IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
A social misfit uses his only friends, his pet rats, to exact revenge on his tormentors.A social misfit uses his only friends, his pet rats, to exact revenge on his tormentors.A social misfit uses his only friends, his pet rats, to exact revenge on his tormentors.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
Lois Berkson
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
Shirley Blackwell
- Guest
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Ernest Borgnine's autobiography, the studio offered him a choice of either a higher salary or a percentage of the box office. Borgnine chose the higher salary.
- GoofsWhen Willard goes to the sink to add water to the rat poison, the rat wrangler's shadow can be seen as he reaches to remove Ben from the center island.
- Quotes
Willard Stiles: Tear him up!
- ConnectionsEdited into Ben (1972)
Featured review
Rodents Galore!
A mousy, introverted young man befriends and teaches rats basic commands. Soon his home and life are preoccupied with this rodent infestation, coming particularly close to two rats, Ben and Socrates. Willard is played with great skill by Bruce Davison, communicating to the audience his despondency with family life as well as with his job. He has a love-hate relationship with his dotty, doting mother, played with the usual charm only Elsa Lanchester can exude. His relationship with his mother's friends is distant, and with his employer Martin, disastrous. Martin is played with relish by Ernest Borgnine, making the audience feel little sympathy for his fate. Naturally, Willard trains the rats to do "bad" things and this leads to a battle of wills between Willard and the main rat Ben(the lead character in the film's sequel BEN). Overall, the film is rather slowly paced, but well-acted and rewarding in the end.
- BaronBl00d
- Mar 6, 2000
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Ratman's Notebooks
- Filming locations
- Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch Mansion - 637 South Lucerne Boulevard, Windsor Square, Los Angeles, California, USA(exteriors and interiors of the Stiles family home)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,216,000
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