Murders in the Zoo (1933) – Review

Who doesn’t like a trip to the zoo? You get to feed the bears, visit the Reptile House, and even watch the monkeys play with themselves, but murder isn’t usually part of the tour, which is why Paramount’s Murders in the Zoo stands out because who other than Lionel Atwill would use a zoo’s inhabitants as a murder weapon.

The idea of an insanely jealous person being “driven” to crime has been fodder for many a movie over the years but with Paramount’s Murders in the Zoo not only do we get one of the earliest examples but one of the most powerful and horrifying. Filmed during the pre-code era, director A. Edward Sutherland was able to take the premise of a husband’s mad jealousy to the extreme with a movie featuring a collection of rather gruesome and shocking deaths, and sure, what appears in this film may seem tame when compared to the “torture porn” of some modern horror films but somehow these have a more visceral feel to them that all the gore in the world can’t match. The key player in this film is big-game hunter and wealthy zoologist Eric Gorman (Lionel Atwill), a man who considers any threat to his marriage as a justification to murder, and the movie gets off to a great start with him sewing the lips shut of colleague Bob Taylor (Edward Pawley) and leaving him to be eaten by tigers, and the reason for this, the man attempted to kiss Gorman’s wife Evelyn (Kathleen Burke), which I considered to be an overly harsh response.

What’s wrong with the classic pistols at dawn?

The movie opens while Gorman and his wife are on safari in Indo-China, picking up animals for a zoo back in the States, but after the murder of the amorous Mister Taylor and a quick transatlantic boat ride, and it’s where we learn that Evelyn has another suitor in the wings in the form of Roger Hewitt (John Lodge), are story resumes its horrifying journey at the Municipal Zoo, an establishment that is currently suffering financial troubles that curator Professor G.A. Evans (Harry Beresford) hopes can be solved by the hiring of Peter Yates (Charles Ruggles) as their new press agent. Unfortunately, Yates is not only a bumbling drunkard who is terrified of practically all of the zoo’s inhabitants, but when two people at the zoo end up dead the wrong kind of publicity makes headlines. Needless to say, the deaths are not accidental but the work of Eric Gorman, knocking off one potential rival with a faked snake attack and then another murder to cover that one up, which leads to the zoo’s laboratory doctor, Jack Woodford (Randolph Scott), to discover the culprit and not only save the day but the zoo as well.

“I will now confront the killer alone because I’m an idiot.”

Stray Observations:

• Gorman returns from Indo-China with at least one lion visible among his catch, but lions have never been indigenous to Southeastern Asia. Did he hunt in one of their zoos over there?
• The killer snake is described as a “green mamba” but those snakes are only found in Africa so I’m starting to get a feeling that this script wasn’t vetted by an actual zoologist. In fact, the snake in this film is not a green mamba but a 25-foot-long python.
• If you’re in a movie and Lionel Atwill promises you “I really unusual evening” book a flight out of the country as soon as possible.
• Seeing Randolph Scott out of his typical cowboy garb and in a white lab coat makes this a fun look at his early career.
• If you discover your husband is a murderer, and have even found the murder weapon, go to the police and not the zoo, because if you end up being fed to the alligators then it’s kind of on you.

Maybe an open bridge over an alligator pit was a bad idea.

Lionel Atwill’s performance as the sadistic Eric Gorman is simply amazing, with his performance bringing a magnetic and sinister presence to the character, portraying him with a perfect balance of charm and madness. Atwill’s ability to convey Gorman’s cold and calculating nature while still maintaining an air of sophistication is truly remarkable but we shouldn’t overlook Charles Ruggles for his bumbling press agent, whose role in this outing injects moments of humour into the otherwise intense storyline, then again, I enjoy Ruggles in pretty much all his appearances in films over the years. Furthermore, Murders in the Zoo showcases impressive production values for its time. The set design, particularly Gorman’s mansion and the zoo itself, is richly detailed and adds to the film’s overall sense of opulence and decadence.

Decadence, thy name is Lionel Atwill.

One of the film’s standout features is the creative use of animals as instruments of horror as Murders in the Zoo presents some truly unnerving scenes, highlighting the power and danger inherent in the animal kingdom, from poisonous snakes to man-eating crocodiles, the film exploits the primal fears associated with nature’s predators, evoking a sense of unease and primal terror. While the film’s plot is intriguing and suspenseful, and even horrifying at times as the deaths in this film are particularly gruesome, does occasionally succumb to predictable storytelling tropes and contrived character decisions. However, these minor flaws are outweighed by the film’s overall effectiveness in delivering suspense and terror.

The zoo should have posted a “Beware of Irony” sign.

While the film is undeniably entertaining, it is worth noting that some of the themes and depictions may feel dated by today’s standards such as its treatment of women in particular, which may be considered problematic, with female characters often portrayed as nothing more than damsels in distress and adding very little to the narrative. Also, the film’s big finale featuring big cats fighting each other would certainly not pass the mandate of “No Animals Were Harmed in the Making of this Film,” but it is important to view the film within the context of the time it was made and appreciate it as a product of the early 1930sm, an era that wasn’t necessarily kind to women or animals in more than one fashion or another.

Terrible Trivia: At the film’s climax, during a big cat free-for-all, a lion broke the back of a puma and later the poor suffering animal had to be put down.

In conclusion, Murders in the Zoo remains a notable entry in the early horror-thriller genre, offering a gripping and atmospheric tale that explores the darkest corners of human nature. Lionel Atwill’s chilling performance, combined with the film’s use of animal symbolism and A. Edward Sutherland’s excellent direction, make it a must-watch for fans of classic suspense cinema. Just be prepared to experience a dark journey into the human psyche as you delve into the shadows of the zoo.