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The Ape (1940)

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Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.7/10
Reviews Counted: 5
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 3

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Release Date: Sep 30, 1940 Wide

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Average Rating: 2.5/5
User Ratings: 455

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Movie Info

This painfully-bad Monogram feature wastes the talents of two of horrordom's finest -- star Boris Karloff and co-writer Curt Siodmak (who would write the horror classic The Wolf Man for Universal the same year). The goofy plot involves the efforts of one Dr. Adrian (Karloff) to procure human spinal fluid for his polio-vaccine research by donning the pelt of a slain circus ape and slaughtering innocent people. The fact that he's snapping spines in the interest of medicine doesn't really help to

Unrated, 1 hr. 2 min.

Drama, Horror, Classics, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: William Nigh

In Theaters: Sep 30, 1940 Wide

Cast

Boris Karloff
Dr. Bernard Adrian
Maris Wrixon
Frances Clifford
Gertrude W. Hoffman
Mrs. Clifford
Henry Hall
Sheriff Jeff Holliday
Gene O'Donnell
Danny Foster
Jack Kennedy
Tomlin
Jessie Arnold
Mrs. Brill
George Cleveland
Henry Hull
Selmar Jackson
I. Stanford Jolley
Dorothy Vaughan
Jane
Selmer Jackson

Critic Reviews for The Ape

All Critics (6) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (3)

Silly as all the other Boris Karloff mad scientist pics, but just as entertaining.

November 3, 2009 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Click to read the article.

December 31, 2004 Full Review Source: StaciWilson.com

| Comment

Staci Layne Wilson

StaciWilson.com

Great silly premise with Karloff skinning an ape and wearing the suit, but boring.

October 1, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

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Audience Reviews for The Ape

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Boris Karloff is a kindhearted but unethical doctor trying to cure paralysis, and there's also an escaped circus ape running around killing people, and the two plotlines collide in a stupid way. Karloff can't save this ridiculous yet dull film, as the part makes him so likable he doesn't get the chance to do what he does best.

July 4, 2011

Greg S

Super Reviewer

The Ape isn't just silly, it's down right ridiculous. Everything is dodgy apart from the great Boris Karloff, but for all its faults, I could watch early B-Movies like this all day long. Awful but wonderful at the same time.

January 11, 2011

Anthony Lawrie

Super Reviewer

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