The Son of Kong *** (1933, Robert Armstrong, Helen Mack, Frank Reicher, John Marston, Victor Wong, Lee Kohlmar, Ed Brady) – Classic Movie Review 4658

‘SEE! The cannibals! The earthquake! The sea serpent! The fighting monsters of ages past!’ It is irresistible, isn’t it? Probably the first monster movie sequel, it starts by announcing itself as ‘a serio-comic phantasy’.

Producer Merian C Cooper and director Ernest B Schoedsack’s hasty cash-in fantasy adventure sequel to the same year’s king-sized hit King Kong is intriguing, entertaining and acceptable but lacks the original’s brilliance. Original stars Robert Armstrong and Frank Reicher return as Carl Denham and Captain Englehorn.

After all the monkey-business mayhem of the first movie in which giant gorilla, the Mighty Kong, Eighth Wonder of the World, perishes from top of Empire State Building, cocky film-maker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) talks ship Captain Englehorn (Frank Reicher) into shipping him back to Kong’s habitat of Skull Island, where he and his party are stranded by a mutiny. Then, in a reverse of the original, they befriend a little baby Kong, who is aping big daddy.

Once again, effects magician Willis O’Brien’s stop-motion special effects of monsters are a triumph and the model work and studio-staged earthquake create exciting segments in the movie.

But the film is is low gear for far too long at the start, the idea of a little Kong is not very thrilling and RKO’s too-lightweight movie looks cheaper, not as well produced and less impressive this time round.

Running 70 minutes, it is written by Ruth Rose, shot in black and white by Eddie Linden, Vernon Walker and J O Taylor, produced by Merian C Cooper and Archie S Marshek, scored by Max Steiner and designed by Van Nest Polglase.

Also in the cast are Helen Mack as Hilda, John Marston as Helstrom, Victor Wong as the Chinese cook Charlie, Lee Kohlmar, Ed Brady as Red, Clarence Wilson, Katherine Ward, Gertrude Short, Gertrude Sutton, Noble Johnson, Steve Clemente, Frank O’Connor, Harry Tenbrook, Oscar Dutch Hendrian and Sam Levine.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 4658

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