Man Hunt

A wartime adaptation of "Rogue Male". Fairly heavily propagandized.
However, Pidgeon does a creditable job as the hero and George Sanders
quite sinister as the SS hunter. The best part of it is Pidgeon's touching
relationship with the Bennett, the street walker However, overall it does
not match up to Peter O'Toole's more thorough performance in the
later adaptation of "Rogue Male".

Fritz Lang is one of those legendary film directors, like Hitchcock and Ford, whose films are always either great or at least compelling. Man Hunt is not one of Lang's best films, but it is one of his most compelling. Made in 1941 during WWII, the film depicts what happens to a British hunter, played by Walter Pidgeon, travelling in Germany before the war who has the opportunity to assasinate Adolph Hitler at his country retreat, but because of mixed emotions, fails to do so. As a consequence, he is captured, tortured, and left for dead by the Gestapo. The film follows his escape and the Gestapo's efforts to assasinate him back in England.

The film has a great film noir mood and good suspense. The film also gives an interesting perspective on the desire of the British to appease Nazi Germany, a futile endeavour as history would show, and the existence and repulsiveness of British Nazi traitors prior and likely during the war against Nazi Germany. I think the film would have been better and more charismatic if another actor other than Walter Pidgeon had played the role of the protaganist. He doesn't seem right for the part. A Ronald Colman or Lawrence Olivier would have been much more suitable. Nevertheless, the film is engrossing and entertaining.

However, a remake of this film called Rogue Male made in 1976 and starring Peter O'Toole is a better film. O'Toole is much more suitable in the role of the British hunter, and the storyline is much more realistic. This is no reflection on Lang's effort, but simply the limitations he had in regard to production codes and budget. Lang's film has a greater emphasis on a film noir ambiance and style, and in its own way is just as effective in conveying the evil nature of the Nazi thugs and British traitors.

A fascinating and enjoyable film to view for any film noir buff or Fritz Lang fan.

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