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      Murders in the Zoo

      Released Mar 1, 1933 1h 6m Horror List
      71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 54% Audience Score 50+ Ratings Dr. Gorman (Lionel Atwill) is a millionaire adventurer, traveling the world in search of dangerous game. His bored, beautiful, much younger wife (Kathleen Burke) entertains herself in the arms of other men. In turn, Gorman uses his animals to kill these men. When a New York City zoo suggests a fundraising gala, Gorman sees a prime opportunity to dispatch the dashing Roger (John Lodge) and anyone else who might cross him. Can a reptile expert (Randolph Scott) stop the doctor's murderous ways? Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      J. R. Jones Chicago Reader Charlie Ruggles provides comic relief as the zoo’s cowardly press agent, and Randolph Scott, in one of his early romantic leads, is the zoologist who suspects Atwill of foul play Aug 2, 2022 Full Review Don Q. Cine-Mundial The movie is extraordinarily impressive. [Full review in Spanish] Jan 13, 2021 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy A rousing pre-Code offering. Rated: 3/4 Jul 27, 2019 Full Review Mark R. Leeper Mark Leeper's Reviews Ruggles could be a funny comedian at the right time and place. He was most definitely not in the right time and place. Rated: 5/10 Oct 17, 2018 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Aug 15, 2005 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Lionel Atwill in the full-flower of lecherous perfidy is a kinky joy to behold. Rated: 4.5/5 Nov 7, 2002 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Alec B Grisly, even for a pre-code movie but other than that it's a little too goofy. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/28/24 Full Review martin a This is a wonderful vintage horror, basically, A insecure, jealous husband with a beautiful wife, who sources supplying animals to a Zoo, kills any man who tries to get near his wife. Problem is his wife plans to leave him, but her lover is killed by a snake bite, but his wife finds out the truth and ends up facing a grizzly fate! The film also shows the dated care animals got in the 1930s. Animal welfare has come a long way. A very good thriller Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The best parts of this movie would be Lionel Atwill's over-the-top evil performance and the fairly clever method he uses. There is some genuine abuse of animals which is a little tough for the modern viewer so be forewarned. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Grisly pre-code tale of a jealous and murderous husband that uses mambas, alligators, lions, etc. to do his dirty work-though he isn't afraid to get his own hands involved in "sewing" more evil. Of course he eventually must be victim of poetic justice. Atwill often played evil characters effectively. There is also a bit of screwball comedy to mix in with the unexpectedly graphic scenes for 1933. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member While you might be ethically disrupted by the grand finale wherein real lions savagely attack real leopards and cougars, you'll still thrill when Lionel Atwill's Pepe-le-Pew-esque borderline rapist character gets what's coming to him. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member A completely over-the-top, zany horror comedy about a jealous zoologist who murders anybody who gets too close to his wife. Famous now only for the insane visual near the start of a man with his mouth sown shut (and showing how much you could get away with in pre-code Hollywood) and some rather disturbing scenes later on involving big cats, this isn't up there with the greats, but it is certainly very enjoyable. Of note is Randolph Scott's solid performance and Charlie Ruggles' comedic performance. It's good to see Kathleen Burke as well, in just her second role, following The Island of Lost Souls. She plays it straight - none of the loopiness of the Lota, the Panther Woman here - but proves admirable enough. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Murders in the Zoo

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Dr. Gorman (Lionel Atwill) is a millionaire adventurer, traveling the world in search of dangerous game. His bored, beautiful, much younger wife (Kathleen Burke) entertains herself in the arms of other men. In turn, Gorman uses his animals to kill these men. When a New York City zoo suggests a fundraising gala, Gorman sees a prime opportunity to dispatch the dashing Roger (John Lodge) and anyone else who might cross him. Can a reptile expert (Randolph Scott) stop the doctor's murderous ways?
      Director
      A. Edward Sutherland
      Screenwriter
      Philip Wylie, Seton I. Miller
      Distributor
      Paramount Pictures
      Production Co
      Paramount
      Genre
      Horror
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Mar 1, 1933, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      Oct 14, 2010
      Runtime
      1h 6m