The Man Called Flintstone is a 1966 American animated feature film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and released by Columbia Pictures. It was the second Hanna-Barbera feature, after Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! (1964).[1] The film is a theatrical spin-off of the 1960-66 television series, The Flintstones, and is a swan song (series finale) of the show, made immediately following the end of production on the series. The working title of the film was That Man Flintstone,[2] with the film poster featuring Fred in the same pose of the Bob Peak poster for Our Man Flint. The film is a parody of the James Bond films.
This film was the first feature film voice role for Betty Rubble's voice actress Gerry Johnson. Additionally, it marked the first voice work of Henry Corden, who supplied Fred's singing voice, and would go on to fully assume the role of Fred after Alan Reed's death in 1977. While the film includes numerous musical interludes, including one song performed by Louis Prima, the theme song from the show itself is not used. However, plots from several episodes of the TV series are used, including an episode in which Fred becomes involved in a spy caper spoofing Goldfinger, and another in which he encounters JL Gotrocks, the world's richest man, and his exact double.
In the opening scene, secret agent Rock Slag, who is physically identical to Fred Flintstone, is being chased through Bedrock. His pursuers, Bobo and Ali, think that they have finally killed him when they push him off a building. Meanwhile, the Flintstones and Rubbles prepare for a camping vacation which includes trying to drop Dino and Hoppy off at the veterinarian. On the way back, Fred crashes Barney's car, and they make a stop at the hospital where Rock Slag is also recovering. After Bobo and Ali find Rock and put him out of commission, Chief Boulder of the Secret Service enlists Fred to take his place in Paris for a special meeting. His assignment is to meet Tanya, the #1 female lieutenant of master criminal Green Goose, who has agreed to turn over Green Goose in return for a chance to meet the irresistible Rock Slag. Rock, of course, wasn't sure this was a such a good idea but the Chief reassures him that he will keep an eye on Fred.
Thinking that the Green Goose is an actual bird, Fred tells his family that their vacation has become an all-expense paid trip to Eurock. Barney and Fred return all the camping gear and use the money to buy the Rubbles tickets to go along. Meanwhile, Ali and Bobo make several attempts on Fred's life assuming that he is Rock Slag. Once in Paris, the Chief tells Fred that he must now go to Rome instead, with the help of master of disguise Triple X. Fred makes attempts to sneak away from Wilma to meet with Tanya, but ends up spending the night trying to escape all of Rock's female admirers. After missing a date with Wilma, Fred buys her an imitation diamond necklace from a street hustler to make it up to her, but finds that she slept soundly through the night without realizing he was missing.
Discovering the Chief's secret office, Fred tries to back out of his assignment but after finding out what Green Goose really is, he has pangs of guilt over Pebbles' future and makes an excuse to get away and meet Tanya at a restaurant. Unfortunately, Wilma and the Rubbles go to the same restaurant and catch them together - thinking that Fred is having an affair. Rock actually shows up to replace Fred, but gets mistakenly pounded by an angry Wilma, Betty and Barney and ends up out of commission again. Tanya then leads Fred to the Green Goose, but he is unaware that the Chief has been taken out by Bobo and Ali so he has no back-up. Barney, meanwhile, has followed Fred to see what this is all about, and they both end up captured by the Green Goose. Barney is tortured in an effort to get Fred, who is believed to be Rock, to give him secret information.
The Green Goose, who is revealed to be Triple X, makes plans to launch his deadly inter-rokinental missile — locking Fred and Barney inside until he overhears that Fred has an "expensive" necklace on him. When he opens the door to get at the necklace, the boys turn the tables on Triple X and lock him in the missile with Bobo, Ali and Tanya — with the target reset for outer-space, sending them into an unknown fate.
A huge welcome home ceremony is held in Bedrock for the return of Fred, now considered a hero, but he is just grateful to be back home with his family (after the restaurant mishap is cleared), who head on a secret getaway. Unfortunately, Roberta and Mario secretly moved into Bedrock, and they chased Fred all over town, much to the confusion of Wilma, Betty, and Barney.
The Man Called Flintstone soundtrack album was released on vinyl by Hanna-Barbera Records.
Side A:
"The Man Called Flintstone" (Instrumental)
"Spy Chief" (Instrumental)
"Spy Type Guy"
"Bobo and Ali" (Instrumental)
"Team Mates"
"Paris Bound" (Instrumental)
Side B:
"(Someday) When I Am Grown Up"
"The Happy Sounds of Pareé"
"Pensate Amore (Think Love)"
"Scooter Scootin'" (Instrumental)
"Tickle Toddle"
"The Man Called Flintstone"
Reception
Variety gave The Man Called Flintstone a positive review on August 10, 1966, calling the production "excellent" and noting that the "stone-age scenery and machinery are mildly amusing and sometimes highly inventive". The review judges that the plot is a fast-moving and clever spoof of contemporary spy films.[3]
Home media releases
In 2005, a North American DVD version was released by Warner Home Video. However, owing to licensing complications between Warner Bros. (current owners of the Flintstones property) and Sony (formerly owners of then-Flintstones distributor Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems), only a Canadian release occurred; a United States release was canceled and would not be rescheduled until the rights issue was cleared in August 2008.
