Io sto con gli ippopotami

Plenty of laughs and fight scenes in this one and this is the only one of their movies where Spencer comes across a guy who is nearly as tough as he is.

Hard to deal with seeing wild animals locked up in cages, but I suppose that it's good that Spencer and Hill were on a mission to set them all free. Some of the scenes really did look like animals were being set free for real.

BTW, hippopotami only feature in the first scene. A laughing mechanical one in particular.

For the most part I'm for the Hippopotamus is a standard Hill & Spencer offering, consisting of mild comedy mixed with some fist fights. Like usual the plot isn't much to talk about, and mainly exists as to supply some bad guys for them to brawl with. In this case Jack Ormond and his gang of poachers, who are catching African wildlife which they want to sell to a Canadian zoo! Tom and Slim have to team up to prevent this whichever way they can, misbehaving themselves at lunch, putting up a casino scam and off course talking with their fists...

So far nothing we haven't seen from them before, and the quality too is as usual. Although dated, it has the just OK production values we're used to in a Hill & Spencer movie. Nevertheless it's among my favorites of their work, and that has to be because of the nice scenery together with all the wild animals. We get to see quite a few lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, ostriches and wildebeests. Not only nice to look at but they do interact with them in a respectful if not loving way which is quite an accomplishment while sending out a powerful message.

Well worth a watch for that alone.

As with almost all if the BS & TH movies, the plot tells a simple story but it has larger moral and ethical implications. BS & TH always fight for the little guy. They always fight the powerful, abusive, rich and corrupt, when it is not just a plain villain. They always use the necessary violence (and no more) to obtain justice. They do not start the fighting, moreover they seem to avoid it if possible. They always prevail and once doing so, never mantain the power obtained or abuse it. And with this movie, there is a anti-racist, anti-colonial overtone and specifically, they aim for enviroment and animal conservation. Plus its very funny and entertaining.

Whilst it is difficult to ascertain which is the greatest Spencer / Hill film - it could arguably be this or He Who Finds A Friend Finds A Treasure - by some distance this is the greatest cinematic performance to date from the legendary Joe Bugner.

Whilst still a heavyweight boxer, and lest we forget a contender for the world title, Bugner somehow managed to find the time to perform in films such as this. Does he make the the transition with success? Oh yes, certainly. It turns out that Bugner is an exceptional actor; what a shame his talents have not been used in too many other films.

Fans of Spencer and Hill will no doubt have seen this film already, but for anyone out there looking for more Joe Bugner than they have already seen then this is the film for you.

The Hill & Spencer movies were never famous for their brilliant stories, but this one doesn't even make an effort. Plotless, slow-paced, boring and only occasionally amusing, it feels like a film that was made out of obligation, rather than like something that the stars and the filmmakers put their hearts in. At least with its animal-friendly messages you could say it's good for kids, but no - they'll be as bored with it as anyone else. (**)