The Gorilla (1939): cast, story & where to watch
1939 · Film · ★ 4.9
Released in 1939, The Gorilla is a comedy, thriller and horror film directed by Allan Dwan, running about 68 minutes. “A Ritz is afraid of nothing ... but ... THIS ... IS ... SOMETHING!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. When an escaped circus gorilla appears to have gone on a murderous rampage, a threatened attorney calls on the detective trio of Garrity, Harrigan and Mullivan to act as bodyguards. In short order, we discover that there is more to the attorney than meets the eye, and the ape may be innocent after all. When a pretty young heiress faces peril, it's up to our heroic trio to save the day.
Who’s in it. The Gorilla stars Jimmy Ritz as Garrity - a Ritz Brother, Harry Ritz as Harrigan - a Ritz Brother, Al Ritz as Mulligan - a Ritz Brother and Anita Louise as Norma Denby, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.9/10, The Gorilla has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, MGM+ Amazon Channel, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel and YouTube TV and rent or buy it from Amazon Video and FlixFling. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Gorilla page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Gorilla tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Gorilla (1939)?
- In US, The Gorilla is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, MGM+ Amazon Channel and MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video and FlixFling. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Gorilla worth watching?
- The Gorilla holds an audience score of 4.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy, thriller and horror. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Gorilla?
- The Gorilla stars Jimmy Ritz, Harry Ritz, Al Ritz, Anita Louise and Patsy Kelly.
- When was The Gorilla released?
- The Gorilla was released in 1939, with a runtime of about 68 minutes.