Moustroll
Good movie but grossly overrated
Roman Sampson
One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.
Gary
The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.
a_baron
This film was made in 3D. Whether or not it looks better thus it certainly won't play any better. Rather than "Gorilla At Large" it should have the word turkey in the title, because that is what it is. There is evil afoot at the circus, two rather unpleasant individuals are murdered in quick succession, and the police are called in. We see a detective, a none-too-bright uniformed officer, the doctor/pathologist/coroner, and barely another. In a real life scenario, the place would have been crawling with police, and a suspect, albeit a weak one, would not have been permitted to take over the investigation!Something the censor seems to have missed, did that detective really use the word bollocks? And one wonders how many viewers have.
Woodyanders
A huge and fearsome gorilla named Goliath (essayed with considerable growling'n'grunting gusto by veteran simian thespian George Barrows in a lovably obvious suit) with a bad temper becomes the key suspect after a murder occurs at the Garden of Evil carnival. However, after another killing happens it's made apparent that Goliath might not be the one behind the carnage. Director Harmon Jones, working from a tight and absorbing script from Leonard Praskins and Barney Slater, relates the enjoyable story at a steady pace, offers a flavorsome evocation of the funky carnival fairground setting, presents plenty of red herrings, and stages the scenes with the ape running amok with real flair and skill. The lively acting from the tip-top cast rates as another major asset: Cameron Mitchell as the amiable Joey Matthews, a ravishing Anne Bancroft as sexy and enticing trapeze artist Laverne Miller, Lee J. Cobb as the hard-nosed, cigar-chomping Detective Garrison, Raymond Burr as no-nonsense carny owner Cy Miller, Charlotte Austin as sweet ticket gal Audrey Baxter, Peter Whitney as Goliath's scruffy handler Kovacs, and a very young Lee Marvin as dumb, but eager flatfoot Shaughnessy. Lloyd Ahern's vibrant color cinematography gives the picture a bold'n'bright look. Lionel Newman's robust'n'rousing score hits the stirring spot. An immensely fun flick.
bkoganbing
Although Goliath the gorilla in Gorilla At Large is not a monster like King Kong he does create a whole lot of mischief at the carnival he's a feature attraction at. Several murders are suspected of being pinned on the poor beast. But is a human hand behind it all.There are no lacking suspects in this film, the whole show is filled with intrigue of all kinds. Police detective Lee J. Cobb first suspects young Cameron Mitchell who is working at Raymond Burr's carnival for the summer. Wife Anne Bancroft who is a trapeze artist wants to get Mitchell in the act and she eyes him like a slab of beef. Her former husband Peter Whitney is the animal handler and the real friend of Goliath.Given the title I was really expecting some kind of schlock film, but Gorilla At Large is a very nicely done mystery with a really good cast of solid players. Lee Marvin has an unusual part for him, he plays a really dumb uniform cop under whose watch the gorilla escapes and wreaks havoc on any and all.The ending is a surprise, I guarantee you will not suspect who it is.
Ray Faiola
This picture is, in some ways, a re-working of Fox's CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS. The problem with the whole affair is that the pacing is deadly. Most emblematic of this is poor Lee J. Cobb. He sleepwalks through his performance (this is the same year he played Johnny Friendly in ON THE WATERFRONT). I would love to have been a fly on the wall between takes listening to Cobb and fellow Actors Studio chum Anne Bancroft bemoaning their current assignment. Don't get me wrong - this is a swell slice of cheese; the color is magnificent and even in 2-D it's a visual banquet set dec-wise. But it should have moved a lot quicker and clocked in around 76 instead of 83 minutes. With so much footage devoted to the investigating officer, they needed a firecracker in the Jimmy Gleason mold, not tired-out Willy Loman at the end of one of his long trips.As for Raymond Burr being surprised that John Kellogg was a schnook behind the shooting gallery counter, he should have seen THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!
