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Monkey Business

Monkey Business

List Price: $14.98
Your Price: $13.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Incredible assemblage of talent
Review: This is a very fine comedy despite the fact that it is nowhere near the best work of any of the principals. But it is hard to imagine Howard Hawks directing Gary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, and Marilyn Monroe failing. The plot is simple: middle-aged scientist Cary Grant invents (with the aid of a chimp) a potion that restores his youth and vitality. The scenes in which he and Ginger act twenty or twenty-five years younger are all hysterical. Both Ginger and Cary early on seem like candidates for Geritol than centerpieces for absurd comedy.

There are many very, very funny moments in this movie, and other reviewers have noted them. Many people have noted Charles Coburn's famous line, but few note the equally funny line that follows. Coburn and Grant are talking when Coburn, paper in hand, calls to his secretary Marilyn Monroe. Handing her the paper, he says, "Get somebody to type this." There is a great pause while she walks off, and Coburn somewhat sheepishly eyes Grant and then tells him, "Anybody can type." The line somewhat reminded me of the equally famous conversation between Marie Dressler and Jean Harlow at the end of DINNER AT EIGHT. Harlow tells Dressler, "I was reading a book the other day," which statement makes Dressler feign a fainting fit. Harlow goes on to say, "Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?" After carefully eyeing Harlow from head to foot, Dressler replies, "Oh, my dear. That's something you need never worry about."

The film also features the bizarre child actor George "Foghorn" Winslow, who despite being only six years old in this film, had a deep bass voice. He is used to great effect in Cary Grant's Indian scene.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Incredible assemblage of talent
Review: This is a very fine comedy despite the fact that it is nowhere near the best work of any of the principals. But it is hard to imagine Howard Hawks directing Gary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, and Marilyn Monroe failing. The plot is simple: middle-aged scientist Cary Grant invents (with the aid of a chimp) a potion that restores his youth and vitality. The scenes in which he and Ginger act twenty or twenty-five years younger are all hysterical. Both Ginger and Cary early on seem like candidates for Geritol than centerpieces for absurd comedy.

There are many very, very funny moments in this movie, and other reviewers have noted them. Many people have noted Charles Coburn's famous line, but few note the equally funny line that follows. Coburn and Grant are talking when Coburn, paper in hand, calls to his secretary Marilyn Monroe. Handing her the paper, he says, "Get somebody to type this." There is a great pause while she walks off, and Coburn somewhat sheepishly eyes Grant and then tells him, "Anybody can type." The line somewhat reminded me of the equally famous conversation between Marie Dressler and Jean Harlow at the end of DINNER AT EIGHT. Harlow tells Dressler, "I was reading a book the other day," which statement makes Dressler feign a fainting fit. Harlow goes on to say, "Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?" After carefully eyeing Harlow from head to foot, Dressler replies, "Oh, my dear. That's something you need never worry about."

The film also features the bizarre child actor George "Foghorn" Winslow, who despite being only six years old in this film, had a deep bass voice. He is used to great effect in Cary Grant's Indian scene.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Check The DVD Playback Before Purchase
Review: This is a very good and fun movie, but it it is a bit wackier than I like. For example, Bringing Up Baby, with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, is also a great wacky movie, but sometimes it's too much so. This is even more crazy. I used to love both movies, but after awhile they grated a bit. If you've never seen this movie before and love the stars, I definitely recommend it. But I wouldn't buy it just because Cary Grant or Marilyn Monroe are the stars. Rent it first and make sure you love it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's not that it's not very good, but
Review: This is a very good and fun movie, but it it is a bit wackier than I like. For example, Bringing Up Baby, with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn, is also a great wacky movie, but sometimes it's too much so. This is even more crazy. I used to love both movies, but after awhile they grated a bit. If you've never seen this movie before and love the stars, I definitely recommend it. But I wouldn't buy it just because Cary Grant or Marilyn Monroe are the stars. Rent it first and make sure you love it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: VERY ENJOYABLE!
Review: This one even starts hilarious wiith Grant walking out before his "cue", and stays pretty funny throughout. I just love that little kid with the gruff voice who asks,"Don't ya like chidren?" It's obvious Marilyn Monroe's character wasn't hired for her secretarial skills! And just dig the part where Grant's wife thinks he has turned into a baby! This movie is a lot of fun!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Blame It On "Esther"......
Review: This review refers to the Diamond Collection DVD edition(20th Cent Fox) of "Monkey Business".....

