Gus (1976)

Gus (Dir: Vincent McEveety, 1976). 

By 1976, 10 years after the death of its founder, Walt Disney Productions were struggling for relevance in a changing film industry which had largely moved away from family entertainment to more adult fare. The fantasy comedies which were the company’s mainstay had been a Disney staple since The Shaggy Dog (Charles Barton) had hit big in 1959. However, nearly two decades later, what had once seemed fresh and inventive had become tired and formulaic. Budgets were kept low so the films made a small profit and Gus, with it stock footage and unconvincing back-projection was, indeed, a minor success. 

Its plot, as high concept as it is ludicrous, involves a Yugoslavian mule with a talent for 100 yard field goals who is hired by failing US football team The Atoms. The human cast is headed by Edward Asner doing his lovably gruff bit as The Atoms manager and he is supported by familiar 70s faces Don Knotts, Tim Conway and Tom Bosley. Considering the material the cast do a decent job and some genuine laughs are to be had from the visual gags involving The Atoms ageing cheerleaders and Gus the mule running amok in a supermarket! 

The movie Gus feels something of a cousin to Disney’s earlier The World’s Greatest Athlete (Robert Scheerer, 1973) and if you enjoyed that you will probably like this. To be fair, I lapped up this sort of thing as a child and taken for what it is Gus is entertaining, cheap and cheerful formulaic fun!