Mighty Joe Young Overview:

Mighty Joe Young (1949) was a Adventure - Fantasy Film directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and produced by John Ford and Merian C. Cooper.

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Mighty Joe Young (1949, Ernest B. Schoedsack)

on Apr 13, 2020 From The Stop Button

From the first scene, Mighty Joe Young is concerning. There?s a nice establishing shot of an Africa plantation, with some great matte work, then little White girl on the plantation Lora Lee Michel sees a couple African men passing with a basket. She wants what?s in the basket, so there?s a nice leng... Read full article


Mighty Joe Young (1949)

By Beatrice on Jun 2, 2015 From Flickers in Time

Mighty Joe Young Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack Written by Ruth Rose from an original story by Merian C. Cooper 1949/USA Argosy Pictures First viewing/Netflix rental Sometimes it is good?just to sit there like a little kid and marvel at?some awesome special effects. ?This is a particularly go... Read full article


Classic Films in Focus: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)

By Jennifer Garlen on Mar 12, 2014 From Virtual Virago

King Kong (1933) gave rise to a whole host of subsequent gorilla movies, beginning with The Son of Kong (1933), but Mighty Joe Young (1949) merits special attention because it marks the feature film debut of one of the greatest innovators in special effects history, Ray Harryhausen, who worked on th... Read full article


Classic Films in Focus: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)

By Jennifer Garlen on Mar 12, 2014 From Virtual Virago

King Kong (1933) gave rise to a whole host of subsequent gorilla movies, beginning with The Son of Kong (1933), but Mighty Joe Young (1949) merits special attention because it marks the feature film debut of one of the greatest innovators in special effects history, Ray Harryhausen, who worked on th... Read full article


Classic Films in Focus: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)

By Jennifer Garlen on Mar 12, 2014 From Virtual Virago

King Kong (1933) gave rise to a whole host of subsequent gorilla movies, beginning with The Son of Kong (1933), but Mighty Joe Young (1949) merits special attention because it marks the feature film debut of one of the greatest innovators in special effects history, Ray Harryhausen, who worked on th... Read full article


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Quotes from

Max O'Hara: Come on, Windy, I got a million things to do.
Windy: You got time for this.
[turns on movie projector. Jill and Gregg come into the scene]
Max O'Hara: Hey, it's the kids!
Windy: Crawford told me to spring it on you. He shot it when he was down there.
Max O'Hara: [calling to the screen] Hey, Jill.
Jill Young: [silently] Hello Max.
Max O'Hara: Hey, they said "Hello, Max".
Max O'Hara: [Joe walks into the scene. O'Hara steps back] *Yipe*.


Jill Young: [after O'Hara and Crawford have fled] Aren't you afraid of Joe?
Gregg Johnson: I sure am, but I don't want him to know it.


Windy: Who do you think's gonna get the worst of this - Maxie, or Africa?


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Facts about

In the 2011 version as seen on Turner Classic Movies, the "fire rescue" sequence, with a red background, is influenced by the 1980's "colorized" version. The "colorization" process, owned by Ted Turner and now "Time Warner", added color to previously existing all B&W films. Other "colorized" features in this genre included "King Kong", "The "Maltese Falcon" and even Shirley Temple film shorts. This trend continued through the 1990s although, as a whole, it is no longer popular with broadcasters and viewers.
Look for these unbilled stars of the future (and past): Ellen Corby (The Waltons) in the orphanage scene; William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show) as the gas station attendant; Kermit Maynard, singing cowboy, as Red in the roping scene; Jack Pennick, perennial John Ford extra, as the truck driver whose truck the heroes steal; and Irene Ryan (Granny in The Beverly Hillbillies) in the nightclub scene.
Though Willis H. O'Brien gets top special-effects billing, Ray Harryhausen actually did 85%-90% of the stop-motion animation for this film, although the animation is based on O'Brien's designs and storyboards.
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Also directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack




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Also produced by John Ford




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Also released in 1949




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