The Ape (1940): cast, story & where to watch
1940 · Film · ★ 4.9
Released in 1940, The Ape is a drama, horror and science fiction film directed by William Nigh, running about 62 minutes. “Jungle Beast or Man of Science?” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. 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?
Who’s in it. The Ape stars Boris Karloff as Dr. Bernard Adrian, Maris Wrixon as Frances Clifford, Gene O'Donnell as Danny Foster and Dorothy Vaughan as Mother Clifford, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.9/10, The Ape has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel and Philo and rent or buy it from Amazon Video and FlixFling. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Ape page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Ape tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Ape (1940)?
- In US, The Ape is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video and FlixFling. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Ape worth watching?
- The Ape holds an audience score of 4.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama, horror and science fiction. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Ape?
- The Ape stars Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon, Gene O'Donnell, Dorothy Vaughan and Henry Hall.
- When was The Ape released?
- The Ape was released in 1940, with a runtime of about 62 minutes.