The Ape (1940)
“Half man, half beast, all terror!”
Streamed free from the Internet Archive · no signup, no cost — this film is in the public domain.
Synopsis
Boris Karloff lends real pathos to a Monogram cheapie as a kindly doctor whose quest to cure a paralyzed girl curdles into murder. When a circus ape breaks loose and is killed, he uses its hide to disguise his killings. The science-fiction premise of a fluid-based cure anchors the horror.
Cast
About the Director
William Nigh — Veteran quickie director William Nigh keeps the modest film moving and lets Karloff play the doctor with sympathy rather than ham, so the horror grows from a good man's desperation. The result is more melancholy than most Poverty Row monster fare.
Why It’s Free: The Public-Domain Story
The film is in the public domain in the United States because Monogram Pictures never renewed its original 1940 copyright; with no renewal filed in the 28th year, federal protection expired and the film entered the public domain.
Behind the Scenes
Adapted in part from a stage play by Adam Hull Shirk and with an early screenplay credit for Curt Siodmak, it was one of several horror pictures Karloff made for Monogram around 1940 between his Universal assignments.
Did You Know?
- Curt Siodmak, later famous for writing The Wolf Man, co-wrote the screenplay.
- The story originated as a stage play, "The Ape," by Adam Hull Shirk.
- It was among the run of low-budget chillers Karloff made for Monogram, a step down in budget from his Universal classics.
Reception & Legacy
Reviewers consider it a minor but watchable entry, carried almost entirely by Karloff's restrained, sympathetic performance, which gives a threadbare production unexpected emotional weight.
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