The Monster Walks
Cast & Crew
Frank Strayer
Rex Lease
Vera Reynolds
Sheldon Lewis
Mischa Auer
Martha Mattox
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Following her father's sudden death, Ruth Earlton arrives home with her fiancé, Dr. Ted Clayton. She is dismayed to learn that the ape upon which her Darwinist father conducted experiments is still kept in the basement, where it shrieks because it dislikes her presence. The entire estate is left to Ruth, but if she should die, it will go to her invalid uncle Robert. A small monthly sum is left to the housekeeper, Mrs. Krug, and her son Hanns, who are outraged, having expected a far larger sum. After Ruth goes to bed in the evening, a huge hairy hand reaches through the headboard and tries to strangle her. She screams and the hand withdraws. To ease Ruth's nerves, Ted fixes her a sleeping potion, and she falls asleep in a chair in her bedroom, while Mrs. Krug, who has stayed to comfort her, sleeps in the bed. Once again the hand reaches through, this time strangling Mrs. Krug to death. Ruth awakens and, horrified, alerts the household. Hanns secretly tells Robert that their plan to murder Ruth was thwarted, and that he actually killed his own mother. Blaming Robert for his mother's death and deploring him for not openly admitting that he is his father, Hanns strangles Robert and plans to kill Ruth. Ted checks in on Robert, who revives and admits he forced Hanns to try to kill Ruth so he could gain the inheritance. Aware that Ruth is in danger, Ted rushes to find her. Meanwhile, Hanns detains Ruth in the basement, where he is whipping the ape into a frenzy hoping it will kill her. Instead, the ape grabs the whip and strangles Hanns to death. With the menace of the Krugs gone, Ted and Ruth embrace.
Director
Frank Strayer
Cast
Rex Lease
Vera Reynolds
Sheldon Lewis
Mischa Auer
Martha Mattox
Sidney Bracy
Sleep N' Eat
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The "ape" in the film was actually a chimpanzee. A contemporary article in Variety lists Vernon Keays as assistant director. This film is listed as a Mayfair Pictures Corp. release in the 1933 Film Daily Year Book. Action Pictures was bought by Mayfair Pictures Corp. in 1932, whereupon Mayfair took over the distribution of their films. A modern source adds the following credits: Art Director, Ben Doré; Set Decoration, Ralph Black; and Music Director, Lee Zahler. Modern sources also note that the film was produced at International Film Corp., of which Ralph M. Like was chief executive and general manager.
