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The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

The Most Dangerous Game (1932)
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The first of many official and unofficial screen versions of Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game was put together by producer Willis O'Brien and directors Ernest B. Schoedsack and Irving Pichel in 1932. Leslie Banks stars as loony Russian count Zaroff, a renowned big-game hunter who tires of stalking animals and begins hunting down the "most dangerous game"-human beings. Luring unwary victims to his remote island, Zaroff wines and dines them, gives them a few hours' head start to run into the jungle, then hunts them down with rifle and bow and arrow. As his grisly trophy room demonstrates, Zaroff hasn't missed yet. Shipwreck survivors Joel McCrea and Fay Wray are Zaroff's latest quarry. "First the hunt, then the revels!" declares Zaroff, casting a lecherous eye towards the wide-eyed Ms. Wray. The original Connell story had no heroine, but who wants to watch Joel McCrea lose most of his clothing while scurrying through the jungle? The Most Dangerous Game was filmed on RKO's standing King Kong sets during a lull in the production of that classic film, utilizing most of the Kong personnel (actors Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Noble Johnson, Steve Clemente and Dutch Hendrian; producer O'Brien; director Schoedsack; composer Max Steiner). While the plot has been reshaped and recycled many times since 1932, RKO's only official remake of Most Dangerous Game was 1945's A Game of Death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Joel McCreaFay Wray, (more)
Director(s):
Irving PichelErnest B. Schoedsack, (more)
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Most Dangerous Game

The first of many official and unofficial screen versions of Richard Connell's The Most Dangerous Game was put together by producer Willis O'Brien and directors Ernest B. Schoedsack and Irving Pichel in 1932. Leslie Banks stars as loony Russian count Zaroff, a renowned big-game hunter who tires of stalking animals and begins hunting down the "most dangerous game"-human beings. Luring unwary victims to his remote island, Zaroff wines and dines them, gives them a few hours' head start to run into the jungle, then hunts them down with rifle and bow and arrow. As his grisly trophy room demonstrates, Zaroff hasn't missed yet. Shipwreck survivors Joel McCrea and Fay Wray are Zaroff's latest quarry. "First the hunt, then the revels!" declares Zaroff, casting a lecherous eye towards the wide-eyed Ms. Wray. The original Connell story had no heroine, but who wants to watch Joel McCrea lose most of his clothing while scurrying through the jungle? The Most Dangerous Game was filmed on RKO's standing King Kong sets during a lull in the production of that classic film, utilizing most of the Kong personnel (actors Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Noble Johnson, Steve Clemente and Dutch Hendrian; producer O'Brien; director Schoedsack; composer Max Steiner). While the plot has been reshaped and recycled many times since 1932, RKO's only official remake of Most Dangerous Game was 1945's A Game of Death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
63 mins

Complete Cast of The Most Dangerous Game


Director(s):
Irving PichelErnest B. Schoedsack
Writer(s):
James Ashmore Creelman
Producer(s):
Ernest B. SchoedsackMerian C. Cooper
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR(Not For Children)
Categories:
Mystery & Suspense
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Member Reviews
 
Isabel M.

Definitely worth renting if you enjoy old movies and I loved the story in high school. I was bracing myself based on the other review here yet, hoping for a good version all the same. I loved Leslie Banks as General Zaroff because he was so awesome in the part, making me laugh at his complete lunacy and the fact that he believed himself so seriously. Definitely, very enjoyable and humorous. I had a good time watching this movie. Fay Wray is worst than a damsel in distress that I sort of wished she could've died and/or disappeared.

Yes   |   No

 
Robert R.

This film is awesome! It's got everything you want in a classic old thriller. It actually benefits from the fact that there are some carry-over aspects of silent films. The bigger-than-life facial expressions by Fay Wray and Leslie Banks are perfect for the setting. Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong were both actually shooting the original "King Kong" at the same time they were doing this film. Armstrong is exceptionally lively in his brief part as the drunken brother and adds wonderful contrast to the crazy villain "Count Zaroff" (Leslie Banks). The sets are deliciously grandiose and impressive. The outdoor scenes are fantastic. The murky, misty, crockodile-infested swamp and the huge raging waterfall come through as exciting and real. This is the kind of old scary-movie you can sink your teeth into without worrying about graphic gore. I couldn't stop watching for a second. With its well-paced direction, it retains great entertainment value. It is a compliment to its time.

Yes   |   No

 
Catherine O.

There may be a better version of this one out there somewhere. The time period in which this film was made probably has a lot to do with it not being that great a film. The actors were coming out of the silent film era and still felt the need to over-emote quite a bit. Facial expressions are over the top! There was no woman in the book, and they changed the story a bit to include Fay Wray's character. The book is a classic and was much more suspenseful. This film was almost comical in a lot of ways, and not suspenseful in the least. But again, it was 1932, so if you rent this one, keep that in mind. Someone should remake it! (By the way, it's "The Most Dangerous Game," not "Games," the point being that man is the most dangerous game (prey).)

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