The DVD was released in the United States on December 2, 2008, along with Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, a film with which The Man Called Flintstone was released as a double-bill during the 1970s.[4]
In 2010, the film was made available as a download through the iTunes Store. Unlike the DVD release (which is 4:3 Open Matte), the iTunes version is presented in a "matted" widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1.
References
↑Jerry Beck. The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2005. ISBN1-55652-591-5. pp. 160-161.
↑p. 161 Beck. Jerry The Animated Movie Guide 2005 Chicago Review Press
↑The Man Called Flintstone (film review). Variety, August 10, 1966
Minor/Guest star Characters:Ann-Margrock | Conrad Hailstone | Gina Loadabricks | Gary Granite
Episodes
The Flintstones Season 1:The Flintstone Flyer | Hot Lips Hannigan | The Swimming Pool | No Help Wanted | The Split Personality | The Monster from the Tar Pits | The Babysitters | At the Races | The Engagement Ring | Hollyrock, Here I Come | The Golf Champion | The Sweepstakes Ticket | The Drive-In | The Prowler | The Girls' Night Out | Arthur Quarry's Dance Class | The Big Bank Robbery | The Snorkasaurus Hunter | The Hot Piano | The Hypnotist | Love Letters on the Rocks | The Tycoon | The Astra' Nuts | The Long, Long Weekend | In the Dough | The Good Scout | Rooms for Rent | Fred Flintstone: Before and After
The Flintstones Season 2:The Hit Songwriters | Droop-Along Flintstone | The Missing Bus | Alvin Brickrock Presents | Fred Flintstone Woos Again | The Rock Quarry Story | The Soft Touchables | Flintstone of Prinstone | The Little White Lie | Social Climbers | The Beauty Contest | The Masquerade Ball | The Picnic | The House Guest | The X-Ray Story | The Gambler | A Star is Almost Born | The Entertainer | Wilma's Vanishing Money | Feudin' and Fussin' | Impractical Joker | Operation Barney | The Happy Household | Fred Strikes Out | This is Your Lifesaver | Trouble-in-Law | The Mailman Cometh | The Rock Vegas Story | Divided We Sail | Kleptomaniac Caper | Latin Lover | Take Me Out to the Ball Game The Flintstones Season 3:Dino Goes Hollyrock | Fred's New Boss | Barney the Invisible | Bowling Ballet | The Twitch | Here's Snow in Your Eyes | The Buffalo Convention | The Little Stranger | Baby Barney | Hawaiian Escapade | Ladies' Day | Nuthin' But the Tooth | High School Fred | Dial 'S' for Suspicion | Flash Gun Freddie | The Kissing Burglar | Wilma the Maid | The Hero | The Surprise | Mother-in-Law's Visit | Foxy Grandma | Fred's New Job | The Dress Rehearsal | Carry On, Nurse Fred | Ventriloquist Barney | The Big Move | Swedish Visitors | The Birthday Party The Flintstones Season 4:Ann-Margrock Presents | Groom Gloom | Little Bamm-Bamm | Dino Disappears | Fred's Monkeyshines | The Flintstone Canaries | Glue for Two | Big League Freddie | Old Lady Betty | Sleep On, Sweet Fred | Kleptomaniac Pebbles | Daddy's Little Beauty | Daddies Anonymous | Peek-a-Boo Camera | Once Upon a Coward | Ten Little Flintstones | Fred El Terrifico | The Bedrock Hillbillies | Flintstone and the Lion | Cave Scout Jamboree | Room for Two | Ladies' Night at the Lodge | Reel Trouble | Son of Rockzilla | Bachelor Daze | Operation Switchover The Flintstones Season 5:Hop Happy | Monster Fred | Itty Bitty Fred | Pebbles' Birthday Party | Bedrock Rodeo Round-Up | Cinderellastone | A Haunted House is Not a Home | Dr. Sinister | The Gruesomes | The Most Beautiful Baby in Bedrock | Dino and Juliet | King for a Night | Indianrockolis 500 | Adobe Dick | Christmas Flintstone | Fred's Flying Lesson | Fred's Second Car | Time Machine | The Hatrocks and the Gruesomes | Moonlight and Maintenance | Sheriff for a Day | Deep in the Heart of Texarock | The Rolls Rock Caper | Superstone | Fred Meets Hercurock | Surfin' Fred The Flintstones Season 6:No Biz Like Show Biz | The House That Fred Built | The Return of Stony Curtis | Disorder in the Court | Circus Business | Samantha | The Great Gazoo | Rip Van Flintstone | The Gravelberry Pie King | The Stonefinger Caper | The Masquerade Party | Shinrock A Go-Go | Royal Rubble | Seeing Doubles | How to Pick a Fight with Your Wife Without Really Trying | Fred Goes Ape | The Long, Long, Long Weekend | Two Men on a Dinosaur | The Treasure of Sierra Madrock | Curtain Call at Bedrock | Boss for a Day | Fred's Island | Jealousy | Dripper | My Fair Freddy | The Story of Rocky's Raiders
Locations
Bedrock | Flintstone home | Rubble home | Bedrock Bowl | Slate Rock and Gravel Company | Water Buffalo Lodge | Bedrock Drive-In Theater | Grand Canyon
