The Barefoot Executive

I'm not usually turned on by animal comedies, and I read the synopsis for this one and decided to give it a miss. Then I was flicking channels and came across a late film on the Disney channel, started watching it, became engrossed and thought it was nice, just funny enough without going overboard for laughs. Kurt Russell is certainly a long way from "action hero" status; the story works well enough, and it's classic Disney fodder that parents can enjoy with their kids. Rating: 6/10.

A young man who works in the mail room at a TV network wants to move up the corporate ladder but finds himself stymied by his selfish boss. By chance he discovers that his neighbor's chimpanzee has a knack for picking successful TV programs.

This is classic Disney all the way. Somewhat silly, harmless fun, it is not hard-hitting and has really no deeper meaning or social commentary. One could, if they wanted, point to the jokes about monkeys picking what we see on TV. But that is not exactly deep satire.

Kurt Russell was alright early in his career, but it seems like this was an even bigger showcase for John Ritter. As Ritter's first film, he does not get a large amount of screen time, but certainly makes the most of each line he delivers.

All the way through this film, part of me was saying "I don't like this kind of film" while the rest of me was replying "No, but I'm enjoying it!" The rather offensive premise here is that the tastes of the great american television-watching public can best be assessed by a chimpanzee.

There's a little go at political-correctness, major swipes at TV production values and some great characterisations of TV exec types.

I watched it while laying carpet tiles and it made a welcome distraction and a good excuse to take a break. I enjoyed it

I think most of us know what is a Disney film. It is for all the family to enjoy, often taken from a classic story. Don't get me wrong. I love Disney films. Apart from Dick Van Dyke's goddawful accent in Mary Poppins, Disney films are characterised by quality and attention to detail. But a film that launches an attack on the entertainment industry and corporate America, now that is unusual for Disney.

The basic plot has been dealt with by other reviewers. It is interesting that corporate America's first reaction to the chimp was first disbelief, then abduction. Was it just coincidence, or was it deliberate, that all the business executives in this film - all the bad guys - wear spectacles that look like goggles?

Fascinating was the use of the adjective "simple", when an executive says to his chauffeur: "Will you stop that simple wheezing!" I liked it so much, I started using it myself.

This is one of Disney's forgotten films, true it will never be as spectacular as Lady and the Tramp or Mary Poppins, but it deserves a watch now and again.

Nice, safe family comedy featuring a television network, a cute/funny chimp, and a young Kurt Russell in the prime of his Disney phase.

Kurt is a low-level employee with a big television network with high-level ideas. By shear chance, he discovers that his neighbor's pet chimp is able to correctly predict the big ratings winners for each week's programs, and surreptitiously uses the animal to move up within the organization.

The chimp demonstrating his disdain for poor programming (clearly enunciated raspberries, followed by screams of displeasure, and culminating in his throwing some destructive object at the screen) sent me into fits of laughter.

But it also gave me (as a seven year old) an inkling into how the television industry works, and thereby planted the seeds of a life-long interest in the boob tube. And to this day, I am still wondering what the subject matter of "Devil Dan" is, and why it was so much more of a winner program than "The Happy Harringtons"...

Get the kids away from "Nickelodeon" for a couple of hours with this campy treat...