So what do we have here? A laugh out loud screwball comedy from 1952, starring Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, Ginger Rogers, and Charles Coburn. It was directed by the legendary Howard Hawks,and has a screenplay by greats Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer and I.A.L. Diamond...And there's more...20th Century Fox has restored this black and white comedy and has made a wonderful transfer to DVD, so we may enjoy all these immense talents more than 50 years later.

The film is a lot of fun, and the stars look like they had fun making it. And, you can blame all this fun on "Esther". Esther is a six month old chimp who mixes up a batch of youth serum and dumps it in the water cooler at the lab of the absent minded researcher Dr. Barnaby Fulton(Grant). When Fulton and wife Edwina(Rogers), get a powerful dose of this formula, it's anything goes, as they become youthfully exuberant and a bit on the mischievious side(okay, okay, more than a bit). The more they drink...the younger they act. Fulton's boss(Coburn)is trying desperatley to market this miracle and secretary Laurel(Monroe), adds to all this fun as only Marilyn can do with her mere presence.And yes...Ginger does a little hoofing as well!

A fabulous restoration makes it all the more enjoyable. The full screen picture(1.33:1/academy ratio) and black and white images are sharp and clear. There are a few instances when that rainbow thing is happening, you may notice it on Cary's suit or tie, but not often and it no way interferes with the enjoyment of this film. The audio gives you the choice of Stereo or Mono, and there are subtitles in English and Spanish.
You can also view a restoration comparasion and there's a still gallery with wonderful photos.

What we have here is a 5 star package deal for anyone who loves old Hollywood, for anyone who loves to laugh, and for anyone who is young...at heart!...enjoy....Laurie

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Blame It On "Esther"......
Review: This review refers to the Diamond Collection DVD edition(20th Cent Fox) of "Monkey Business".....

So what do we have here? A laugh out loud screwball comedy from 1952, starring Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, Ginger Rogers, and Charles Coburn. It was directed by the legendary Howard Hawks,and has a screenplay by greats Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer and I.A.L. Diamond...And there's more...20th Century Fox has restored this black and white comedy and has made a wonderful transfer to DVD, so we may enjoy all these immense talents more than 50 years later.

The film is a lot of fun, and the stars look like they had fun making it. And, you can blame all this fun on "Esther". Esther is a six month old chimp who mixes up a batch of youth serum and dumps it in the water cooler at the lab of the absent minded researcher Dr. Barnaby Fulton(Grant). When Fulton and wife Edwina(Rogers), get a powerful dose of this formula, it's anything goes, as they become youthfully exuberant and a bit on the mischievious side(okay, okay, more than a bit). The more they drink...the younger they act. Fulton's boss(Coburn)is trying desperatley to market this miracle and secretary Laurel(Monroe), adds to all this fun as only Marilyn can do with her mere presence.And yes...Ginger does a little hoofing as well!

A fabulous restoration makes it all the more enjoyable. The full screen picture(1.33:1/academy ratio) and black and white images are sharp and clear. There are a few instances when that rainbow thing is happening, you may notice it on Cary's suit or tie, but not often and it no way interferes with the enjoyment of this film. The audio gives you the choice of Stereo or Mono, and there are subtitles in English and Spanish.
You can also view a restoration comparasion and there's a still gallery with wonderful photos.

