The Ape
| The Ape | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | William Nigh |
| Produced by | William Nigh |
| Written by |
Adam Shirk Curt Siodmak Richard Carroll Suggested from the play by Adam Hull Shirk |
| Starring |
Boris Karloff Maris Wrixon Gene O'Donnell |
| Music by | Edward J. Kay |
| Cinematography | Harry Neumann |
| Editing by | Russell F. Schoengarth |
| Distributed by | Monogram Pictures Corporation |
| Release dates | September 30, 1940 |
| Running time | 62 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Ape is a 1940 American horror film made for Monogram Pictures, co-written by Curt Siodmak and starring Boris Karloff.[1]
Plot outline
Dr. Bernard Adrian is a kindly scientist who seeks to cure a young woman's polio. All he needs is spinal fluid from a human to complete the formula for his experimental serum. Meanwhile, a vicious circus ape has broken out of its cage, and is terrorizing the townspeople.
The Ape eventually breaks into Dr. Adrian's lab. The Doctor manages to kill it before any harm can come to himself. However, the spinal fluids he requires to perform his experiments have all been destroyed during the struggle between him and the Ape.
Doctor Adrian then concocts an idea: he will tear off the ape's flesh and use its skin to disguise himself as the escaped circus animal and murder townspeople in order to extract their spinal fluid. Thus the murders will be blamed on the Ape and he, himself, will manage to avoid any suspicion.
However, one of his attacks towards the film's end is unsuccessful; he is fatally knifed and the Ape's "true identity" is revealed.
Production
The movie was filmed in the city of Newhall, Santa Clarita, California.[2]
Cast
- Boris Karloff - Dr. Bernard Adrian
- Maris Wrixon - Miss Frances Clifford
- Gene O'Donnell - Danny Foster
- Dorothy Vaughan - Mother Clifford
- Gertrude W. Hoffmann - Jane, Adrian's Housekeeper
- Henry Hall - Sheriff Jeff Halliday
- Selmer Jackson - Dr. McNulty
See also
- List of American films of 1940
- Boris Karloff filmography
- List of films in the public domain
References
External links
- The Ape at the Internet Movie Database
- The Ape is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
- The Ape at allmovie
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