The Most Dangerous Game

Released Sep 16, 1932

1h 3m

Horror

List

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.

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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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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

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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

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

A classic in all the ways that matter, and essential viewing for anybody who doesn’t mind recognizing its plot, over and over again, in the 90 years of cinema that has followed.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 21, 2023

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Alec B

As silly as the premise is, there is still a lot of effective tension. Also Count Zaroff is sort of a proto Bond villain which is very fun.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Deke P

1932 ! Wow! 100% ratings from RT pro's. They said it was a CLASSIC, & xlnt. Famous short story by the same name. Murderer 'hunts' humans for sport, like animals. CAST!: JOEL MACRAE, looking young, slim, & sharp, as the hero. And, get this: FAY WRAY & ROBERT ARMSTRONG! Both were stars in the original KING KONG, also made about 1932! (how did they make 2 similar movies the same year??) Fay was the damsel. But Armstrong played a drunk, not nearly as great as his 'Captain/Director' in Kong. Anyway, the there was early a great scene as the big boat hit the rocks and sank! And, frankly, the movie seemed a little hokey in parts, but had its moments. Saw it first time ever, never heard of it, til on telly 2.10.24.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Connor S

Everything to love about old Hollywood: serious enough to not take itself too seriously!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/24

Full Review

Dane W

this movie is so good i think it is the best horror movie of the 1930s

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/15/23

Full Review

Bill F

Absolute garbage! What planet are these professional critics on? Appalling dialogue, even worse wooden ham acting and terrible effects. Only Leslie Banks stands out as an interesting character, while Richard Armstrong is mildly amusing . Joel McCrea and Faye Raye, on the other hand, are embarrassingly awful.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/09/23

Full Review

Valerii Ege D

I have watched every horror movie till 1932. This movie has a 21st-century idea. Today, whoever does movies like this, with a little bit A24 approach, we appreciate them. Really good movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/13/23

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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