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6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Animal Kingdom remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies where people talk in rooms for ninety minutes, you’ll probably get a kick out of this. If you need explosions or even a single outdoor scene that isn’t a backlot, stay away. It’s basically a theater production that forgot to leave the stage.
Leslie Howard is doing that thing where he plays the 'tortured man of status' perfectly. You know, the guy who owns a library but looks like he’s never actually read a book in it. He’s torn between a wife who is basically a decorative lamp and a mistress who is actually interesting.
The dialogue is very sharp. Like, razor-blade sharp. It’s funny, but it’s also exhausting because nobody ever just says 'I’m unhappy.' They have to give a five-minute monologue about it.
Myrna Loy is the real reason to sit through the slower parts. She carries the whole movie on her back. When she’s on screen, the air in the room changes. Everyone else feels like they’re reciting lines from Daughters of Eve or something equally forgettable.
There is this one scene where Tom tries to explain his 'animal' instincts to his wife. She just stares at him like he’s speaking a dead language. It’s hilariously awkward. You can tell the actors were thinking about lunch during the setup.
It’s not as energetic as Across to Singapore, but it has this weird, claustrophobic charm. The movie never quite decides if it wants to be a drama or a social satire. It just kind of wanders between them.
Honestly, the ending is a bit of a shrug. It doesn't really fix anything. It just stops. Much like the weird ending of Pinning It On, you’re left wondering if the film reel just snapped.
Watch it for Myrna. Ignore the moralizing. Just enjoy the weird, stilted 1930s vibe.