The Hairy Ape

Play trailer

The Hairy Ape

Released Jul 2, 1944

1h 30m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

40%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

17%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Ship stoker Hank Smith (William Bendix) is a mountain of a man, but he is still very sensitive. So when the beautiful socialite Mildred Douglas (Susan Hayward) insults him with the slur "hairy ape," her words cut deep. At first the brutish Smith wants revenge for the insult, but after he thinks about it, he's more confused than anything else. After his ship docks, he departs into the city to track down the rich woman and find out the meaning behind her harsh words.

Watch on Prime Video

Stream Now

SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

As a whole, the film is most certainly better than average and its ironical ending not without its own value.

Nov 19, 2020

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

The basic character... is particularly well portrayed, both so far as the part itself is concerned and in the interpretation by William Bendix. He imparts to it all the ape-like qualities that could exist in a man in line with the O'Neill play.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Josephine O'Neill

Daily Telegraph (Australia)

Between the lovers of Eugene O'Neill and the lovers of a sexy melodrama, the film just falls with a thud.

Nov 24, 2020

Full Review

Nick Davis

Nick's Flick Picks

One of those films that profits in some tiny but intriguing way from being such a bastardization of the source material.

Rated: C+

Jan 3, 2010

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

The dialogue couldn't be cornier.

Rated: C

May 16, 2007

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

based on a eugene o'neill play One of those films that profits in some tiny but intriguing way from being such a bastardization of the source material

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

ODDLY APPEALING, RATHER CAMPY AT TIMES. HAYWARD IS GORGEOUS. GOOD COSTUME DESIGN, WELL CAST. DIFFERENT.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Alfred Santell

Director

William Bendix

Hank Smith

Susan Hayward

Mildred Douglas

John Loder

Tony Lazar

Dorothy Comingore

Helen Parker

Roman Bohnen

Paddy

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Humoresque

57%

70%

Humoresque

Watchlist

All Through the Night

100%

71%

All Through the Night

Watchlist

TRAILER

for All Through the Night

Mr. Skeffington

57%

80%

Mr. Skeffington

Watchlist

Now, Voyager

91%

90%

Now, Voyager

Watchlist

The Strange Woman

40%

52%

The Strange Woman

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Ship stoker Hank Smith (William Bendix) is a mountain of a man, but he is still very sensitive. So when the beautiful socialite Mildred Douglas (Susan Hayward) insults him with the slur "hairy ape," her words cut deep. At first the brutish Smith wants revenge for the insult, but after he thinks about it, he's more confused than anything else. After his ship docks, he departs into the city to track down the rich woman and find out the meaning behind her harsh words.

Director: Alfred Santell
Producer: Jules Levy
Screenwriter: Robert Hardy Andrews, Decla Dunning
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Mayfair Productions Inc.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 1944, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 27, 2016
Runtime: 1h 30m

Most Popular at Home Now