Mighty Joe Young

Jill Young grows up on a ranch in Africa, where she raises a gorilla named Joe from infancy. When Joe has grown to enormous size, a showman persuades Jill to bring him to the United States and put him on display, and the animal becomes a popular attraction. The arrangement brings success, but Jill's bond with Joe goes beyond his value as a spectacle, and the strain of his new life eventually leads to trouble.

Ernest B. Schoedsack directed the film, his fifth feature, following The Most Dangerous Game, King Kong, The Son of Kong and Dr. Cyclops. Ruth Rose wrote the screenplay, and Merian C. Cooper produced; the two had worked with Schoedsack on King Kong. Terry Moore plays Jill, with Ben Johnson as Gregg Johnson, Robert Armstrong as Max O'Hara, Frank McHugh as Windy, Douglas Fowley as Jones and Denis Greene as Crawford, among a credited cast of 36. The film runs 94 minutes.

Released in 1949, Mighty Joe Young cost about 2 million dollars and took in roughly the same amount worldwide, so it did not recoup much beyond its production cost. On IMDb it holds a 7 out of 10 from about 6,200 votes, while on TMDB it has a 6.4 out of 10 from 125 votes. A critics' rating of 6.5 out of 10 from 22 reviews places it close to the audience scores.