Buddy (1997)

Directed by

Caroline Thompson

Genre

biographical film, comedy drama, docudrama

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 24m

Rated

PG

Rating

5.0 of 10 from 79 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A woman in New York in the 1930s raises a baby gorilla named Buddy as part of her family. She treats him like a human child and teaches him to dress and eat at the table.

whimsicallightheartedgentlefamily-friendlyheartfeltold-fashionedwarmearnest

What happens

Buddy is a 1997 American biographical comedy-drama family film written and directed by Caroline Thompson, produced by Jim Henson Pictures and American Zoetrope, and released by Columbia Pictures on June 6, 1997. It starred Rene Russo as Mrs. Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz and Robbie Coltrane as her husband. The film was based loosely 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 was sold to the Philadelphia Zoo after he attacked Lintz, 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. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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