I’m for the Hippopotamus 1979

Adventure

Comedy

Action

Runtime

95 mins

Language

Italian

Directed by

Italo Zingarelli

Made by

Denver Film Productions

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I’m for the Hippopotamus Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

In 1950, Tom, Bud Spencer is a safari organizer in Rhodesia, a man who loves animals at heart and secretly hands clients rifles loaded with blanks. His life changes with the arrival of his cousin and former business partner Slim, Terence Hill. The two men were raised by Mama Leone, May Dlamini, a Zimbabwean woman who cared for them after their parents died, and their bond is complicated by ongoing clashes despite their shared history. They are eventually forced to team up when threatened by Jack Ormond, Joe Bugner, a local ivory trafficker whose ambitions put both men in his sights.

When Ormond fails to buy them out, he decides to teach them a lesson by destroying their safari bus. Tom and Slim retaliate by freeing the animals caged on Ormond’s estate, turning their conflict into a much larger reckoning with the consequences of cruelty and greed. The local authorities arrest them briefly, but they manage to escape and travel to the Zambezi River, where they pose as dockworkers and board one of Ormond’s cargo ships loaded with ivory and wild animals en route to Canada.

After a tense confrontation with Ormond and his men, Tom and Slim seize the ship, free the animals, and steer their voyage across the open ocean toward the Maldives. In the final moment, the ship’s captain warns that their actions amount to piracy and that the story is far from over, prompting Slim to declare the closing line of the adventure: > No, no, the matter is definitely over.

I’m for the Hippopotamus Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Tom runs safaris in Rhodesia

In Rhodesia, Tom operates as a safari organizer and an animal lover. He discreetly equips his clients' rifles with blanks to prevent real harm while preserving the thrill. This unusual generosity shadows his profession.

1950 Rhodesia

Slim returns; cousin and partner clash

Slim, Tom's cousin and former business partner, arrives, resurfacing old tensions. Both were raised by a Zimbabwean woman, yet their visions for the business diverge. The reunion foreshadows the conflicts that will drive much of the story.

1950 Rhodesia

Ormond's buyout fails and bus is wrecked

Jack Ormond, a local gangster trafficking ivory, tries to buy out Tom and Slim. When the deal fails, he destroys their safari bus to send a message. The act kicks off a campaign of intimidation that pushes the cousins toward drastic action.

early 1950s Ormonds estate, Rhodesia

Cousins free the animals at the estate

Tom and Slim retaliate by freeing the animals caged on Ormond's estate. The act undermines the gangster's operation and demonstrates their willingness to fight back. It deepens their bond as co-conspirators against a common foe.

early 1950s Ormond's estate

Arrest and daring escape

Local police arrest them after the incident, hoping to isolate the troublemakers. The cousins manage a daring escape and slip back into the bush. The brush with the law hardens their resolve to take bigger risks.

early 1950s Rhodesia

Escape to the Zambezi and board the cargo ship

They head for the Zambezi River and disguise themselves as dockworkers to slip aboard one of Ormond's cargo ships. The vessel is loaded with ivory and a menagerie of wild animals bound for Canada. The moment marks a turning point as they move from land-based skirmishes to a daring sea adventure.

aboard ship Zambezi River, aboard ship

Confrontation and ship takeover

A fight erupts on deck as Tom, Slim, and Ormond's men clash, and the cousins seize control of the ship. They free the trapped animals and turn the vessel against its former owners. The odds are heavy, but their determination carries them through.

during voyage Onboard cargo ship

Canada plan shifts to the Maldives

With the ship under their command, Tom and Slim steer across the ocean toward new horizons. The plan to reach Canada becomes secondary as they navigate a dangerous moral coastline and seek escape from pursuers. The voyage becomes a personal odyssey rather than a simple criminal venture.

during voyage Open sea

Captain warns about piracy

The ship's captain confronts them and warns that their actions amount to piracy. The legal and moral implications hang over them as international waters loom. Slim and Tom stand steadfast, refusing to back down.

final stretch Onboard ship, open sea

Slim's closing declaration

In the closing moment, Slim declares that the matter is definitely over. The line seals their defiance and hints at further adventures beyond the horizon. The captain's warning lingers as a reminder of the high cost of their rebellion.

final scene Onboard ship, Maldives vicinity

I’m for the Hippopotamus Characters

Explore all characters from I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Slim (Terence Hill)

Slim is Tom's cousin and former business partner who brings street-smarts and audacity to the duo. He is quick to improvise bold plans when danger arises, balancing Tom's steadier approach. Raised by a Zimbabwean guardian, Slim embodies resilience and a restless, adventurous spirit.

🤝 Partner 🧭 Adventurer 👥 Duo

Tom (Bud Spencer)

Tom is a safari organizer with a deep love for animals, who secretly gives clients rifles loaded with blanks. He is pragmatic and protective, often acting as the steadier counterpoint to Slim's impulsiveness. Their contrasting temperaments create a complementary, formidable team against Ormond.

