Walk Like A Man

The other day, I wrote about John Ritter and how he had more success on the small screen than in the theaters. Howie Mandel was kind of in the same boat, but that didn't stop him from trying to be a leading man in the movies. I think his most successful attempt was in 1987's Walk Like A Man.

Mandel stars as Bobo, a man who was lost in the woods as an infant and was raised by wolves. Twenty odd years later, a biologist named Penny, Amy Steel, discovers Bobo and finds out that his family has been searching for him all this time. Everyone except his brother Reggie, Christopher Lloyd, who was the one who left him in the woods to die as a child. Now with Bobo back in the picture Reggie stands to lose his inheritance. He tells Penny that she can use Bobo for her research just as long as she trains him to walk, talk, and write. Penny see's this as a great opportunity, but Reggie has other motives and wants Bobo to be able to sign his name so he can sign off his inheritance to him.

Mandel is a lot of fun as Bobo. The role requires a lot of physical humor which Mandel is more than game for. The rest of the cast, that also includes Cloris Leachman and Colleen Camp, is terrific as well. Lloyd was supposedly ashamed of this film. I'm not sure why.

This is a funny flick and a great showcase for Mandel.

It's available on dvd.