The Barefoot Executive
The Barefoot Executive | |
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Directed by | Robert Butler |
Screenplay by | Joseph L. McEveety |
Story by | Lila Garrett Bernie Kahn Stewart C. Billett |
Produced by | Bill Anderson |
Starring | |
Narrated by | Kurt Russell |
Cinematography | Charles F. Wheeler |
Edited by | Robert Stafford |
Music by |
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Production company | |
Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
Release date |
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Running time | 96 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Barefoot Executive (also known as The Rating Game) is a 1971 American
Plot
A satire of
Post smuggles the chimpanzee into the UBC building when various programs are being previewed for executives and watches as the chimpanzee gives his vote from the projection room. The first program that receives Raffles's approval is a film named Devil Dan. Post tells the programming executives that Devil Dan will draw large audiences. The executives disagree and choose not to program the film. To prove he's got a sure-fire way of choosing hits, Post sneaks into UBC's broadcast center to switch the reels. Executives are outraged when Devil Dan airs, but Post is proved right. The film propels UBC to first place in the ratings war. Post successfully masks the chimpanzee's abilities as his own and rises to vice president of UBC, now the top-rated area network. However, this also creates suspicion and resentment among UBC executives, mainly because they believe Post is too young to merit the title of vice president. Their resentment reaches a breaking point at a television award ceremony where Steven Post receives the title of "Television's Man of the Year" and the emcee mistakenly identifies Post as the president of UBC.
Fearing that Post's seemingly miraculous abilities will make their own jobs unnecessary, network president E. J. Crampton (
Using a
Fearing the revelation that America's favorite TV programs were being picked by an ape would spell the end of television, the executives decide to steal the chimpanzee and return it to the jungle.
Wilbanks and his chauffeur, Albert Mertons (Wally Cox), venture out a narrow ledge in an attempt to snatch the chimpanzee out of Post's apartment in his absence. The plan goes awry and the duo become stranded on the ledge until the police, the fire department, and a Catholic priest arrive, mistaking their break in for a potential suicide.
As a last-ditch effort, the network offers Post
Meanwhile, executives from every studio and camera crews crowd a
Post uses this opportunity to refund the $1,000,000 for the chimpanzee. Post comments that UBC is going to need the money now in order to fund a search party for Wilbanks and the other executives. Jennifer and Steven have not only rekindled their relationship, but are now married and set off on their honeymoon with the chimpanzee in tow as their pet. The final scenes shows the Posts on an expressway which pans out in a wide scene, while a radio announcement says that Post has just married and resigned his vice presidency of UBC, but many people are wishing him well in his future endeavors.
Cast
- Kurt Russell - Steven Post, narrator
- Joe Flynn - Francis X. Wilbanks
- Harry Morgan - E.J. Crampton
- Wally Cox - Mertons
- Heather North - Jennifer Scott
- Alan Hewitt - Farnsworth
- Hayden Rorke - Clifford
- John Ritter - Roger
- Jack Bender - Tom
- Tom Anfinsen - Dr. Schmidt
- George N. Neise - Network Executive
- Ed Reimers - Announcer
- Morgan Farley - Advertising Executive
- Glenn Dixon - Sponsor
- Robert Shayne - Sponsor
- Tris Coffin - Sponsor
- James B. Douglas - Network Executive
- Ed Prentiss - Harry
- Fabian Dean - Jackhammer Man
- Iris Adrian - Woman Shopper
- Smilin' Jack Smith - Clathworthy
- Eve Brent - Mrs. Crampton
- Sandra Gould - Mrs. Wilbanks
- James Flavin - Father O'Leary
- Peter Renaday - Policeman
- Judson Pratt - Policeman
- Vince Howard - Policeman
- Hal Baylor - Policeman
- Bill Daily - Navigator
- Dave Willock - Doorman
- Anthony Teague- TV Salesman
- Edward Faulkner - Reporter
Music
The Barefoot Executive's score was written by Robert F. Brunner. The film's theme song, "He's Gonna Make It", was written by Bruce Belland and Robert F. Brunner. The song was played over the film's opening credits.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 83% based on 6 reviews.[1] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 55 out to 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[2]
Howard Thompson of The New York Times described the film as a "genial but strained and arch frolic" with "one real joke" that "wears thin and frantic". Variety wrote that Walt Disney Productions had "one of the funniest comedies of the season". Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film three stars out of four. Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times called it "a light, slight, well-made, well-acted, pleasantly diverting Disney comedy which falls somewhere just north of The Gnome-Mobile and well south of The Love Bug on the Disney scale". David McGillivray of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Although at first glance no more than a hastily expanded idea and a chance to reunite the team that made The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, this new Disney comedy develops into an extremely beguiling satire on the audience ratings game, while retaining enough slapstick to keep children of all audiences thoroughly entertained."
Remake
The film was re-made for the Disney Channel in 1995 starring Jason London, Eddie Albert, Michael Marich, Jay Mohr, Yvonne De Carlo, Ann Magnuson, Nathan Anderson, Terri Ivens, and Chris Elliott; and directed by Susan Seidelman.
See also
References
- ^ "The Barefoot Executive - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. 2013-03-01. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
- ^ "The Barefoot Executive". Metacritic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.