Dudley Do-Right

By Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
8/27/99


This has not been a good year for Canada at the movies. First, the United States declared war on its northern neighbor in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut." Now a live-action version of "Dudley Do-Right" revives the most confused Mountie in the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Having witnessed Disney's success two summers ago with "George of the Jungle," a movie based on animated characters created by Jay Ward and starring Brendan Fraser, Universal is hoping that lightning will strike twice. But "Dudley Do-Right," starring Fraser as Ward's dedicated but utterly befuddled Mountie, fails for one crucial reason: Unlike "George," "Dudley" plays only to very young audiences. And since Fraser as Dudley can't run around in a loincloth as he did as George, you can kiss the teenage female audience goodbye as well. However, for very young children, "Dudley" is a very bright and presentable entertainment. There is enough goofy slapstick, grandiose dances, Borscht Belt shtick, outlandish props and nifty motorcycle stunts to charm children.

But it will take more than matinee audiences to earn back all of Universal's money. The suspicion is that the red in Fraser's uniform may well reflect the bottom line for this film.