Frustrated by the losing performances from their pro-football team the Atoms, owner Edward Asner and coach Don Knotts recruit a kicking mule from Yugoslavia to score the kind of field-goals no human athlete could dream of. This is strictly "The Absent-Minded Professor" minus the Flubber, though viewers didn't seem to mind, making "Gus" a big hit in 1976 with matinée audiences. However, the general pacing is very slow and all the actors look too old for their parts (with the exception of Asner, whose snide one-liners give the movie a little mule-sense). Knotts is still doing his Barney Fife shtick, while Liberty Williams is the perky token female. If you do watch, see if you can figure out why the faux-football footage at the beginning is run in slow-motion. In fact, the whole movie feels in slow-motion. * from ****

This is indicative of most 70's Disney fare: it looks more like it was written by a ten year old, rather than for one. It brings up the debate as to who was the bigger jackass: the mule or the executive who gave the green light to this turkey.Don knots as a football coach is funny enough to carry a sketch, but not of movie. Tom Bosley as a mobster? Bob Crane's character was an all too obvious parody of Howard Cosell,(for those of you too young to remember a longtime ABC sportscaster who spoke in a long-winded monotone and was part of the Monday Night Football broadcast team from 1970 through 1983) Funny given pro football's popularity that nobody's really put out a good film about pro football. (yes that includes Any Given Sunday)

As others have said, the plot is just totally unreal. But the cast, bless their hearts, play this one straight and before you know it, you're sucked in watching. Tim Conway and Tom Bosley pretty much steal the show--my husband, 6-year-old daughter, and I roll on the floor laughing every time we watch this and it's time for the scenes in the hotel and grocery store. Also, worth mentioning are Bob Crane (as the "Old PepperPot"--a sports announcer who's even more obnoxious than Dick Vitale) and football great Johnny Unitas (who can't get a word in edgewise to do the play-by-play). Oh, yes--Dick Enberg's in this one--it was filmed when he still had hair! This one ends with a little twist, too.Great viewing for the whole family, or for one of those nights you want to have friends over and just laugh yourself silly. . .

Once I was watching TV late at night and this stupid-looking movie came on. It was Gus. I can't believe movies like this could be actually pitched to an executive, but I guess Disney can never be underestimated. As I began to watch it, I became enthralled: a mule kicks field goals from any distance and never misses. Alas, the mule gets kidnapped before the BIG GAME and he must be retrieved. Boy was I surprised when he was airlifted back onto the field after an unpleasant yet unbelievable scene involving a supermarket. Don Knotts plays a terrible coach too, but Gus steals the show here. If you want to watch a movie that never should have been made, check out Gus.