1976), Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) and That Darn Cat (1997). 

This film was shot on the Zorro set, which had just been refurbished. Critic William Peper noted this stating, "It's shot on the back lot of the Disney studios so don't look for any authentic Gallic backgrounds." When this movie was released, most critics were rather harsh on it. They felt this that the movie relied too heavily on the comedy with the monkeys and that everything else took a strong back seat. Since the critics didn't find the comedy with the monkeys funny at all, naturally this gave them little to like about the film. However, critic Vincent Canby saw this film with a group of children and noted, "their fun, it seems, is derived, in direct proportion to the number of chimpanzees on hand." However, the film also did not do well at the box office, and it found its way on to Disney's anthology show in 1970. 

Review

This may be far from top-tier Disney but for what it is it is enjoyable enough. 

Even if they may not be complex, the main characters are quite likable and pleasant to spend some time with. Dean Jones and Yvette Mimieux make for a charming couple, and they have good chemistry with each other. The romantic storyline between them may not be anything we haven't seen before, but it works well enough. Maurice Chevalier is as a delightful as ever and adds a real charm to the film. While this may have been filmed on sets rather than on location, it is still a handsome and visually pleasing movie, like nearly all the Disney films of this era. 

For a slapstick comedy, the humor is quite hits and miss here. There are some decent laughs to be found here. This includes a surprising bit of political satire. While this satire is simplistic it does raise a few smiles and come with some good comedic lines. There are also some pretty good laughs in some of the scenes involving the priest, especially when first talks to our main character. However, the slapstick involving the monkeys is simply never as funny as it should be. An extended slapstick fight scene in the middle of the street was obviously intended to be one of the film's comedic highlights but it didn't even raise a laugh from me. 

With such a simple storyline, this film feels longer than it needs to be. There are definitely some moments where it drags and some scenes which seem to be there to extend the runtime. Also, the song Joie de Vivre is probably one of the least memorable songs that the Sherman Brothers wrote for a Disney movie. 

This is not a great film by any means, but for Disney fans there is enough here to enjoy. 

Film Credits 
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Director: Andrew V. McLaglen.

Screenplay: Maurice Tombragel.

Based on the book The Monkeys by G.K. Wilinson

Cast: Maurice Chevalier (Father Sylvain), Dean Jones (Hank Dussard), Yvette Mimieux (Maria Riserau), Bernard Woringer (Marcel Cartucci), Clément Harari (Emile Paraulis), Yvonne Constant (Yolande Angelli), Marcel Hillaire (Mayor Gaston Lou), Jules Munshin (Monsieur Piastillio), Alan Carney (Grocer), Maurice Marsac (Fontanino), Darleen Carr (Sidoni Riserau).

Producers: Walt Disney, Ron Miller.
Assistant to Producer: Lou Debney.

Music: Robert F. Brunner, Cecil A. Crandall, Evelyn Kennedy.
Songwriters: Richard and Robert Sherman.

Cinematographer: William Snyder.

Editor: Marsh Hendry.

Art Directors: Carroll Clark, John B. Mansbridge. 

Set Decorators: Emile Kuri, Frank R. McKelvy.

Costume Designer: Bill Thomas.

Costumers: Chuck Keehne, Neva Rames.

Makeup Artist: Pat McNalley.

Hair Stylist:  La Rue Matheron.

Assistant Director: Tom Leetch.

Sound Artists: Robert O. Cook, Robert Post.

Matte Artists: Jim Fetherolf, Peter Ellenshaw.
Dialogue Supervisor: Flora Duane.
Animal Supervisors: Ralph Helfer, Stewart Raffill.

Resources Used

The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin.
http://www.thedisneyfilms.com/search/label/Monkeys%20Go%20Home
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061989/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt