Movielogr
One Million B.C. (1940)
Directed by Hal Roach, Hal Roach, Jr.
Twitter Facebook Google+Overview
One Million B.C. is a 1940 American fantasy film produced by Hal Roach Studios and released by United Artists. It is also known by the titles Cave Man, Man and His Mate, and Tumak. The film stars Victor Mature as protagonist Tumak, a young cave man who strives to unite the uncivilized Rock Tribe and the peaceful Shell Tribe, Carole Landis as Loana, daughter of the Shell Tribe chief and Tumak’s love interest, and Lon Chaney, Jr. as Tumak’s stern father and leader of the Rock Tribe.
Length 80 minutes
Actors
Victor Mature | Carole Landis | Lon Chaney Jr. | John Hubbard | Mamo Clark | Inez Palange | Edgar Edwards | Nigel De Brulier | Conrad Nagel | Jacqueline Dalya | Mary Gale Fisher | Norman Budd | Harry Wilson | John Northpole | Lorraine Rivero | Harold Howard | Ricca Allen | Adda Gleason | Edward Coxen | Ben Hall | Creighton Hale | Audrey Manners | Rosemary Theby | Patricia Pope | Chuck Stubbs | Jimmy Boudwin | Ora May Carlson | James Coppedge | Kay Frye | Betty Greco | Aida Hernandez | Robert Kent | Boots Lebaron | Jean Porter | Dick Simmons | Henry Sylvester | Frank Tinajero
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/15/2009 | TV | Broadcast | TV | 6 stars |
| (Average) 6 stars |
Viewing Notes
And if you thought I’d let the day pass without bad cinema I offer up Hal Roach’s incredibly awful One Million B.C. (1940). Horrifically bad in every sense, this nearly silent caveman film is absurd on every level. I don’t know where to begin yet I’m glad to have watched this courtesy of TCM. Featuring Lon Chaney Jr (again), the real star is Victor Mature (remember him from I Wake Up Screaming?), who does his best clean-shave, well-coifed caveman who saves the clan against the giant lizards and other disguised mammals.
The effects, set-pieces, the attire, it’s all bad. Since this is one of Mature’s earliest roles, I can’t blame him. Carole Landis is also cute as the blonde haired, fair skinned cave girl who managed to fashion herself a bra under those cave rags. There is one pretty good kill when I a cavewoman is engulfed in lava. Still stunned this was made and presented as any sense what the world and life was like 10,000 years B.C.
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