Every Which Way but Loose

Philo Beddoe, a trucker and amateur boxer with a knack for getting into trouble, travels across the country with his orangutan companion, Clyde. Along the way, he gets entangled with a vengeful biker gang after a bar fight and falls for a sultry country singer. Philo must use his fists and his unusual sidekick to get out of sticky situations and win the girl.

Every Which Way but Loose was a surprising box office success, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1978. Critics, however, were largely dismissive of its crude humor and simplistic plot, though Eastwood's charismatic performance and the novelty of the orangutan character garnered some attention. It developed a cult following over the years.

• Panned for its low-brow humor and derivative plot.

• Clint Eastwood's laid-back charisma and the presence of Clyde the orangutan were highlights for some.

• Seen as a departure from Eastwood's more serious roles, leaning into broad comedy.

Google audience: Audiences found the film to be a humorous and entertaining diversion, particularly enjoying the unconventional pairing of Clint Eastwood and his orangutan sidekick, Clyde. While some noted the plot's simplicity, many appreciated the action sequences and the film's overall fun-loving, albeit crude, nature.

The orangutan who played Clyde, an animal actor named Clyde the Orangutan, was actually portrayed by two different orangutans during filming: Manis and Michael.