The Naked Prey

The Naked Prey
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Cornel Wilde
Produced by	Cornel Wilde Sven Persson
Written by	Clint Johnston Don Peters
Starring	Cornel Wilde Ken Gampu Patrick Mynhardt Bella Randels Gert van den Bergh
Distributed by	Paramount
Release date	3 June 1965
Running time	96 mins.
Country	Rhodesia United States
Language	English, Afrikaans, Nguni languages
Budget	$647,649

The Naked Prey is a 1965adventure film starring Cornel Wilde, who also served as director and producer, which was released by Paramount Pictures. Set in the South African veldt, the film is a wilderness survival story loosely based on the experiences of explorer John Colter, who was pursued by Blackfoot warriors through frontier Wyoming in 1809. The screenplay earned Clint Johnson and Don Peters an Academy Award nomination.

Wilde, whose character is never named, plays a professional safari guide leading two white men (Gert van den Bergh and Patrick Mynhardt) and their troupe on an elephant hunt through the African veldt during the colonial era. When the group intrudes on a local tribe's territory, some natives politely accost them, expecting to be bought off with gifts. Although the guide advises his client to be courteous, warning "they could give us a bad time," the client refuses to offer anything and insults the natives, sending them away empty-handed. Later, the tribe returns en masse, captures the entire party, and puts the captives to death, using various cruel and unusual methods. One man is covered in clay and roasted alive on a spit; another is tarred, feathered, and trussed, then chased and killed by all the women. The man who insulted the tribesmen is trapped in a ring of fire with a poisonous snake.

Wilde's character is spared until the last. He is stripped naked and then an arrow is fired into the air. Wilde's character then runs and once he passes the arrow is chased by one tribesman who must reach the arrow before the next tribesman can join in the hunt. With a combination of luck, cunning, and desperation, he eludes the warriors, killing several; finds food and water; and, after many days, returns to a colonial fort just seconds ahead of his pursuers. As he reaches safety, the man turns and exchanges a salute with their leader (Ken Gampu).