I don't know if this was the first movie adaptation of the 1924 short story by Richard Connell, (also called "The Hounds of Zaroff"), but it certainly was an effective one. I recall reading once that the sets used for the picture were also used simultaneously for filming the following year's "King Kong", so all the while as Rainsford (Joel McCrae) is being pursued through the jungle I'm expecting some sort of errant dinosaur to pop up. There was that one scene with the crocodile but Rainsford must have known it wouldn't bother him, he and Eve Trowbridge (Fay Wray) just walked right by it.I thought the picture could have done a better job of establishing Count Zaroff's (Leslie Banks) trophy room. It's too bad the longer preview version isn't available, the trivia notes for this movie indicate that scenes were removed for giving movie audiences the creeps back in the day. Of course anything goes today, so it would be neat if the discarded sequences managed to show up again.Early on, the Count establishes that the world is divided between two factions - the hunter and the hunted. It's an interesting concept to dwell on, as today it manifests among nations through the aggressive use of force. Not to get sidetracked, Zaroff pursues his quarry with deadly efficiency, but Rainsford is not one to give up easily. I thought the little traps he set for the Count were fairly clever, proving that the prey was every bit as cunning as the hunter.I had to chuckle a bit though near the end of the story as I thought about an earlier mention that the island was 'no bigger than a deer park'. As Rainsford and Eve made their way out of Fog Hollow and approached the giant rapids, I thought to myself that this was a pretty large deer park.There's somewhat of a 1961 remake of this story with a movie titled "Bloodlust" which has an unintended comic element that fortunately didn't manifest in this story. In "Bloodlust" there are four potential victims for the mad hunter and a much more detailed trophy cave for his victims. But the thing is, in any scene where the hunter is in conversation with his intended prey, they could have easily jumped him to end the story right then and there. In this version there's a lot more suspense and intrigue before Count Zaroff meets his defeat and quite literally goes to the dogs.

The Cossack count, a matinée villain, is a form of one of the tropes that dominated the popular narrations for half a century, the colorful exotic villain. 'The Most Dangerous …' is an exciting, lively, dynamic, very likable movie, and a true classic, (ancestor, as style, of, e.g., some Zombie comedies from the '40s), with most of the (small, but distinguished) cast going for the funny, almost comic book, style; because the humor is mostly in the performances, with a bit of sitcom in the interplay of the Cossack and the drunken brother, who refuses to acknowledge the menace of the host, which humiliates the threatening hunter. What does one enjoy most in this movie? The rhythm, the sets, in the _faux stylish, _faux classy taste of the early '30s, the reshaped Gothic, the gusto and liveliness of the scenes and interplays of the characters, the performances, perhaps especially Leslie Banks as Zaroff, momentarily upset by his drunken guest's insouciance; I felt a sure quality in the role of the Cossack killer. The story is done, is rendered as a comedy, an actually zestful genre of the '30s was the humorous drama, the comic drama, the alternation of comedy and drama in a storyline, as here, in balanced proportions. As this genre was outmoded, the code itself became liable to misinterpretations, with people having an anachronistic standpoint and being either annoyed by the comedy, or unable/unwilling to read it as such; yet from the '30s standpoint, the genuine one, both comedy and drama were played. The 2nd half of the movie, with the trophies cellar and then the chase, is straight adventure. As a matter of fact, the whole show was nicely directed for what it was meant to be: an adventure drama played with a goofy knack.Another reason to see the movie would be the actress, who got 2nd billing on the credits, and was then at the height of her career; in this she seems cordially at ease with her role, in fact in the long scene of the arrival at the fortress all the performers seem to have a good time, and Zaroff is funnily overbore by Eve's drunken brother, a case when a victim is unimpressed by the villain's whims and unconsciously ignores his threats and menacing persona, and as such we see the Cossack a little disconcerted, annoyed by his unsuspecting guest. To enjoy the movie, one must be aware of its nature. Because this classic is certainly enjoyable; I have seen it one Saturday evening, from 9.20 to 10 ¾, with a break from 9.47 to 10.10.

This is the first film adaptation on the famous story by Richard Connell. It's about Bob Rainsford (Joel McCrea) an avid hunter who one day is shipwrecked and finds himself on an island inhabited by another avid hunter a Russian nobleman named Count Zaroff (Leslie Banks). Zaroff seems like a nice guy, but it is soon revealed that he hunts human beings who land on his island. He does this to keep his interest in hunting which had bored him long ago. Bob and a girl held hostage named Eve Trowbridge (Fay Wray) escape into the jungle to escape Zaroff. It's a classic cat and mouse story. The first part of the movie is of Bob first meeting Zaroff and having dinner in his house. The second part is when the movie goes from good to great. This is where the exciting hunt scene comes in. I say go see this one. You will be glad that you did.

A sort of prelude to King Kong (1933), The Most Dangerous Game (1932) is one of the most exciting and memorable adventures of 1930s cinema. It contains everything people love about pre-code Hollywood with its no holds barred action and sexually charged atmosphere, and it looks forward to Kong with its exotic adventure.Joel McCrea and Fay Wray are absolutely gorgeous and admirable as the leads and Noble Johnson also does good with the small role of Ivan, Zaroff's mute henchman, but it is Leslie Banks as the disturbed Count Zaroff who remains with you after the credits roll. He excellently portrays the character's insanity and psychological/sexual obsessions. He's one of my favorite movie villains ever.Modern audiences will likely mock the jungle sets, but honestly that adds to the demented nightmarish feel of the movie. The whole thing is drenched with dread and violence, giving the film the feel of a horror movie. The chase scenes in the jungle are like something out of a bad dream; the frantic Max Steiner score and cinematography really amp up the tension.All in all, an excellent underrated film. A must see for lovers of 1930s Hollywood.