

The Gorilla
“A Ritz is afraid of nothing ... but ... THIS ... IS ... SOMETHING!”
Synopsis
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.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
THE GORILLA (1939) Trailer Bela Lugosi, The Ritz Brothers, Lionel Atwill Horror-Comedy Movie
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-09-21
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Release History & Theatrical Window
May 26, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Allan Dwan
- Screenplay & Story
- Rian James, Sid Silvers
- Original Score
- David Buttolph, Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman, David Raksin
- Original Title
- The Gorilla
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 8m
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Allan Dwan
Rian James, Sid Silvers, Ralph Spence
David Buttolph, Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman, David Raksin
Edward Cronjager
Allen McNeil
Department Leadership Roster
Allan Dwan
Director
Rian James
Screenplay
Sid Silvers
Screenplay
Edward Cronjager
Director of Photography
Allen McNeil
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Gorilla.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Gorilla.
list2
My movies
the movies I own on DVD and Blue Ray
Horror Films
Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
MGM+ US - Mystery Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
Films I've Seen in Full
Any film I've seen in full from childhood to the present day and that's it. Some I may have seen only once or twice and others perhaps dozens of times. All films included regardless of genre, length, nationality, whether in black and white or color, live or animated, standalone pieces or part of a series.
Similar Titles to The Gorilla
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
More Like The Gorilla
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.












Frequently Asked Questions About The Gorilla
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Gorilla 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 directed The Gorilla?
The Gorilla was directed by Allan Dwan.
Who stars in The Gorilla?
The principal cast of The Gorilla includes Jimmy Ritz, Harry Ritz, Al Ritz, Anita Louise, Patsy Kelly.
When was The Gorilla released and how long is it?
The Gorilla was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 8m.
Who composed the musical score for The Gorilla?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Gorilla was composed by David Buttolph, Cyril J. Mockridge, Alfred Newman, David Raksin.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Gorilla?
The Gorilla holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).

















