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The Ape

The Ape

Jungle Beast or Man of Science?

19404.71h 2m

Overview

Dr. Bernard Adrian is a kindly scientist who seeks to cure a young woman's polio. He needs human spinal fluid to complete the formula for his experimental serum. Meanwhile, a vicious circus ape has broken out of its cage, and is terrorizing the townspeople. Can there be a connection?

Directed by William Nigh
Written by Curt Siodmak, Richard Carroll, Adam Shirk
0

Top Cast

Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff

Dr. Bernard Adrian

Maris Wrixon

Maris Wrixon

Frances Clifford

Gene O'Donnell

Gene O'Donnell

Danny Foster

Dorothy Vaughan

Dorothy Vaughan

Mother Clifford

Henry Hall

Henry Hall

Sheriff Jeff Halliday

Selmer Jackson

Selmer Jackson

Dr. McNulty

Gertrude Hoffmann

Gertrude Hoffmann

Jane the Housekeeper

Jessie Arnold

Jessie Arnold

Mrs. Brill

Billy Bletcher

Billy Bletcher

Short Mustached Posse Man

Harry C. Bradley

Harry C. Bradley

Quinn

Themes & Keywords

circusgorillawheelchairmad scientistmad doctorwoman in wheelchairkiller ape

About The Ape

The Ape is a horror, mystery, science fiction film released in 1940 exploring themes of circus, gorilla, wheelchair, mad scientist, mad doctor, woman in wheelchair. Directed by William Nigh, it stars Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon, Gene O'Donnell. Dr. Bernard Adrian is a kindly scientist who seeks to cure a young woman's polio. He needs human spinal fluid to complete the formula for his experimental serum. Meanwhile, a vicious circus ape has broken out of its cage, and is terrorizing the townspeople. Can there be a connection?

Movies Similar to The Ape

Discover titles like The Ape — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Ape

If you enjoyed The Ape, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Ape.

House of Dracula
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Maniac(1934)

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A mad scientist, Dr. Aranya (Jackie Coogan), has created giant spiders in his Mexican lab in Zarpa Mesa to create a race of superwomen by injecting spiders with human pituitary growth hormones. Women develop miraculous regenerative powers, but men mutate into disfigured dwarves. Spiders grow to human size and intelligence.

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In 19th century England, a noted brain surgeon rescues a former student from being hanged on a false conviction for murder, and spirits him away to an ancient, repurposed abbey far in the countryside. There, he connives his pupil into assisting him in mapping the functions of the various parts of the human brain, using living subjects who are under a terrible animation-suspending drug called "black sleep". Subsequently, the student, along with the daughter of one of the subjects, discover that most of these subjects have survived but are being kept in a dungeon-like cellar, in various stages of physical and mental derangement...

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Baron Victor Frankenstein has discovered life's secret and unleashed a blood-curdling chain of events resulting from his creation: a cursed creature with a horrid face — and a tendency to kill.

The Man They Could Not Hang
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Sssssss(1973)

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David, a college student, is looking for a job. He is hired by Dr. Stoner as a lab assistant for his research and experiments on snakes. David also begins to fall for Stoner's young daughter, Kristina. However, the good doctor has secretly brewed up a serum that can transform any man into a King Cobra snake-and he plans to use it on David.

The Evil of Frankenstein
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Once hounded from his castle by outraged villagers for creating a monstrous living being, Baron Frankenstein returns to Karlstaad. High in the mountains they stumble on the body of the creature, perfectly preserved in the ice. He is brought back to life with the help of the hypnotist Zoltan who now controls the creature. Can Frankenstein break Zoltan's hypnotic spell that incites the monster to commit these horrific murders or will Zoltan induce the creature to destroy its creator?