Before the blockbuster Babe, a different talking piglet tried to save his family.
In short: In 1994, a film called Gordy introduced a piglet on a quest to rescue his kin from a slaughterhouse. While the movie featured country music stars and a cameo from a simulated President Clinton, it was ultimately overshadowed by the massive critical and commercial success of the pig-centric film Babe.
The origins of Gordy trace back to a script titled Waldo, written by television comedy veterans Jay Sommers and Dick Chevillat. They originally envisioned the project with Arnold the Pig from Green Acres in mind. After sitting unproduced for years, the script was acquired by Robson Entertainment in January 1993, rewritten by Leslie Stevens, and retitled Gordy. Directed by Mark Lewis, the production operated on a budget of $6–7 million.
The plot follows a piglet who leaves his home near Hope, Arkansas, to track down his family after they are sent to a slaughterhouse in Omaha, Nebraska. Along the way, he encounters a lonely boy named Hanky Royce and a country music duo, the McAllisters. The film blends family drama with satirical jabs at corporate public relations, culminating in a race to stop the slaughterhouse from processing the piglet's family. The tone was noted by critics for its peculiar, pro-vegan undertones and its portrayal of slaughter as an outrageous evil.
Upon its release, the film struggled to find an audience. It premiered on two screens in Tucson, Arizona, in November 1994 before a wider release in May 1995. It grossed $3.9 million in the United States and Canada, a figure dwarfed by its competitor, Babe. Reviews were largely negative, with critics describing it as dull or amateurish, though some noted that younger children might find the talking animals and adventure entertaining. Despite the poor reception, the film has seen several home media re-releases over the decades, including versions from Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Echo Bridge, Lionsgate, and Paramount.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gordy
- Also: Wikidata — Gordy · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Gordy · CC0
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