What we have here is a 5 star package deal for anyone who loves old Hollywood, for anyone who loves to laugh, and for anyone who is young...at heart!...enjoy....Laurie

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You're old only when you forget you're young
Review: When I think of Cary Grant, I think of the suave, immaculate, debonair actor who defined cool in his own era as well as our own. Monkey Business, a delightfully funny screwball comedy from 1952, shows us a very different side of Cary Grant. Blessed with major talent the likes of Grant, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, and the lovably huffy character actor Charles Coburn, Monkey Business delivers good old-fashioned comedy from start to finish. Grant plays Barnaby Fulton, a chemist working to develop an age-retarding formula. Ginger Rogers is Edwina, his more than understanding wife; she handles his absent-minded episodes with grace and style, putting his interests before her own every time. Fulton's boss Mr. Oxley (Coburn) is very anxious for the solution to be found, for he is already past retirement age, but some piece of the puzzle just will not fall into place - not, that is, until one of Fulton's lab monkeys escapes her cage, mixes her own formula, and then stashes it in the water cooler. When Fulton tries out his latest concoction, washed down by a cup of water, he soon reverts back to a teenager mentality, running around like a wild man and even entertaining Lois Laurel (Monroe), Mr. Oxley's secretary, for the afternoon. Eventually, the effects wear off and he returns to his normal self, but both he and his wife conduct several more experiments (both accidentally as well as purposely) as the movie progresses, each of them regressing farther and farther back toward childhood each time. Naturally, with all these goings-on, a big, zany ending is in store for everyone involved.

The best part of this movie has to be the childlike antics of Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers as they carry on for some time like a couple of eight-year-olds. Marilyn Monroe is stunning and her character never fails to produce laughs. Lois, who has begun coming to work early each morning because her boss isn't satisfied with her punctuation, was not hired for her secretarial skills, but, as Mr. Oxley says, anyone can type. Marilyn gets a fair share of screen time in this early film of hers, but there can be no question that Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers thoroughly steal the show with their comedic antics. In the end, Monkey Business shows that youth is a state of mind, best expressed by Barnaby's line, "You're old only when you forget you're young."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You¿re old only when you forget you¿re young
Review: When I think of Cary Grant, I think of the suave, immaculate, debonair actor who defined cool in his own era as well as our own. Monkey Business, a delightfully funny screwball comedy from 1952, shows us a very different side of Cary Grant. Blessed with major talent the likes of Grant, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, and the lovably huffy character actor Charles Coburn, Monkey Business delivers good old-fashioned comedy from start to finish. Grant plays Barnaby Fulton, a chemist working to develop an age-retarding formula. Ginger Rogers is Edwina, his more than understanding wife; she handles his absent-minded episodes with grace and style, putting his interests before her own every time. Fulton's boss Mr. Oxley (Coburn) is very anxious for the solution to be found, for he is already past retirement age, but some piece of the puzzle just will not fall into place - not, that is, until one of Fulton's lab monkeys escapes her cage, mixes her own formula, and then stashes it in the water cooler. When Fulton tries out his latest concoction, washed down by a cup of water, he soon reverts back to a teenager mentality, running around like a wild man and even entertaining Lois Laurel (Monroe), Mr. Oxley's secretary, for the afternoon. Eventually, the effects wear off and he returns to his normal self, but both he and his wife conduct several more experiments (both accidentally as well as purposely) as the movie progresses, each of them regressing farther and farther back toward childhood each time. Naturally, with all these goings-on, a big, zany ending is in store for everyone involved.

The best part of this movie has to be the childlike antics of Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers as they carry on for some time like a couple of eight-year-olds. Marilyn Monroe is stunning and her character never fails to produce laughs. Lois, who has begun coming to work early each morning because her boss isn't satisfied with her punctuation, was not hired for her secretarial skills, but, as Mr. Oxley says, anyone can type. Marilyn gets a fair share of screen time in this early film of hers, but there can be no question that Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers thoroughly steal the show with their comedic antics. In the end, Monkey Business shows that youth is a state of mind, best expressed by Barnaby's line, "You're old only when you forget you're young."


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