Mighty Joe Young Soundtrack (1949)

Synopsis

Seven-year-old Jill Young is a lonely little girl living on her father's farm in Africa. One day she barters for a pet/friend: a baby gorilla carried by two African natives.

Twelve years later, a New York nightclub entrepreneur, Max O'Hara, plans to open an African-themed nightclub in Hollywood. Gregg Johnson, a champion roper from Oklahoma, visits to ask to go to Africa with O'Hara, who agrees, having come up with the idea of having the cowboy lasso lions.

In Africa, O'Hara's encampment is close to the Young farm. The gorilla, now grown, sees the strangers, who decide to rope him (although the local agent, Crawford, tells them "You can't rope a gorilla!") A wild-and-wooly Western style scene ensues, with cowboys and horses converging on Joe, who breaks the ropes like wet mop strings! He captures O'Hara just as Jill, now nineteen, shows up.

O'Hara recovers in time to see Jill command and Joe obey—and O'Hara is stunned. He tracks Jill down and convinces her to come to Hollywood with Joe to star in his nightclub, commanding Joe as "Jill the Jungle Queen."

As O'Hara predicted, the opening night is a resounding success. The opening act consists of Jill playing "Beautiful Dreamer"—Joe's favorite tune—on a fancy grand piano, while Joe lifts a platform holding Jill, piano, and all! His next strong-ape feat is a tug-of-war with ten real-life strongmen, including Killer Karl Davis, Man Mountain Dean, the Swedish Angel, and ex-boxer Primo Carnera, whom Joe throws into the audience!

But the novelty wears off. Joe must live in a somber gray cage in the basement. He loses his appetite; so does Jill. Ten weeks follow; Jill cries on Gregg's shoulder ("It seems like ten years!") She decides to quit; O'Hara talks her out of it.

Seven more weeks pass. An organ-grinder act turns out to be a bad idea. Three drunks sneak backstage and ply Joe with liquor; one also touches a lighted cigarette to Joe's bare skin and Joe loses control, and wrecks the place. A court orders him shot. O'Hara cooks up a plan, and the remainder of the movie is a thrilling chase scene beginning when O'Hara plays sick so the guard has to leave his post, allowing Jill to free Joe.

The epilog shows O'Hara back in New York, months later. Windy shows him a film the agent, Crawford, took of Gregg and Jill—and Joe. O'Hara says, "They're back in Africa where they belong. Goodbye from Joe Young."

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