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I'm for the Hippopotamus

Name: I'm for the Hippopotamus
Director: Italo Zingarelli
Released: 1979
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

2.3/10

Limited

1979

PG-13

Director

Italo Zingarelli

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

I'm for the Hippopotamus is a product of its era, functioning as a standard adventure-comedy that adheres to conventional 1970s narrative structures. The film prioritizes slapstick and situational humor over social critique or the deconstruction of systemic hierarchies. The focus remains heavily on a male-driven plot centered around Western protagonists. While the African setting introduces a non-Western element, the film lacks the depth to confirm if local populations are granted meaningful roles or are simply part of the scenery. Ultimately, the film lacks the intentional architecture needed to provide multi-layered character studies, resulting in a traditional experience that mirrors the period's cinematic norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does I'm for the Hippopotamus have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any characters with non-binary gender identities or same-sex relationships. It follows traditional comedic clichés typical of 1970s Italian adventure films.

How does I'm for the Hippopotamus portray gender?

Limited

The story focuses on a male duo, Slim and Tom, who drive the plot through physical conflicts. This emphasis on masculine archetypes suggests a lack of women's ability to drive the story or subversion of gender hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is I'm for the Hippopotamus?

Fair

Set in Africa, the film involves a conflict over wildlife exploitation. However, it remains unclear if indigenous characters have meaningful roles or if the setting serves merely as a backdrop for Western protagonists.

How does I'm for the Hippopotamus represent religion and culture?

Limited

The narrative follows a standard hero-versus-villain structure. It does not prioritize complex moral relativism or anti-capitalist critiques, focusing instead on a clearly defined struggle between good and evil.

Does I'm for the Hippopotamus include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the film's narrative context.

Present on Screen

The film engages with a non-Western setting through its African backdrop.
The plot introduces themes of environmental protection against exploitation.

Limited or Absent

The narrative relies heavily on traditional masculine archetypes and male-centric conflict.
There is a lack of evidence regarding the ability to act of indigenous African characters.
The film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and characters with disabilities.

Official Synopsis

In 1950, in Africa. Tom organizes safaris for tourists, secretly equipping them with guns loaded with blanks. When Slim, Tom’s cousin—a sly slacker and staunch environmentalist—arrives, the two men come into conflict with Jack Ormond, a local animal trafficker. A doctor, a friend of the duo, denounces Mr. Ormond’s exploitation of animals in a newspaper, prompting Ormond to send his henchmen to destroy the clinic where the good doctor practices. But at the medical facility, Ormond’s henchmen find Tom and Slim waiting for them, and in the blink of an eye, the two cousins wipe out these thugs in a brawl. Ormond then tries to bribe the two cousins, and when that fails, has them imprisoned for a theft they never committed. After escaping from prison, the two men rush toward Ormond’s ship, beating the merchant’s men to a pulp...

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