What's this about?

Lately, it seems like many of the movies/shows are just a rehash or reboot of things that have already been done. And so I started to dive into the past. It's been fun, but I find myself losing track of which ones I’ve seen and whether or not I enjoyed them. Sometimes the titles themselves just don't tell me enough to remember.

I wouldn’t have voluntarily watched a lot of these movies when I was younger. It’s strange how interests change. That goes for what I read, too. I have another blog that explores books. I’m mostly reading older fiction and memoirs, and some of the books have led me to movies/shows and vice versa. In those cases, I may post the book review over here as well.

There will be spoilers, which is different than my book reviews. That’s mostly because I want to have enough information to help me remember what I’ve seen. I’m getting older. The brain doesn’t cooperate like it used to. What can I say? The gray hairs are catching up with me!

Friday, September 12, 2025

Monkey Business - 1952

I wanted to watch this one because it had Cary Grant in it. Other than that, I didn't know anything about it. I have an aversion to monkeys (long story), so I wouldn't have picked this to watch any other way.

Grant plays a scientist who is working on a youth formula. He thinks he's cracked the code, but in reality, one of the chimps was mimicking his movements and then put the concoction in the water cooler. First, Grant acts like a 20-year-old for a day. He cuts his glorious hair (that was depressing) and hangs out with Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately, Monroe was cast as the "beautiful, dumb blonde" as usual. As a side note, I'd like to see her in a serious role. I looked it up, and there's a couple of options for that.

Anyway, once Grant takes a nap, the formula wears off, and his wife is the next one to become a test subject. Since she's Ginger Rogers, she ends up dancing a lot. Then, she wants to recreate her wedding night, complete with wedding night jitters and floor-length nightgown.

They still don't really know what's created the effect of the formula, so Grant and his wife make coffee using the tainted water, so they get an overdose. Now they're acting like literal children. At one point, Grant finds a group of kids acting like Indians, and he gets the idea to take out his rival by scalping him. I think that was my favorite part to be honest. Seeing Hank with a mohawk and tied to a pole was great!

The movie was strange, and the premise is ridiculous. Parts of it were amusing, and I liked seeing Charles Coburn. I've seen him in a few other movies. It's a screwball comedy, but I think if I want to watch a screwball comedy with scatterbrained scientist Cary Grant with animals and disapproving older matrons, I'll watch Bringing Up Baby. I prefer the chemistry between Grant and Katharine Hepburn, and I'll take leopards and dogs to chimps any day! It's still a Good Movie! because it has it's moments, but I probably won't watch it again.

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