Hercules in New York

Did You Know?

• The film was released on home video under the title 'Hercules Goes Bananas'.
• Several scenes, including an elaborate chariot chase, were shot without permits.

Plot

Hercules complains to his father Zeus on Mount Olympus that he is not allowed to leave and go have adventures on Earth. Zeus eventually agrees and sends Hercules down on a beam of light. During his journey, Hercules has odd encounters in the air and at sea, including frightening an elderly woman aboard a passenger jet. He lands in New York City, where his physical strength impresses locals but his lack of social grace leads to comedic situations.

He becomes friends with a small, thin man named Pretzie, who earns a living selling pretzels, and goes on to find success as a professional wrestler. Watching from above, Zeus grows annoyed at what he sees as Hercules making the gods look foolish. He sends Mercury to bring Hercules back, but Mercury fails. Zeus then orders Nemesis to send Hercules to the underworld ruled by Pluto.

Juno, however, persuades Nemesis to give Hercules a poison that will remove his divine powers and then speak with Pluto. Nemesis tells Pluto what is happening, and Pluto makes a large bet against Hercules in a strongman contest involving Hercules’ gangster manager. Hercules loses the competition, and his friends try to stop the manager’s thugs, but Hercules follows to rescue them. Zeus learns the truth from Nemesis and steps in at the last moment to restore Hercules’ divinity, unwilling to let a mortal kill his son.

Hercules defeats the gangsters, realizes he was disobedient, and returns to the heavens, saying goodbye to Pretzie only over a radio after he has left. Back on Olympus, Zeus tells Juno and Hercules he will not punish them, then asks to be left alone. Once they go, Zeus sneaks away from the heavens and heads down to Earth, frightening a passenger jet on the way.

Production

Hercules in New York was the acting debut of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was 22 years old. At the time, he lived in Los Angeles and ran a bricklaying business with fellow bodybuilder Franco Columbu while training and competing in bodybuilding. During the audition, his agent claimed he had years of stage experience, though he had only appeared on bodybuilding stages. The film was also the directorial debut of Arthur Allan Seidelman, who had previously directed only theatre.

It was independently produced on a low budget and filmed entirely in real New York City locations, with several scenes shot without permits. Schwarzenegger is credited as 'Arnold Strong Mr. Universe' due to his long last name and to play off the name of comedian Arnold Stang. At filming's start, Schwarzenegger had just won first place in both professional and amateur Universe Championships. His lines were dubbed by an uncredited voice actor due to his thick Austrian accent, though the Trimark DVD includes an 'Original English Dialogue' track with his voice, except for the final scene where he was not present.