Send a Gorilla

Of course 'women libbers' have taken all the fun out of romance, which is all it ever had going for it if you ask me..

– Talkback radio host Chris Dean (John Callen) expounds on one of his many theories

With the exception of Joy who seems to be a classic nerd-coming-out-of-her-shell and Charlene, who's a love sapped shop assistant, the film eschews lazy stereotyping and greatly enlarges the gallery of interesting female characters in New Zealand film with a couple of quirky and dynamic performances from Carmel McGlone and Perry Piercy. These women are reckless, stylish, brave and witty, even in the face of disaster.

– Writer Ann Hardy in Illusions issue 10, March 1989, page 2

Send a Gorilla doesn't so much celebrate romantic love, as kick it in the teeth.

– Reviewer Costa Botes in The Dominion, 13 February 1989

...on top of organising more than 50 actors, 60 locations and 100 set-ups each week for nearly two months, supervising/line producer Robyn Laing had to contend with endless spring rain — not exactly the conditions you want for a film set in late summer.

– Writer Philip Wakefield in The Evening Post (TV Week liftout), 10 February 1992, page 3

The women are operating in a city that's being torn down around them. It reflects the chaotic nature of their work ... you can point a camera in any direction in Wellington at the moment, and there is a construction site there.

– Supervising producer Robin Laing on the film reflecting Wellington's cityscape being in a state of change, OnFilm, December 1987 (volume 5, no 1), page 27

For all its surface charm and style Send a Gorilla is a film about female anger. That anger is understandable and largely constructive because it propels the women into action to improve their situation, emboldened by the masks they wear. But ultimately, like the gorilla suit, it traps them into being half-human.

– Writer Ann Hardy in Illusions issue 10, March 1989, page 6

The hardest part of the role was constantly getting curly black gorilla hairs in my eyes — and not being able to get at them because of the mask and huge rubber hands.

– Actor Carmel McGlone on spending much of the film inside a gorilla suit, The Evening Post, 9 February 1989, page 17