The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

Directors:

Irving Pichel
Ernest B. Schoedsack

Writers:

James Ashmore Creelman (screenplay)
Richard Connell (story)

Release Date:

16 September 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Thriller | Horror | Mystery

Plot:

An insane hunter arranges for a ship to be wrecked on an island where he can indulge in some sort of hunting and killing of the passengers.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Hunter | Hunting | Reef | Most Dangerous Game

Cast

Joel McCrea	...	Bob Rainsford
Fay Wray	...	Eve Trowbridge
Leslie Banks	...	Count Zaroff
Robert Armstrong	...	Martin Trowbridge
Noble Johnson	...	Ivan
Steve Clemente	...	Tartar Servant (as Steve Clemento)
Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian	...	Tarter Servant (as Dutch Hendrian)
William B. Davidson	...	Captain (as William Davidson)

Also Known As:

Hounds of Zaroff (UK)
El malvado Zaroff (Spain) (dubbed version) [es]
Graf Zaroff - Genie des Bösen (Germany) [de]
La chasse du comte Zaroff (France) [fr]
Les chasses du comte Zaroff (France) [fr]
To pio epikindyno thirama (Greece) (TV title) [el]

Runtime:

63 min | USA:78 min (preview version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 (1987) | South Korea:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #1348-R: 29 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1934) | UK:12 (re-rating) | UK:A (cut) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG | USA:PG (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

Jungle sets were also used for simultaneous filming of jungle scenes in King Kong (1933).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When a gunshot causes a flock of birds to flutter out of a tree, strings are visible suspending the birds.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Captain: The channel's here on the chart, all right, and so are the marking lights.
First mate: Then what's wrong with them?
Captain: Those lights don't seem to be in just the right place. They're both a bit out of position according to this.
First mate: Two light buoys means a safe channel between the world over!
Captain: "Safe between the world over" doesn't go in these waters.

Movie Connections:

Featured in I'm King Kong!: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper (2005)

Soundtrack:

A Moment in the Dark

One of the most exciting films ever made

Cooper and Schoedsack are, of course, the same directors who made King Kong. They actually made it right after they made this film on some of the same sets, and you'll recognize that, if you're a Kong aficionado. The Most Dangerous Game probably would be as well known as King Kong if it were a half-hour longer. As it stands, it's only 63 minutes. Half of that is exposition, and the other half the chase. That first half does drag a little. Some people will say the same thing about the exposition of King Kong, though I'd disagree. The comical drunk in The Most Dangerous Game is quite annoying, I must say. No matter. Once the hunt begins, I dare you to try to take a breath. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat that entire half-hour. Bravo, good sirs. Once again, you have proved yourselves to be entirely undervalued filmmakers. Make sure, if you like this and/or King Kong, to see their early documentaries Grass and Chang, which are two near masterpieces themselves. 8/10.