Synopsis

Jack Corcoran, a struggling motivational speaker, learns that his estranged father has died and left him an unexpected inheritance: Vera, a full-grown circus elephant. Unable to sell or abandon her, Jack joins forces with an elephant specialist to transport Vera across the country. The journey turns into a chaotic road adventure that forces Jack to reconsider his priorities, his family history, and his own carefully rehearsed advice.

Factoids & Trivia

• Vera was played by Tai, an approximately 8,000-pound Asian elephant who had previously appeared in Operation Dumbo Drop.

• Tai's size made the swimming sequence one of the production's most concerning scenes. The trainers were less worried about the airport sequence than about Tai becoming so enthusiastic in the water that she would ignore the rest of the scene.

• Animal action on the production was monitored by the American Humane Association.

• Filming took place in several parts of the United States, including St. Louis, Denver, Moab, San Jose Airport, and Wrightwood. The listed production period ran from May 8 through August 9, 1995.

• The score was composed by Miles Goodman, who died of a heart attack on August 16, 1996, less than three months before the film's November 1, 1996, U.S. release.

• The film was a notable commercial disappointment, despite combining a major comedy star with an unusual animal-centered road-movie premise.