The Most Dangerous Game

Play trailer

The Most Dangerous Game

1932

1h 3m

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

Tim M

The Most Dangerous Game doesn't last as long as it should, but remains perhaps the most definitive adaptation of the classic story with oodles of suspense.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/09/25

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Steve D

Aged surprisingly well. Still effectively creepy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Irving Pichel

Director

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Director

Joel McCrea

Bob Rainsford

Fay Wray

Eve Trowbridge

Leslie Banks

Count Zaroff

Robert Armstrong

Martin Trowbridge

Cat People

92%

73%

Cat People

Watchlist

The Leopard Man

90%

63%

The Leopard Man

Watchlist

The Body Snatcher

86%

75%

The Body Snatcher

Watchlist

Isle of the Dead

90%

53%

Isle of the Dead

Watchlist

The Curse of the Cat People

88%

65%

The Curse of the Cat People

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now