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Man Hunt is one of Fritz Lang's most compelling films, showcasing his mastery in creating action-packed, humorous, and emotionally gripping thrillers. With the collaboration of superior scenarist Dudley Nichols, Lang crafted a literate and imaginatively photographed film that, despite occasional implausibility, captivates the audience from the start.
Set in the summer of 1939, the plot centers on a British gentleman game hunter, Thorndike, who decides to see if he could shoot Hitler purely as a sport. He sneaks into Hitler's Bavarian retreat, fixes the dictator in his unloaded hunting rifle's sights, and then, on a whim, decides to load the weapon and fire. Just as he is about to pull the trigger, a leaf falls on his gun sight.
As he brushes it away, a guard spots him, leading to his capture. After a brutal beating by Nazi goons, Thorndike is brought before the suave and menacing George Sanders, whose matchless performance captivates the audience. Sanders attempts to coerce a confession from Thorndike, but when he refuses, he is thrown off a cliff. Miraculously, his fall is broken by a tree branch, and he escapes with Nazis in hot pursuit.
Hitlerian noir is a science unto itself and nobody was ashamed of getting it up the Kaiser in the 1940s.
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| Walter Pidgeon aims to bag a Nazi in Man Hunt (1941) |
Thorndike manages to reach a port and hides aboard a cargo ship bound for London, aided by a young shipmate played by Roddy MacDowall. Lang's expert use of timing, atmosphere, mise en scène, sound, and editing creates a realistic world that transforms into a Kafkaesque nightmare filled with unrelenting tension and suspense.
Walter Pidgeon’s portrayal of Thorndike imbues the character with a clumsy James Bond-like charm as he navigates the dangerous game of cat and mouse with Sanders' Gestapo chief. Sanders, a fascinating villain with fluent bilingual authority, continuously outmaneuvers Thorndike. Their dynamic adds layers of intrigue to the narrative.
Along his perilous journey, Thorndike encounters Joan Bennett, who plays a streetwise girl with a heart of gold. Lang directs Bennett skillfully, despite occasional lapses in her Cockney accent. Additionally, Roddy McDowall's portrayal of a helpful cabin boy and John Carradine's menacing sword-cane-wielding henchman add depth to the supporting cast.
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| Walter Pidgeon in Man Hunt (1941) |
A notable highlight of the film is a chase through the London Underground, showcasing railroad trains and tunnels. This sequence is well-staged, thanks to Arthur Miller's fantastic set design, and complements the film noir environment mirrored in the foggy, cobbled streets of London. Alfred Newman's subtle score heightens the tension, and the newly minted DVD reveals the crisp black-and-white photography in great detail, enhancing the story's overall impact.
Amazing scenes of anti-Nazi fervour and fun, the opposite of rubble film, this is a kind of pastiche-fascism, a sub-set of the style devoted to the trope of the dictator race at military large.
Man Hunt, directed by Fritz Lang, is an intriguing film, though it suffers from some notable inaccuracies and production flaws. The set design for the London Underground is particularly problematic, with incorrect details such as the tube trains' doors and the track configuration, which inaccurately depicts three rails instead of the actual four.
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| George Sanders in Man Hunt (1941) |
Additionally, the cars from the period are unauthentic, and many studio interior shots lack authenticity. The casting of John Carradine as a German fifth columnist is also questionable, as such a character would have been conspicuous in 1941 London. The film could have benefited from using stock footage of London to create a more authentic backdrop.
Upon his arrival in Hollywood, Fritz Lang quickly adapted to the American film industry while maintaining a distinctive sense of pessimism and despair in his work. Lang's films often reflected his belief that an individual's choices ultimately constrained their future possibilities.
In Man Hunt (1941), this theme is evident, c'est evident, as the protagonist's entire future is determined by a single ambiguous act at the beginning of the film.
