Gumby: The Movie
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Gumby’s playing for keeps. Instruments that is!
Gumby: The Movie is a 1995 big-screen version of the bendable green guy. He heads up his own band -- The Clayboys.
A true product of television’s golden age, Gumby first appeared on The Howdy Doody Show in 1956. Fast forward one year and The Gumby Show premieres on NBC. Gumby got a series in the mid-1960’s and again in 1988.
But non-traditional versions persist as Gumby parodies parallel the popular version on the small screen.
Eddie Murphy’s meteoric rise to success on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980’s owes a huge debt to an SNL staple -- making fun of mainstream characters.
Gumby gave Murphy a comedic target with a big bullseye.
I’m Gumby, dammit! reinforced Murphy’s portrayal of Gumby as a cigar-chomping, embittered showbiz veteran.
Mad TV gave the green light to take Gumby to an adult level in the show’s inaugural 1995-96 season. In this version, Gumboy and his sidekick Poker use their powers of transport to jump through Clayboy magazine and enter the infamous Clayboy mansion. They meet bodacious, beautiful babes, not mention the mogul who any clay man would enjoy being for a day -- Huge Heifer, the creator and owner of Clayboy.
The innocence, sweetness, and naivete of Gumby make the character easy to mold into a parody version. Nonetheless, these are the same traits that make Gumby appealing and they are certainly evident in Gumby: The Movie. Gumby’s aforementioned band -- the Clayboys -- consists of Gumby and three members with names describing a part of fashion -- Thin Buckle, Fat Buckle, and No Buckle.
The Clayboys want to use their musical talents to help out farmers being squeezed by the nefarious, villainous Blockheads whose E-Z Loans Company charges a 25% interest rate on loans. Farmers can’t meet the payments, so Gumby and the gang rescue them with a farmers’ benefit concert.
Lucky Claybert, a talent agent with a voice reminiscent of W.C. Fields, recognizes the Clayboys’ potential. But he’s a little confused by Gumby’s enthusiastic exclamation about succeeding in show business. As long as we can help the small farmers.
Unfortunately, the Blockheads try to capitalize on the situation. They notice Gumby’s dog Low Belly cries tears of pearl when the Clayboys play. The Blockheads steal the tears and dognap Low Belly while Gumby and the gang celebrate at Cafe Robotte, site of the infamous meeting with Claybert. The restaurant does not allow dogs so Low Belly becomes easy prey outside.
The Blockheads use a laboratory to duplicate Low Belly. Sort of.
They create a robot lookalike to take Low Belly’s place, keep the original, and play recorded music because they think that the music induces the tears. However, they overlook an important fact. Low Belly only responds to live music.
Gumby realizes this fact at the end of the movie after a music video sequence where Low Belly simply gushes. The reason? Gumby sees that his transformations are not simply fun and games for Low Belly. Every time Gumby changes shape or form, Low Belly thinks that Gumby is leaving him.
Low Belly’s tears of pearl offset the losses incurred by the farmers. Also, Lucky Claybert sets up a new loan company with reasonable rates for the farmers.
Gumby: The Movie presents a fairly interesting commentary. Gumby simply likes to play music. When fame and fortune become distinct possibilities, Gumby’s foremost thought is to help people in need.
The underlying lesson is powerful -- Gumby puts others before himself.