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One Million B.C.

One Million B.C.
OneMillion.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Hal Roach
Hal Roach, Jr.
Produced by Hal Roach
Written by Mickell Novack
George Baker
Joseph Frickert
Starring Victor Mature
Carole Landis
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Narrated by Conrad Nagel
Music by Werner R. Heymann
Cinematography Norbert Brodine
Edited by Ray Snyder
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
April 5, 1940
Running time
80 minutes
Country United States
Language English

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 caveman 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. Chaney's billing differs from that of his home studio Universal Pictures in that Hal Roach elected to retain the "Jr." instead of billing him under his father's name, possibly because Roach was co-directing the film with his own son Hal Roach, Jr..

The film was a popular success and was nominated for two Academy Awards for its special effects and musical score.

In a modern-day prologue, a group of hikers caught in a storm seek shelter in a cave. They encounter an anthropologist (Conrad Nagel, "The Narrator") who interprets prehistoric carvings that introduce the story of a young caveman.

Akhoba (Lon Chaney, Jr.) head of the Rock Tribe leads a hunting party. His son Tumak (Victor Mature) begs the right to his first kill, a small triceratops which he wrestles to death. An elderly man in the party falls from a cliff and is left to die. The party arrives at the Rock Tribe's cave with their prey. The beast is cooked on a fire. When it is done, the strongest feed first, next the women and children, then the few elderly pick the scraps. Tumak defends his portion from demands by Akhoba. They fight and Akhoba knocks Tumak over a cliff as his mother watches. Tumak recovers to find a mastodon attacking him. He runs and climbs a tree. The mastodon rams the tree and knocks it into a river.


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