Bedtime for Bonzo (1951)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Frederick De Cordova

Writers:

Ted Berkman (story)
Raphael Blau (story)

Release Date:

28 September 1951 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Romance

Tagline:

The funniest new idea on film since "FRANCIS!"

Plot:

College prof Peter Boyd tries to salvage his professional and personal reputation by using a lab chimp to prove that environment trumps heredity in behavioral development.

Plot Keywords:

Dean | Environment | Engagement | Heredity | Genetics

Cast

Ronald Reagan	...	Prof. Peter Boyd
Diana Lynn	...	Jane Linden
Walter Slezak	...	Prof. Hans Neumann
Lucille Barkley	...	Valerie Tillinghast
Jesse White	...	Babcock
Herbert Heyes	...	Dean Tillinghast
Herb Vigran	...	Lt. Daggett (as Herbert Vigran)
Harry Tyler	...	Knucksy Breckenridge
Edward Clark	...	Professor Fosdick (as Ed Clark)
Edward Gargan	...	Policeman Bill (as Ed Gargan)
Joel Friedkin	...	Mr. DeWitt
Brad Browne	...	Chief of Police
Elizabeth Flournoy	...	Miss Swithen
Howard Banks	...	Policeman
Perc Launders	...	Fireman

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

During the 1980 US Presidential campaign when Ronald Reagan was the Republican nominee; this film suddenly became extremely popular again and was frequently shown on television. The joke in Washington was that "Bedtime for Bonzo" was a "favorite of old movie buffs and Democrats".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bonzo is passed through the window, he has a skirt on that soon disappears.

Quotes:

Peter Boyd: I'm going to make that old man change his attitude if it takes till I'm 90.
Hans Neumann: Good, Peter. Good, good.
Peter Boyd: Of course, Valerie probably won't be interested in me when I'm 90.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Reagan: Let's Finish the Job: (#1.4)" (1986)

Of presidents and chimps

I'm going to be honest; I kind of liked this movie. I, until a few weeks ago, had no idea that this film even existed, I'd only heard the phrase, "Bedtime for Bonzo," uttered by grandparents on a few scattered occasions. But after it was recommended to me, and I began to talk about it, I've realized that countless people of my generation have heard their parents and grandparents speak these words, and have no idea about the movie. So I couldn't resist finding out what the catalyst for this cliché really was.

Which brings me to my second issue in reviewing this film. Where do I come from? Or, rather, what angle? It's been pretty much universally panned by significant critics as well as in member reviews on sites like Netflix, Flixster, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, etc. etc. But how do you write about a movie in which a future U.S. President has kidnapped a monkey from a university in order to impress the dean, who he wishes will become his future father-in-law? One of the key scenes in this film, one where I would say a lot of the meaning is hidden is when The Gipper is up in a tree chasing Bonzo. But Bonzo is much smarter than our 40th president; he has climbed onto the roof, stolen Ronnie's glasses from his bureau drawer and is climbing on the phone wires, after he dials 911. The police and fire department show up and help Ronnie down the tree, and he begins to tell them that he was chasing a monkey with glass and clothes. They don't believe him, obviously, because that's how films work, if everyone agreed and worked together you get 'Batman and Robin,' which we can all agree is no fun to watch. Ah, America. That's all. Didn't thrill you? That's basically how the whole film is. It's got a certain camp appeal, which is definitely working for it. It's really just the notion of watching a president take care of a monkey and treat it like a baby that's so appealing. But the novelty never wears off. Really. I could have watch two more hours of it and not gotten bored. Outside of that camp aspect it's a comedy of values wherein Ronnie learns that the woman he was going for, trying to impress with the monkey stunt, is not for him and that the woman he hired as a nanny for Bonzo is really more his style, more wholesome. There's not much in the way of plot, or interesting shots, or anything really. It's an old studio film. Don't expect too much. But I think if all of America were forced to watch this we may have not allowed the Terminator to become Governor of California. And I won't persecute, that goes for Minnesota and Jesse "The Body" Venture as well. My suggestion after watching this: serialize it. I want a whole series of films where ex-presidents have a live-in week with Bonzo, allow zaniness to ensue, cut and print.