Meatballs (1979): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Where to Watch
Meatballs is a 1979 comedy directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Keith Knight and Harvey Atkin. It runs 1 hour 34 minutes and earned $43 million worldwide. Critics gave it 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic. Stream it on AMC Plus and AMC+, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 34m (94 min)
- Director
- Ivan Reitman
- Genre
- Comedy
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Paramount Pictures
- After the credits
- Yes Extra scene during or after the credits
What Is Meatballs About?
The premise of Meatballs without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
At a spirited summer camp, the unconventional head counselor Tripper, played by Bill Murray, befriends Rudy, a shy and awkward camper. Together, they devise a plan to compete against the rival Camp Mohawk in the annual Olympiad. Tripper's carefree attitude and Rudy’s knack for bringing people together lead to unexpected friendships and humorous moments, while offering Tripper a chance for personal growth.
Meatballs Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- summer camp
- campfire story
- 1970s
- outcast
- slapstick comedy
- male bonding
- school bus
- eyeglasses
- pet frog
- lake
- woods
- tennis
+38 more Show fewer
- motorboat
- hot dog
- eating contest
- jogging
- speech
- friendship
- rivalry
- scantily clad female
- teenage boy wears a swimsuit
- teenage girl wears a swimsuit
- prank
- camp counselor
- panties
- bikini
- first of series
- nerd
- campfire
- white panties
- pantsed
- one word title
- panty raid
- title spoken by character
- slingshot
- alarm clock
- boxing
- dancing
- crutches
- rowboat
- motorcycle
- flirting
- voyeur
- voyeurism
- nipples visible through clothing
- slimehouse
- teen comedy
- reference to wagon train
- basketball game
- soccer game
Where to Watch Meatballs
Stream it on AMC Plus and AMC+, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 9
AMC Plus Apple TV channel 
AMC+ 
Howdy Amazon Channel 
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Plex Channel 
The Roku Channel 
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YouTube Free 
YouTube TV 
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
Meatballs Cast
Bill Murray leads the cast, with Keith Knight and Harvey Atkin. Directed by Ivan Reitman; 10 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Ivan Reitman
Also Starring in Meatballs
· 6 moreMeatballs Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Meatballs 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and 60 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 73% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 57%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 60 Metascore
User score 6.8
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 58% User score
See on TMDB
Meatballs Plot Summary
What happens in Meatballs from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Very early one morning at Camp North Star, an energizing alarm clock jolts the head counselor, Tripper, from his sleep. With a quirky flair, he dons a kid’s space cadet helmet and clicks on the camp’s PA system, delivering an enthusiastic public service announcement to wake all the counselors. He informs them of their duties and expresses his anticipation that this summer session will be filled with fun and adventure. However, Tripper’s excitement is cut short as he forgets to switch off the microphone, bringing the audience the embarrassing sounds of toilet flushing from the bathroom.
Full summary
The whole story of Meatballs, scene by scene
Meatballs Box Office
Meatballs grossed $43 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$43M
- US & Canada
- $43M
Meatballs Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Meatballs.
How Well Do You Know Meatballs?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the head counselor at Camp North Star?
Cars in Meatballs
24 cars on screen, including the 1973 Ford B-700 and the 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham.
-
1973 Ford B-700 Important role -
1978 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Minor role -
1968 Chevrolet B-Series Minor role -
1975 Ford Custom 500 Minor role
Meatballs Also Known As
24 alternative titles, including “Meatballs I” and “Summer Camp”.
- Also known as
-
- Meatballs I
- Summer Camp
- 미트볼
- Babyspeck und Fleischklößchen
- 瘋狂夏令營
- Babyspeck und Fleischklösschen
- Polpette
- Arrête de ramer, t'es sur le sable
- Almôndegas
- Los incorregibles albóndigas
- Med røven i vandskorpen
- Dilibogyók - Táborparádé
+12 more Show fewer
- Фрикадельки
- כדורי בשר
- Klantskallarna
- Pulpety
- Köftehorlar
- Загубеняците
- Albóndigas
- Μεζεδάκια
- ミートボール
- Katarina in co.
- Jurtit
- 肉丸
Seen Meatballs?
Movies Like Meatballs
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Meatballs Part II, Meatballs 4: To the Rescue and Meatballs III: Summer Job.
Meatballs FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Meatballs, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Meatballs?
Meatballs runs 1 hour 34 minutes (94 minutes).
When was Meatballs released?
Meatballs was released on June 29, 1979.
Who directed Meatballs?
Meatballs was directed by Ivan Reitman.
More films by Ivan Reitman Who is in the cast of Meatballs?
Meatballs stars Bill Murray, Keith Knight and Harvey Atkin, among 10 credited actors.
Where can I watch Meatballs?
In the US, Meatballs is streaming on AMC Plus, AMC+ and Howdy and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did Meatballs make at the box office?
Meatballs grossed $43 million worldwide.
How is Meatballs rated?
Meatballs has 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, 60 on Metacritic and 58% on TMDB.
Does Meatballs have a post-credit scene?
Yes. Meatballs has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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