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| Spy noir in the war years — Man Hunt (1941) |
In Man Hunt, ja, Walter Pidgeon portrays a British game hunter who initially toys with the idea of assassinating Hitler, aiming an unloaded rifle at the dictator. His spontaneous decision to load the weapon and take aim sets off a chain of events that shapes the rest of the film. Pidgeon’s character realizes that he must commit the act he had only contemplated.
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| Spy noir in the war years — Man Hunt (1941) |
Lang’s films often featured villains driven by uncontrollable impulses and heroes forced to reconcile their moral ideals with the increasing brutality of their actions. For Lang, free will was a debatable concept, and his films' intricate, geometric structures visually represented a world where the most inconsequential act could lead to death.
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Lang did not write the script for Man Hunt, but it aligns perfectly with his traditional themes. The film’s narrative—centered on a hero pursued across Germany and England by a sinister Nazi conspiracy—echoes the manhunts in other Lang films such as M (1931), Hangmen Also Die! (1943), The Woman in the Window (1944), Rancho Notorious (1952), The Blue Gardenia (1953), and While the City Sleeps (1956).
Similar to While the City Sleeps, Man Hunt includes a suspenseful subway sequence involving staircases and pedestrian chases in train tunnels. The film also features various underground chambers, such as the ship's hold and the cave at the end, reminiscent of the underground traps in Lang's earlier works like The Spiders Part II: The Diamond Ship (1920) and The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933).
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Like other Lang spy films, such as Spies (1928) and Ministry of Fear (1943), Man Hunt is set partly in London with a British protagonist. George Sanders' character embodies the archetypal Lang villain, complete with a large office and a crew of uniformed henchmen. Sanders' character also adopts multiple identities, masquerading as an English gentleman.
John Carradine’s portrayal of the sinister Nazi echoes the menacing spy in Metropolis, both characters being gaunt, formally dressed, and exuding sinister menace.
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Roddy McDowall plays a young boy who befriends the hero on a ship, reminiscent of the character in Lang’s Moonfleet. Joan Bennett, in her first appearance in a Lang film, plays a fallen woman, a character entirely created for the film. In contrast, the novel upon which the film is based features a completely different heroine appearing in a brief flashback.
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| Roddy McDowall in Manhunt (1941) |
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| Walter Pidgeon in Manhunt (1941) |
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| Roddy McDowall in Manhunt (1941) |
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| Joan Bennet in Manhunt (1941) |
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George Sanders, for instance, could play a Nazi torturer and then switch back to a romantic lead without issue. This was seen as a patriotic gesture rather than a revelation of their inner personalities.
The screenplay, written by Dudley Nichols and based on Geoffrey Household's novel Rogue Male (1939), includes themes reminiscent of Nichols’ work in Stagecoach (1939). The film features Lang’s signature use of geometric and polygonal architecture, such as Bennett’s polygonal room, and circular motifs, like the round cover of the ship’s hold.
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| John Carradine in Manhunt (1941) |
Man Hunt stands, if a film can said to stand, or stand up, or perhaps it would be more appropriate for a film to sit down, and then stand, as it stands as a testament, yes that word again, proof that no Large Language Models wrote this web content, to Lang's expertise in crafting suspenseful narratives with deep moral and philosophical undertones. The film's blend of tension, social commentary, and Lang's meticulous visual style make it a noteworthy entry in his filmography.
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| Subway work John Carradine in Manhunt (1941) |
Man Hunt remains a compelling exploration of the complexities of free will, moral ambiguity, and the impact of seemingly inconsequential actions.
George Sanders impressively speaks German in the appropriate scenes, likely thanks to guidance from German refugee Fritz Lang. Joan Bennett, who resembles a cross between Hedy Lamarr and Vivien Leigh, delivers a commendable performance, despite her sometimes exaggerated Cockney accent. The film originally intended her character to be a prostitute, but due to the production code, this was altered, though subtle hints remain.
