Walk Like a Man

Walk Like a Man

Year: 1987

Runtime: 86 mins

Language: English

Director: Melvin Frank

Comedy

Facing a $30 million inheritance, a man who believes he’s a dog must deal with his brother Reggie’s demand that he “roll over” and surrender the fortune. Bobo, a feral youth raised by wolves, is brought back to his family by a researcher, a reunion that infuriates Reggie, who refuses to share any of the inheritance with him and settle the dispute.

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Timeline & Setting – Walk Like a Man (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Walk Like a Man (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 19th century to early 20th century

The tale begins during the Klondike gold rush era, when prospectors flocked to Alaska in search of fortune. About twenty years later, the narrative crosses into a later period where inheritance, social upheaval, and scientific inquiry reshape the family's fate.

Location

Alaska, Klondike wilderness

Alaska's Klondike wilderness provides the rugged backdrop for Henry Shand's pursuit of gold. The snow-swept landscape is depicted as unforgiving and isolating, shaping the characters' choices and destinies. Later, the story expands into urban spaces and scientific settings, signaling a shift from frontier hardship to modern life.

❄️ Wilderness 🗺️ Alaska 🐺 Klondike

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

Main Characters – Walk Like a Man (1987)

Meet the key characters of Walk Like a Man (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Reggie Shand (Christopher Lloyd)

A spoiled, calculating heir who schemes to sign over his brother Bobo's inheritance to cover gambling debts. He uses charm and manipulation to present a respectable façade while pursuing money and power behind the scenes.

🎭 Greedy 🧭 Manipulative 🐾 Calculating

Henry Shand (Christopher Lloyd)

A determined prospector who travels to Alaska in search of gold and fortune. His quest ends in his death about twenty years later, setting up a massive inheritance for his son and a fractured family.

🏔️ Frontier 💼 Ambitious 🪙 Fortune-seeker

Margaret Shand (Cloris Leachman)

Henry's widow who has gone mad with grief and fortune, spending most of the family wealth on stray cats. Her sanity frays further as the inheritance and Bobo's fate hang in the balance.

🎭 Melancholy 🐱 Eccentric 🧠 Fragile

Rhonda Shand (Colleen Camp)

Reggie's wife who, after the family loses its wealth, becomes increasingly irritable and alcoholic. She navigates their financial collapse and shifting social status with bitterness and resolve.

🍸 Alcoholic 🧭 Loyal 💔 Strained

Penny (Amy Steel)

A biologist from Alaska who discovers that Bobo is alive and trains him to walk and speak, while forming a bond with him. She stands up for Bobo in court and ultimately helps thwart Reggie's manipulation.

🔬 Scientist 💖 Compassionate 🗣️ Advocate

Bobo Shand (Howie Mandel)

The two-year-old brother of Reggie, pushed off a dog-sled and later raised by timber wolves. Bobo's canine behaviors gradually yield to human-like traits as Penny teaches him, leading to a complicated relationship with wealth, law, and love.

🐕 Wolf-raised 🐾 Playful 🛑 Unpredictable

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

Major Themes – Walk Like a Man (1987)

Explore the central themes of Walk Like a Man (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🐺 Wildness

Bobo's wolf-raised upbringing blurs the line between animal instinct and human behavior, driving his clashes with civilized society. The film uses his evolving demeanor to explore identity, adaptation, and acceptance. Penny's role as translator between two worlds highlights how environment shapes character.

💰 Greed

Reggie's inheritance-driven scheme shows how wealth can corrupt relationships and manipulate dependence. The push to turn Bobo into a fortune instrument reveals the fragility of trust within a family. The courtroom showdown exposes the moral cost of exploiting vulnerability for gain.

👪 Family Bonds

Across generations, family loyalties are strained and tested by money, loss, and survival. Margaret's descent into instability contrasts with Penny's principled defense of Bobo, highlighting different forms of care. The tale asks how far love goes when money threatens to destroy it.

😂 Dark Comedy

The film leans into absurd, humorous moments as Bobo navigates dressing rooms, shopping malls, and a world designed for humans. The contrast between his wolfish instincts and social norms creates comedic tension. Amid the jokes, the story critiques vanity, deception, and the resilience of unlikely friendships.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 08:25

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Walk Like a Man Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Walk Like a Man, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Walk Like a Man Summary

Walk Like a Man Timeline

Track the full timeline of Walk Like a Man with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Walk Like a Man Timeline

More About Walk Like a Man

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