Mighty Joe Young
(a.k.a. "Mr. Joseph Young of Africa")

US (1949): Adventure/Fantasy/Drama

He may only come up to King Kong's shin, but Joe makes up in heart what he lacks in size. This sweet tale (from Kong creators Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Scheodsack) of a girl and her pet/best friend, an African gorilla with the soul of a kitten, pulls on a different set of heartstrings than the giant ape classic.

Robert Armstrong practically repeats his role from King Kong (1933) as a Broadway producer who lures Jill Young (Terry Moore) and Joe, an ape she raised from baby (a splendidly realized stop-motion character created by Willis O'Brien, the creator behind Kong), to New York as the star attraction at his new nightclub. Caged in a cramped basement holding cell, the unhappy Joe finally goes berserk after a trio of drunks ply him with alcohol, and the city rules him a menace. In a desperate attempt to save Joe from execution, Jill rounds up her friends and confidants (including beefy love interest Ben Johnson) for a jailbreak.

This human-scale drama is more subdued than its inspiration, but the nightclub rampage remains a terrifying scene in its mad destruction; and the climax, involving a raging fire at an orphanage (have these filmmakers no shame?!), still impresses. (Amazon.com)

 Use this link to view the trailer for the theatrical re-issue of Mighty Joe Young on TCM.com.