🛡️ Protector 🐾 Animal Lover 🧭 Strategist

Jack Ormond

Jack Ormond is the local gangster trafficking ivory, threatening Tom and Slim to force a sale. He is ruthless, calculating, and relentless in his ambition to expand his criminal network. His menace drives the antagonistic force of the story.

💼 Criminal 🕶️ Ruthless 🧨 Predator

Stella

Stella appears as a key figure connected to the frontier world the heroes navigate. Her presence adds emotional stakes and personal stakes to the mission, enriching the narrative with human ties amid adventure.

👩 Protagonist ❤️ Connection 🧭 Local

Stella's Father

Stella's Father is a Zimbabwean-raised elder who provides local knowledge and guidance to the protagonists. His insights help the team navigate terrain and social dynamics, grounding their plan in regional reality.

👨‍👧‍👦 Elder 🧭 Guide 🌍 Local

Mama Leone

Mama Leone is the Zimbabwean elder who helped raise Tom and Slim, shaping their loyalty to each other and to the land they traverse. Her influence underpins their sense of community and responsibility toward wildlife.

👵 Mentor 🌿 Wisdom 🏞️ Heritage

Trixie

Trixie is a minor character who interacts with the main duo, adding local color and complicating their journey in small, meaningful ways.

🎭 Supporting 🗺️ Local

I’m for the Hippopotamus Settings

Learn where and when I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1950

Set in 1950 Rhodesia, the film sits in a post-war era marked by colonial administration and frontier justice. Safari tourism, animal conservation concerns, and illegal ivory trade provide the tense backdrop. The narrative momentum carries the characters from African shores to an ocean voyage, culminating in a perilous piracy-styled climax on the high seas.

Location

Rhodesia, Ormond's estate, Zambezi River, Canada-bound cargo ship, Maldives

The story unfolds in Rhodesia during the 1950s, a frontier region shaped by safari culture and colonial-era dynamics. Much of the action centers around Ormond's estate, a private property where ivory trafficking fuels conflict. The protagonists later move to the Zambezi River staging area, board a cargo ship bound for Canada, and eventually reach the Maldives, giving the tale an epic, globe-trotting arc.

🏞️ Africa 🐘 Wildlife 🚢 Travel

I’m for the Hippopotamus Themes

Discover the main themes in I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🤝

Teamwork

Tom and Slim start as rivals, each bringing different strengths to the table. Facing a common threat, they learn to trust one another and coordinate their plans. The bond they form becomes crucial to outsmarting Ormond and saving their expedition. Their alliance drives the plot through risky, humorous, and action-packed sequences.

🐘

Conservation

The climax features the freeing of animals from captivity on Ormond's estate, underscoring a stance against ivory trafficking. The characters’ actions elevate wildlife welfare above profit-driven cruelty. This theme contrasts with the greed that underpins the criminals' schemes. It frames the adventure as a proxy battle for animals’ rights.

⚓

Piracy Morality

The duo seizes control of a cargo ship loaded with ivory and wildlife, challenging the legal system and criminal networks. Police chase them, forcing a cat-and-mouse dynamic across the sea. The captain’s warning about piracy introduces moral ambiguity, leaving the audience to weigh heroic intent against unlawful acts.

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I’m for the Hippopotamus Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of I’m for the Hippopotamus (1979). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the golden sweep of the African savanna, the horizon stretches into a tapestry of dust‑kissed plains and distant acacia silhouettes, a place where the raw pulse of nature feels both majestic and fragile. Against this backdrop, two men whose lives have been forged by the wilderness find themselves drawn together by a shared, unspoken oath to safeguard the creatures that roam it. Their story begins amid the rustle of tall grasses and the low echo of distant wildlife, a setting that teems with both beauty and quiet tension.

_ Tom_, a seasoned safari organizer, has spent years guiding visitors through the untamed heart of Rhodesia, his love for the animals evident in every careful word and hidden gesture. Beside him stands Slim, a charismatic former business partner whose easy grin masks a fierce loyalty that has survived years of rivalry and reunion. Both were raised by Mama Leone, a wise Zimbabwean matriarch who took them in after they lost their parents, instilling in them a deep respect for the land and a sense of kinship that transcends blood. Their relationship crackles with playful banter and occasional clashes, a dynamic that feels as natural as the ebb and flow of the river that snakes through their world.

Lurking beyond the horizon is a German opportunist whose covert scheme threatens to strip the continent of its living heritage, exporting its wildlife to far‑off zoos. The prospect of such greed unsettling the balance of the savanna spurs our protagonists into action, setting the stage for a pursuit that blends daring ingenuity with the rugged charm of frontier justice. Their resolve is matched only by the raw, untamed environment that both hinders and aids them, promising encounters that pulse with kinetic energy and humor.

As the sun dips low and shadows lengthen, the atmosphere brims with anticipation. The camaraderie between Tom and Slim, tempered by the guidance of Mama Leone, hints at an adventure where wit, bravery, and an unshakable bond will be tested against a backdrop of sweeping landscapes and the ever‑present call of the wild.

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