The Most Dangerous Game (film)
| The Most Dangerous Game | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Irving Pichel Ernest B. Schoedsack |
| Produced by | Ernest B. Schoedsack Merian C. Cooper |
| Written by | James Ashmore Creelman |
| Based on | "The Most Dangerous Game" 1924 Collier's by Richard Connell |
| Starring | Joel McCrea Fay Wray Leslie Banks Robert Armstrong |
| Music by | Max Steiner |
| Cinematography | Henry W. Gerrard |
| Edited by | Archie Marshek |
| Production company |
|
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release dates | September 16, 1932 |
| Running time | 63 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $219,869[1] |
| Box office | $443,000[1] |
 |
This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. (December 2011) |
The Most Dangerous Game is a 1932 Pre-Code adaptation of the 1924 short story of the same name by Richard Connell, the first film version of that story. The plot concerns a big game hunter on an island who hunts humans for sport. The film stars Joel McCrea, Leslie Banks, and King Kong leads Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong, and was made by a team including Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper, the co-directors of King Kong (1933).
Contents
[show]
Plot[edit]
Famous big game hunter and author Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) is aboard a ship explaining to his fellows that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who hunt and those who are hunted. When the ship hits a reef, explodes and sinks, Rainsford and two others manage to get off, but the other survivors are eaten by a shark. He swims to a small, lush island. He becomes the guest of the expatriate Russian Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks), a fellow hunting enthusiast. Zaroff remarks that Rainsford's misfortune is not uncommon; in fact, four people from the previous sinking are still staying with him: Eve Trowbridge (Fay Wray), her brother Martin (Robert Armstrong), and two sailors.
That night, Zaroff introduces Rainsford to the Trowbridges and reveals his obsession with hunting. During one of his hunts, a Cape buffalo inflicted a head wound on him. He eventually became bored of the sport, to his great consternation, until he discovered "the most dangerous game" on his island. Rainsford asks if he means tigers, but Zaroff denies it. Later, Eve shares her suspicions of Zaroff's intentions with the newcomer. The count took each sailor to see his trophy room, on different days, and both have mysteriously disappeared. She believes their host is responsible, but Bob is unconvinced.
Then Martin vanishes as well. In their search for him, Rainsford and Eve end up in Zaroff's trophy room, where they find a man's head mounted on the wall. Then, Zaroff and his men appear, carrying Martin's body. Zaroff expects Rainsford to view the matter like him and is gravely disappointed when Bob calls him a madman.
He decides that, as Bob refuses to be a fellow hunter, he must be the next prey. If Rainsford can stay alive until sunrise, Zaroff promises him and Eve their freedom. However, he has never lost the game of what he calls "outdoor chess". Eve decides to go with Rainsford. The two initially succeed in avoiding Zaroff and his dogs.
Eventually, they are trapped by a waterfall. When Rainsford is attacked by a hunting dog, Zaroff shoots and the young man falls into the water. Zaroff takes Eve back to his fortress to enjoy his prize. However, the dog was shot, not Rainsford.
Rainsford eventually shows up while Zaroff plays the piano for pleasure. Zaroff says Rainsford had beaten him and gives him the key to the boathouse, but Rainsford discovers him holding a gun behind his back. Rainsford fights first Zaroff, then his henchmen, killing the henchmen and mortally wounding Zaroff. As Rainsford and Eve speed away in a motor boat, the dying Zaroff tries to shoot them. Unsuccessful, he succumbs to his wounds. He falls out of a window into the pack of his frenzied hunting dogs.
Cast (in credits order)[edit]
- Joel McCrea as Sanger Rainsford
- Fay Wray as Eve Trowbridge
- Leslie Banks as Count Zaroff
- Robert Armstrong as Martin Trowbridge
- Noble Johnson as Ivan
- Steve Clemente as Tartar
- William B. Davidson as Captain
- Buster Crabbe as a sailor who falls off the boat when it is sinking. (uncredited)
Reception[edit]
The film made a profit of $70,000 during its first year of release.[1] The Most Dangerous Game currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Adaptations and influence[edit]
The Richard Connell short story has been adapted for film a number of times, and its basic concept has been borrowed for numerous films and episodes of television series (Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space, Get Smart, Fantasy Island, and Predators among others).
The 1932 film was referenced in the plot of the 2007 David Fincher movie Zodiac. Jake Gyllenhaal's character recognizes quotes from the film in letters from the Zodiac Killer sent to the newspaper office where he works.
Quotations[edit]
 |
This section contains too many or too-lengthy quotations for an encyclopedic entry. (December 2011) |
"He talks of wine and women as a prelude to the hunt. We barbarians know that it is after the chase, and then only, that man revels." "As you know the saying of the Ogandi chieftains: 'Hunt first the enemy, then the woman.'" "It is the natural instinct. What is woman, even one such a woman as this, until the blood is quickened by the kill?" one passion builds upon another. Kill, then love! When you have known that, you have known ecstasy."
— General Zaroff
"This world's divided into two kinds of people: the hunter and the hunted. Luckily I'm the hunter. Nothing can change that."
— Bob Rainsford
'TV영화관' 카테고리의 다른 글
| Tombstone (film) (0) | 2014.11.20 |
|---|---|
| The Dirty Dozen (0) | 2014.11.09 |
| The Deer Hunter (0) | 2014.11.04 |
| Fury (2014 film) (0) | 2014.10.23 |
| Kings Row (0) | 2014.10.22 |