Monkey Business
Seen it?1952 | 97 min | Comedy, Science Fiction
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (78% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh and sci-fi fans. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 1 hr 37 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1952: an older pace and style.
Research chemist Barnaby Fulton works on a fountain of youth pill for a chemical company. One of the labs chimps gets loose in the laboratory and mixes chemicals, but then pours the mix into the water cooler. When trying one of his own samples, washed down with water from the cooler, Fulton begins to act just like a twenty-year-old and believes his potion is working. Soon his wife and boss are also behaving like children.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
78% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 55K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Howard Hawks
- Cary GrantBarnaby Fulton
- Ginger RogersEdwina Fulton
- Charles CoburnOliver Oxley
- Marilyn MonroeLois Laurel
- Hugh MarloweHank Entwhistle
- Henri LetondalJerome Kitzel
- Robert CornthwaiteDr. Zoldeck
- Larry KeatingGJ Culverly
- Douglas SpencerDr. Brunner
- Esther DaleMrs. Rhinelander