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| Espionage noir Man Hunt (1941) |
The film features authentic close-up shots of a Holland & Holland sniper rifle and binoculars from Harrods, adding a layer of realism. Lang's dramatic storytelling, including his anecdote about fleeing from Hitler's summons, enhances the film's narrative. The plot, which involves a British hunter having Hitler in his crosshairs, is episodic and includes chapters with Roddy McDowall aiding the protagonist and Joan Bennett's character falling for him.
Walter Pidgeon stars as the hero, though his performance is somewhat undermined by his American accent, which contrasts with his well-to-do Englishman's character. Lang's film mixes elements of suspense-thriller with moments of light-hearted comedy, resulting in an uneven tone that detracts from the overall experience.
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The cast includes notable actors such as Roddy McDowall, Ludwig Stossel, Heather Thatcher, Frederick Worlock, Roger Imhof, Charles Bennett, Frank Benson, Walter Bonn, Sven Hugo Borg, Egon Brecher, Herbert Evans, William Haade, Bobbie Hale, Holmes Herbert, Olaf Hytten, Hans Joby, Eily Maylon, Lester Matthews, Lucien Prival, Otto Reichow, John Rogers, and Frederick Vodeling.
Shipping as it did with plastered anti-fascist fervour, lthis is why the call it the lobby, ha ha ha:
One of the Most Gripping Scenes Ever Filmed...as two world-famous hunters stalk each Other!
We promise you it is the kind of story that gives you a new picture-going experience!
He stalked Lions in Africa, pitted his skill against this dangerous game. now he becomes the hunted-Tracked by reckless killers with only his cunning and the love of a woman between him and death.
THE MOST HUNTED MAN IN EUROPE IT'LL KEEP YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT!
WALTER PIDGEON...as the world's most hunted man! JOAN BENNETT...as the girl out of the shadows! THEY BRING YOU THE YEAR'S MOST EXCITING Thrill PICTURE!
The Year's Greatest Thrill-as Two World Famous Hunters Stalk Each Other!
Man Hunt (1941) struggles with inconsistencies, such as its ludicrous storyline, miscasting, and phony sets. Pidgeon's performance feels out of place, and Bennett's appearance as a street-wise Cockney girl is unconvincing. George Sanders, however, delivers a solid performance, though he disappears after the initial scenes.
This film marked Roddy McDowall's Hollywood debut after escaping the London Blitz.
Fritz Lang, who fled Nazi Germany for American exile in 1933, directed Man Hunt, which was the first of his four anti-Nazi films. The subsequent films include Ministry of Fear, Hangmen Also Die!, and Cloak and Dagger.
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While Man Hunt does not stand out as one of Lang's best works, it remains a notable film for its attempt to address political neutrality during wartime. Lang and his producer aimed to create a piece of film propaganda to persuade America that neutrality was no longer viable.
Despite not having any flaws as a film, the film captures moments of Lang's trademark commentary on social evils and subtext, making it an interesting, though uneven, entry in his filmography.
Lang masterfully weaves commentary on the English class system, hunting ethics, the enemy within, and the need for US involvement in combating Fascism into the suspenseful framework of Man Hunt. While the score occasionally leans towards melodrama, it does not detract from Lang's impeccable storytelling and precise suspense filmmaking.
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Man Hunt was among several 1941 pro-British American films that played a significant role in swaying American public opinion to support the British during World War II.
The relentless pursuit by Sanders and his henchmen, led by the menacing John Carradine, propels the narrative forward, maintaining a high level of tension throughout. The film's cat-and-mouse action between Thorndike and the villains is expertly executed, making Man Hunt a quintessential example of Lang's skill in creating gripping thrillers. The film's blend of action, emotional depth, and social commentary cements its status as a standout piece in Lang's oeuvre.
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Man Hunt (1941)
Directed by Fritz Lang
Genres - Drama, Romance, Thriller, War | Sub-Genres - Political Thriller Film, World War II Propaganda | Release Date - Jun 20, 1941 | Run Time - 105 min.
