Review of Monkey Business (1952) by Jason O — 13 Sep 2009

"Monkey Business" is what I call a HILARIOUS movie! Barnaby (Cary Grant) is a chemist who is working on a new formula that has the potential to be a scientific breakthrough if it works. But he can't seem to find the missing ingredient that would make it all work and produce a change of direction in the way he lives.

A monkey accidentally mixes various ingredients together in a laboratory, creating a formula that literally makes the drinkers (of the formula) feel and act much younger than they actually are. The lucky or not so lucky drinkers can feel and experience such effects as having their vision restored to 20/20, being angry, and so on. But what all the drinkers experience is a feeling of having energy that refuses to run out for awhile and they temporarily act like a kid, maybe even younger.

After so long, the formula wears off and the drinkers return to their old and boring selves (when compared to way they were while under the influence of the formula), at least until they drink some more of it.

"Monkey Business" also provides a few subplots such as a group of people wanting to get their hands on Barnaby's formula. These subplots don't do anything but make the already great movie even better.

"Monkey Business" has many standout comedy sequences that all go full blast on the laughs. A few of the most memorable parts are when Cary Grant takes Marilyn Monroe on a FAST and unpredictable joyride through town in a sleek new car, when Cary Grant and his wife (Ginger Rogers) fight with paint, Cary Grant playing as "Red Eagle," the star of some kind of Indian game with the children, and so many more.

The main reason "Monkey Business" is so funny is because you woudln't really expect to see most of the things you'll see once the formula kicks in. For example, would you expect to see Cary Grant do cartwheels or a MAJOR belly buster off the high dive? Everybody in "Monkey Business" does a spectacular job of acting, especially Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers. Marilyn Monroe is also a standout even though she's not really one of the main characters in the film.

To make it short, "Monkey Business" is a comedy movie that will make people of all ages laugh out loud. Me (I'm 21), my younger brother and sister, our mom (40's), and our great-grandmother (she's in her 80's), all sat down one day and watched this movie. Though there is a wide gap in our ages, we all laughed over and over again. If you or anyone you know likes comedy movies, get "Monkey Business" as soon as possible! NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.