Reel Memories No. 99 – King Kong

by William V. Reynolds
Columnist

I’m not sure when the story of beauty and the beast was first told. Very likely, no one else knows
either. The idea seems to be as old as the human race. There is even a version of it told in the book of
Judges in the Bible, i.e., Samson, the strongman and Delilah, the temptress.
King Kong (1933) is a very unique telling of the story. It opens with this statement from an Arab
prophet, ‘And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty. And it stayed its hand from killing. And
from that day, it was as one dead.’
The story begins in 1932 at a Hoboken, New Jersey dock where a ship is tied up waiting to sail to a
destination known only to the filmmaker who is aboard. Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) has a
reputation as a fearless and reckless filmmaker. But this time he wants to add something to his film
that he hasn’t done before.
So he goes in search of a woman to play the love interest in his new movie. He finds Ann Darrow
(Faye Wray) stealing an apple on the streets of New York City. Paying the merchant for the apple, he
takes her to a restaurant, and gives her a meal then offers her a job in his new film. It takes some
convincing, but she finally decides to accompany him on the voyage.
The crew of the ship is uneasy about having a woman on board. Most of them consider it bad luck.
Meanwhile the ship’s first mate Jack Driscoll (Bruce Cabot) falls in love with Ann Darrow. Denham
accuses him of going soft, comparing him to the beast that he plans to feature in his film.
They finally arrive at Skull Island where they discover the huge gorilla called Kong by the natives.
When Ann is taken prisoner by the natives, she is sacrificed to Kong as an offering. Driscoll insists
that he’s going after her, and Denham decides to come along so that he can film the huge ape.
Meanwhile Kong has taken Ann to the jungles where he lives along with a number of other
prehistoric creatures including dinosaurs of one variety or another. After several misadventures in an
attempt to rescue Ann, Driscoll is finally able to get her back. Kong gives chase and during the battle
Denham decides to capture him and take him back to New York.
Once in New York, Denham sets up the show on Broadway. He proclaims that Kong was a king in
his own territory, but here he is merely a captive. He assures everybody that they are perfectly safe in
the presence of the large ape. Despite his reassurances Kong escapes and seeks out Ann whom he
takes to the top of the Empire State building.
In King Kong’s final battle he swats at the aircraft as they fly toward him firing machine guns. Finally
he crashes to the street dead. A bystander says to Denham, “The airplanes got him.” Denham replies,
“The airplanes didn’t get him. Beauty killed the beast.”
Today we give a real memory salute to the cast and crew of King Kong.
William V. Reynolds is the author of “Murder in the Okefenokee” available at
doubleeagleenterprises.com and Amazon.com or ask for it at your favorite bookstore.