The Most Dangerous Game

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The Most Dangerous Game

Released Sep 16, 1932

1h 3m

Horror

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100%

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25 Reviews

73%

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2,500+ Ratings

When legendary hunter Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) is shipwrecked on the perilous reefs surrounding a mysterious island, he finds himself the guest of the reclusive and eccentric Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). While he is very gracious at first, Zaroff eventually forces Rainsford and two other shipwreck survivors, brother and sister Eve (Fay Wray) and Martin Towbridge (Robert Armstrong), to participate in a sadistic game of cat and mouse in which they are the prey and he is the hunter.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

There is, amid all this sensationalist material, an ongoing discourse on what it means to be human, and how far a man should be willing to go, as Zaroff puts it, to “follow his convictions to their logical conclusion.”

Oct 24, 2022

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Gayle Sequeira

BFI

One stretch cuts between the actor's eyes and his point-of-view in tight close-up as he doggedly stalks his prey through the jungle, vision obscured by dense foliage. In another, the camera keeps pace alongside a pack of ferocious hunting dogs.

Nov 17, 2024

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...a passable piece of work that generally feels like it should be much, much better.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 31, 2024

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Gothic horror gives way to survival thriller in the primitive world of the jungle, where the American big gun hunter refuses to play the game.

Oct 6, 2023

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The film initially teases its viewers as much as Zaroff does his guests (we finally see what's in his basement, and it ain't pretty) before storming full-barrel into the hunt.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 13, 2023

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Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

The Most Dangerous Game proves itself to be a classic film that goes beyond the staples of film infancy.

Feb 5, 2023

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Garry A

I wonder if this was considered controversial back in the 30s. It definitely asks the question is hunting animals humane. It's campy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

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Lars N

This thing has it all: Shipwrecks, explosions, an exotic island, a great villain, henchmen, booby traps, dangerous animals and thrilling plot all served within an hour of screentime. Nothing here to not like.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/01/25

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David W

An absolute classic of it's time, whose plot has inspired many subsequent movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

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Micah H

Definitely a letdown compared to the outstanding short story. It’s a perfectly fine movie, but not really that good.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

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Steve D

Aged surprisingly well. Still effectively creepy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

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Rare T

The birthplace of suspense.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/17/24

Full Review

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Irving Pichel

Director

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Director

Joel McCrea

Bob Rainsford

Fay Wray

Eve Trowbridge

Leslie Banks

Count Zaroff

Robert Armstrong

Martin Trowbridge

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Synopsis

When legendary hunter Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) is shipwrecked on the perilous reefs surrounding a mysterious island, he finds himself the guest of the reclusive and eccentric Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). While he is very gracious at first, Zaroff eventually forces Rainsford and two other shipwreck survivors, brother and sister Eve (Fay Wray) and Martin Towbridge (Robert Armstrong), to participate in a sadistic game of cat and mouse in which they are the prey and he is the hunter.

Director: Irving Pichel, Ernest B. Schoedsack
Screenwriter: Richard Connell, James Ashmore Creelman
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures, Reel Media International [us], Criterion Collection, Sinister Cinema
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 16, 1932, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2012
Runtime: 1h 3m
Sound Mix: Mono

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