Matilda (1978)

User Rating:

3.2/10   

Director:

Daniel Mann

Writers:

Timothy Galfas (writer)
Paul Gallico (book)

Release Date:

23 February 1979 (Finland)

Genre:

Family | Comedy

Tagline:

Quirky family fun that packs the meanest of punches!

Plot:

A small-time talent agent discovers an amazing boxing kangaroo and figures to use it as his stepping-stone into the big time. |

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Kangaroo | Talent Agent | Reno Nevada | Van

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	Bernie Bonnelli
Clive Revill	...	Billy Baker
Harry Guardino	...	Uncle Nono
Roy Clark	...	Wild Bill Wildman
Karen Carlson	...	Kathleen Smith
Art Metrano	...	Gordon Baum
Lionel Stander	...	Pinky Schwab
Roberta Collins	...	Tanya Six
Larry Pennell	...	Lee Dockerty
Gary Morgan	...	Matilda
Robert Mitchum	...	Duke Parkhurst
Lenny Montana	...	Hood #1
Frank Avianca	...	Hood #2
Joe De Fish	...	Hood #3
Pat Henry	...	Hood #4

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Harry Holcombe's last film.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Billy Baker: Life's grand. Isn't it?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (1996) (V)

Soundtrack:

WHEN I'M WITH YOU, I'M FEELIN' GOOD

Not for kids OR adults!

American-International cancelled its plans to widely market and release this movie after disasterous test runs - a wise plan, but upon seeing the movie you have to wonder why they even bothered with test runs. I have no idea how the tale of a boxing kangaroo played in the original Paul Gallico novel, but nothing works about it translated into a movie. Kids won't like it - they will be confused half the time with details like sports corruption and boxing rules/regulations, and the other half of the time they'll be finding the events remarkably unfunny and unengaging. Adults will be finding the events remarkably unfunny and unengaging *all* the time!

It's not just the script that's bad. Though the movie had something of a budget, the production looks remarkably cheap and tacky. Obviously, that includes the kangaroo animatronic costume, which looks so phony that even a two year-old will recognize it's a man in a costume. Though there are also things like sets that look like, well, SETS, and dirty and unfocused cinematography.

Nobody behind the scenes seems to have put any heart and passion in the production, and it's no wonder the actors are dragged down with it. Gould (who further killed his career with this movie) does put in some effort despite the fact you can see in his eyes that he knows he's in a stinker, but his broad performance ends up adding to the feeling the movie is mocking the viewer. At least it is a performance; Robert Mitchum doesn't even TRY putting in any effort in his scenes (which were clearly knocked off in a couple of days at most!)

Still, the movie clearly could have been worse. That's because there are signs that the movie was originally LONGER! One example: take the scene where the mobsters are attempting to jump the kangaroo for the first time - one of them utters "This time we'll...." - indicating there was originally another scene earlier when they tried to get the kangaroo. Think about it: somewhere in some vault, there exists a longer version of this movie! Scary!