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The Projection Booth

Episode 796: Matilda (1978)

The Projection Booth

The Projection Booth

Tv & Film, Film Interviews, Film Reviews, Film History

4.6709 Ratings

🗓️ 15 April 2026

⏱️ 121 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Paul Gallico's 1970 novel Matilda told of a male boxing kangaroo who becomes an unlikely heavyweight contender, upending the worlds of sports promotion and organized crime. Producer Albert S. Ruddy, fresh from his Oscar-winning triumph with The Godfather, acquired the rights and brought the story to the screen in 1978, co-writing with Timothy Galfas. 

The resulting G-rated family comedy stars Elliott Gould as Bernie Bonnelli, a small-time talent agent who discovers the boxing kangaroo and sees his ticket out of obscurity. Clive Revill plays Billy Baker, Matilda's devoted owner and former British boxer, while Robert Mitchum turns up as Duke Parkhurst, a manipulative sportswriter, and Harry Guardino heads the mob contingent scheming to control the outcome of Matilda's fights. The kangaroo himself was portrayed by Gary Morgan in a Rick Baker $30,000 suit.

Mike talks with co-hosts Cullen Gallagher and Mike Sullivan about the film, then brings in interviews with actors Gary Morgan and Elliott Gould along with two posthumously-released interviews with producer Albert S. Ruddy and screenwriter Timothy Galfas, 

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Transcript

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0:00.0

The Projection Booth podcast is sponsored by Scarecrow video.

0:03.2

Try out Scarecrow's rent-by-mail service.

0:05.0

Choose from over 150,000 films and get Blu-Rays, 4Ks, and DVDs delivered directly to your door.

0:11.0

Visit Scarecrow.com today.

0:18.0

Hold your ears, folks.

0:20.0

It's showtime.

0:21.6

People pay good money to see this movie.

0:23.6

When they go out to a theater, they want cold sodas, hot popcorn, and no monsters in the projection booth.

0:30.6

Everyone pretend podcasting isn't boring.

0:32.6

Turn it off.

0:34.6

Turn it off. Turn it off.

0:38.3

This is the greatest fighter that ever walked.

0:55.0

Ha?

0:56.0

Meet Matilda.

0:58.0

I got a kangaroo.

1:00.0

A boxing kangaroo.

1:02.0

You mean the other boy is strong, huh?

1:04.0

He's an animal.

1:05.0

You cut off the tail of a kangaroo and what happens?

1:09.0

The championship fighter is on in. of a kangaroo and what happens?

1:15.6

The championship fight is on in Reno. Congratulations.

1:16.6

For the first time in my life, you made me a winner too.

...

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