I Watch Films: The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game

This 1932 adaption of the 1924 short story (previously discussed on this site) is the second most famous film starring Fay Wray to be shot on the set of King Kong.

Bob Rainsford (Joel Mcrea, previously seen on this site as famed lawman Bat Masterson) is in the saloon of a steam yacht, musing with his friends about the rapport between hunter and hunted. “Would you rather be you with the rifle or the tiger facing it,” one of them asks. “Fortunately I’ll never have to choose,” he replies. Immediately the boat hits a rock and sinks. Rainsford comes ashore to find himself on the private island of Russian émigré and hunter Count Zacharoff, who also has two guests from an earlier shipwreck, brother and sister Eve and Martin Trowbridge.

Zacharoff has found himself bored with hunting as it is no challenge to him and so seeks the most dangerous game*. He also claims that the only time to make love is after a kill, and leers unpleasantly at Eve. He’s the villain.

Watch This: For a short, fast-moving adventure film with a few fun man-traps and ambushes that slightly softens the hero from the story, as well as adding a love interest
Don’t Watch This: If cruelty to dogs turns you off, or villainous villains and heroic heroes are a bit dull

* Knife Monopoly