The World's Greatest Athlete

"From the JUNGLE to the GYM...He's the Greatest!"

Feb 14 1973 G 1h 33m
Comedy, Family, Romance

Stuck with a feeble sports department, college coach Sam Archer (John Amos) faces the ax unless he can reverse the school's athletic fortunes. An African vacation with his assistant (Tim Conway) answers Archer's prayers when he spots the athletically gifted Nanu (Jan-Michael Vincent). Sam counts on Nanu's remarkable abilities to put the team back on the winning track. This upbeat farce boasts an impressive cast of comedians.

Plot

Sam Archer is the beleaguered head coach of Merrivale College's many hapless sports teams and individual sports athletes, their poor performance placing his job on the line. Taking a break in Zambia with his assistant Milo Jackson to get in touch with his African roots, Sam believes he sees the answer to all his professional problems in the form of Nanu, arguably the fastest, strongest, and most agile person who he has ever come across, Nanu who also has pinpoint accuracy in his aim. After the death of his missionary parents, Nanu was raised as a jungle boy by Gazenga, an African witch doctor. As Nanu is reluctant to leave his African home, Sam and Milo have to manipulate a way for Nanu to want to attend Merrivale. Gazenga may have his own thoughts of what he wants for his son. Eventually, Nanu does go to Merrivale with Sam and Milo, with the one condition that he bring his best friend, Harri, who he's known since he was a child. Beyond adjusting to western life, Nanu finds that his stay at Merrivale is not always a smooth or happy one as some constituents don't want to see Nanu compete for Merrivale and as Nanu discovers the deception that brought him to Merrivale in the first place. As Nanu may come to his own conclusions of what he himself wants to do which may take into account his tutor Jane, everything in his athletic life at Merrivale may come to a head as Coach Archer has entered him into every event at an upcoming NCAA track and field meet.

Written by

Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso

Directed by

Robert Scheerer

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Walt Disney Productions

Languages

English, Italiano

Awards

N/A

Scores
# of Votes
1,776
Average Rating
5.7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA