The Monkey’s Uncle (1965): Cast & Plot
The Monkey’s Uncle is a 1965 family comedy directed by Robert Stevenson, starring Tommy Kirk as Merlin Jones, Annette Funicello and Leon Ames. It runs 1 hour 27 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 27m (87 min)
- Director
- Robert Stevenson
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Walt Disney Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Monkey’s Uncle About?
The premise of The Monkey’s Uncle without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
College whiz‑kid Merlin Jones devises a novel technique for teaching advanced concepts to a chimpanzee, then engineers a homemade flying machine. His inventive experiments spiral into comedic chaos, wreaking delightful havoc across the campus and leaving everyone in stitches.
The Monkey’s Uncle Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- psychotronic film
- slimehouse
- awakening
- the beach boys characters
- band
- rock band
- football
- kirk and funicello
- college
- judge
- college football
- chimpanzee
+38 more Show fewer
- check
- flying
- flying machine
- college student
- exam
- student
- sleep learning
- midvale college
- reference to william shakespeare
- reference to geoffrey chaucer
- scene during opening credits
- musical number
- horse
- stolen horse
- animal intelligence
- crash landing
- mud
- barn
- jumping onto a horse
- psychiatric patient
- axe
- cigar smoking
- potion
- laboratory
- radiator
- adrenaline
- punched in the face
- pig
- pram
- binoculars
- singing
- glider
- animal experimentation
- dream sequence
- children's book
- film projector
- babysitting
- date
The Monkey’s Uncle Cast & Characters
Tommy Kirk leads the cast as Merlin Jones, with Annette Funicello as Jennifer and Leon Ames as Judge Holmsby. Directed by Robert Stevenson; 12 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Robert Stevenson
- Tommy Kirk as Merlin Jones
- Annette Funicello as Jennifer
-
Leon Ames as Judge Holmsby -
Arthur O'Connell as Darius Green III
Also Starring in The Monkey’s Uncle
· 8 more- Frank Faylen Mr. Dearborne
- Brian Wilson Themselves
- Leon Tyler Leon
- Mike Love Themselves
- Norman Grabowski Norman
- Al Jardine Themselves
- Carl Wilson Themselves
- Dennis Wilson Themselves
More from Robert Stevenson
More films directed by Robert Stevenson, best-rated first: Mary Poppins, Blackbeard's Ghost, Old Yeller and Darby O'Gill and the Little People.
The Monkey’s Uncle Plot Summary
What happens in The Monkey’s Uncle from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The film opens in court, where Merlin Jones legally adopts his monkey Stanley. Midvale College is promised a substantial donation by a wealthy man, Mr. Astorbilt, but he sets a quirky condition: the school must build a man-powered flying machine by a fixed deadline, or the money goes to a rival institution.
To make the improbable project doable, Merlin designs a lightweight airplane whose propeller is driven by bicycle pedals. Realizing that the school’s football team would need more than luck to pull off such a feat, he conceives an adrenaline-based strength elixir that could give a climactic boost to the pilot just as the machine leaves the ground.
Full summary
The whole story of The Monkey’s Uncle, scene by scene
The Monkey’s Uncle Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Monkey’s Uncle.
How Well Do You Know The Monkey’s Uncle?
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
What animal does Merlin Jones legally adopt at the beginning of the film?
The Monkey’s Uncle Also Known As
10 alternative titles, including “Eine Uni voller Affen” and “Un Neveu studieux”.
- Also known as
-
- Eine Uni voller Affen
- Un Neveu studieux
- El tío del mono
- O Maravilhoso Homem Que Voou
- A majom bácsikája
- הדוד של הקוף
- Lo zio dello scimpanzè
- 몽키스 엉클
- Обезьяний дядюшка
- Мавпячий дядько
Seen The Monkey’s Uncle?
Movies Like The Monkey’s Uncle
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including I’m a Monkey’s Uncle, Monkey Business and A Monkey’s Tale.
The Monkey’s Uncle FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The Monkey’s Uncle, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Monkey’s Uncle?
The Monkey’s Uncle runs 1 hour 27 minutes (87 minutes).
When was The Monkey’s Uncle released?
The Monkey’s Uncle was released on August 18, 1965.
Who directed The Monkey’s Uncle?
The Monkey’s Uncle was directed by Robert Stevenson.
More films by Robert Stevenson Who is in the cast of The Monkey’s Uncle?
The Monkey’s Uncle stars Tommy Kirk as Merlin Jones, Annette Funicello as Jennifer and Leon Ames as Judge Holmsby, among 12 credited actors.
Does The Monkey’s Uncle have a post-credit scene?
No. The Monkey’s Uncle has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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