The Jungle Captive (1945)

The film opens in the laboratory of the eminent biochemist, Mr. Stendahl (Otto Kruger). His assistants, Ann Forester (Amelita Ward) and Don Young (Phil Brown), watch as he successfully restores life to a dead rabbit. Meanwhile, at the city morgue, the deformed Moloch (Rondo Hatton) arrives to claim the body of the deceased Ape Woman (Vicky Lane). When a curious attendant checks his credentials, Moloch strangles him and escapes with the body in a stolen ambulance. Moloch abandons the ambulance by driving it off a cliff, and takes the Ape Woman's body to a deserted house. There, he prepares for Stendahl’s next experiment. The police, led by Inspector Harrigan (Jerome Cowan), find a medical smock at the crash site and trace it back to Stendahl’s lab. Suspicion falls on Don, but Ann provides a false alibi to protect her fiancé. Stendahl later kidnaps Ann and brings her to his secret lab in the desolate house, with Moloch and the Ape Woman’s body. He plans to use Ann’s blood to revive the creature. Moloch, smitten with Ann, becomes protective of her. Thanks to the blood transfusion, Stendahl successfully brings the Ape Woman back to life, but to fully prove his theory, he must transform her into a human. He instructs Moloch to steal Dr. Walters’s records from Dr. Fletcher, resulting in Fletcher’s death. Using glandular secretions from Ann, Stendahl completes the Ape Woman’s metamorphosis. However, her brain remains primitive. Stendahl decides to transplant Ann’s brain into the revived creature. While Stendahl is away, the now human Ape Woman escapes. Moloch searches for her and ends up at Stendahl’s office, where Don discovers Moloch wearing Ann’s fraternity pin. Don follows Moloch back to the house but is captured. Stendahl and Moloch, unable to find the Ape Woman, tie up Don and Ann. The police discover a utility bill leading them to the Old Orchard Road house. As Stendahl prepares for surgery, Don explains to Moloch that the brain transplant will kill Ann, causing Moloch to rebel. Stendahl shoots Moloch, and the noise causes the Ape Woman to revert to her beastly form. She attacks and kills Stendahl, then turns on Ann, but Inspector Harrigan arrives in time to shoot the creature and save Ann. The film ends with Don and Ann being pulled over by the police, only to be given a subpoena that is actually an invitation to collect their wedding gift from Harrigan. Cast: - Otto Kruger as Mr. Stendahl - Amelita Ward as Ann Forrester - Phil Brown as Don Young - Jerome Cowan as Insp. W.L. Harrigan - Rondo Hatton as Moloch, the brute - Eddie Acuff as Bill, morgue wagon attendant - Ernie Adams as Jim, morgue wagon attendant - Charles Wagenheim as Fred, first morgue attendant - Eddy Chandler as Motorcycle Cop - Jack Overman as Detective at Lab - Vicky Lane as Paula Dupree Runtime: 63 minutes.