Jack Driscoll
Encyclopedia
Jack Driscoll is a fictional character
in the King Kong
franchise. In the original 1933 film
he was the first mate of the ship The Venture, while in its 2005 remake
he was a playwright (the less faithful 1976 remake
had an analogous character named Jack Prescott, played by Jeff Bridges
). He was played by Bruce Cabot
in the original and by Adrien Brody
in the remake. In both versions he is one of the main heroes of the story, a man who is on a ship heading for the mysterious Skull Island
where Carl Denham
intends to make a film. On the way, Driscoll falls in love with the actress, Ann Darrow, and when she is kidnapped by a giant ape on the island, Kong
, Driscoll rescues her after helping to lead a search. Beyond these facts, even his characterization is quite different in the two films.
Driscoll is a supporting character in Kong: King of Skull Island, an "authorized" illustrated-novel that continues the Kong story in 1957.
Driscoll is also one of couple of playable characters in the video game Peter Jackson's King Kong
, along with Kong himself.
.
Having returned to New York, Driscoll and Ann continue to work for Denham as Kong is chained to a stage and shown to live audiences. During the show, Denham gives Driscoll credit for coming to Ann's rescue, and it is revealed that Ann and Driscoll are to be married. Kong breaks free, however, and despite Driscoll's attempts to keep Ann secure by taking her to a room and trying to fight Kong after the beast reaches through a window, Ann is once again kidnapped. They are reunited after Kong dies at the end of the film.
It is believed that the choice of actor Bruce Cabot to play Driscoll was in part due to his strong resemblance to popular heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, who at the time embodied the rugged, heroic male "ideal". The choice of the similar name "Jack Driscoll" is further indication that this was in fact the case.
, while the character name and the function of Ann Darrow's romantic interest are given to a playwright
who tries to write a screenplay
for Denham, as a friend. This Jack Driscoll does not intend to join the expedition at all, but delivers the script to the ship before it departs. With limited time, however, Driscoll did not write nearly enough, and Denham, desperate for more, tricks him into staying on the ship as it leaves for Skull Island. Driscoll complains that he prefers the stage, but Denham retorts that "if you really loved it, you would have jumped."
As it turns out, Denham's struggling actress, Ann Darrow, had been very familiar with Driscoll's work beforehand, and admired Driscoll greatly. She is very excited to meet him, but at first the relationship is awkward (owing in part to a case of mistaken identity on Darrow's part. When writing the next part of the script with Denham, Driscoll decides to kill off the first mate. When Denham questions it, Driscoll replies, "That's assuming she knows who the first mate is." This is a reference to the 1933 film, in which Jack Driscoll was the first mate of the Venture.) The two eventually grow closer, however, and Driscoll also reveals that he has begun writing a comedic play dedicated to Ann, as a sign that he has fallen in love with her. (The dynamic from the original, in which Ann is told that women should not be on ships, is not actually said by Driscoll, but does appear in Denham's film, although as it turns out Driscoll's script had been altered by the actor, Bruce Baxter
).
While writing the screenplay, Driscoll is the first to learn that Denham is taking the crew to an undiscovered island. When they reach the island, Ann is kidnapped by the native inhabitants as a sacrifice for Kong, and Driscoll sets out in search for her along with the rest of the crew. He shows both great amounts of courage and a single-minded determination to find and rescue Ann. Of the original party, he is the only member who survived the journey through the island (including attacks by dinosaurs, a giant fish, and giant insects) and did not return to the settlement without rescuing Ann, managing to retrieve her by himself.
Unlike the original, Driscoll did not continue with Denham or Ann after Kong was brought to New York, but rather continued with the comedy he had dedicated to Ann. Nor does Denham give Driscoll credit as being the hero of the adventure at Skull Island. Driscoll does, however, come to fear that he has let Ann slip away from him.
Driscoll realizes before anyone else that Denham's opening is heading for disaster, but can't do anything to prevent it. Discovering that Kong actually recognizes him on sight -- and is hellbent on killing him for taking Ann -- Driscoll attempts to use that to draw Kong away from Times Square
and away from crowds of bystanders. Driscoll nearly gets killed for his heroic effort, but Ann approaches and stops Kong's rampage, saving Jack's life this time around.
When Ann is alone on the Empire State Building
after Kong has fallen, Driscoll is reunited with her and the two embrace.
, because he was "not precisely hero material." Ebert defended that casting decision, saying Driscoll was just a writer who did not need "big muscles."
On the making of documentary, Adrien Brody commented that of all the films he had ever made, King Kong was the one for which he was most anticipating seeing the finished product.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the King Kong
King Kong
King Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films...
franchise. In the original 1933 film
King Kong (1933 film)
King Kong is a Pre-Code 1933 fantasy monster adventure film co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, and written by Ruth Rose and James Ashmore Creelman after a story by Cooper and Edgar Wallace. The film tells of a gigantic island-dwelling apeman creature called Kong who dies in...
he was the first mate of the ship The Venture, while in its 2005 remake
King Kong (2005 film)
King Kong is a 2005 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong....
he was a playwright (the less faithful 1976 remake
King Kong (1976 film)
King Kong is a 1976 American monster movie produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin. It is a remake of the 1933 classic film of the same name, about a giant ape that is captured and imported to New York City for exhibition....
had an analogous character named Jack Prescott, played by Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
). He was played by Bruce Cabot
Bruce Cabot
Bruce Cabot was an American film actor, best remembered as Jack Driscoll in King Kong . He is also known for his roles in films such as the sixth version of Last of the Mohicans, Fritz Lang's Fury and the western Dodge City.-Early life:Cabot was born Etienne Pelissier Jacques de Bujac in Carlsbad,...
in the original and by Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody is an American actor and film producer. He received widespread recognition and acclaim after starring in Roman Polanski's The Pianist . Winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2003 at age 29, he is the youngest actor to do so...
in the remake. In both versions he is one of the main heroes of the story, a man who is on a ship heading for the mysterious Skull Island
Skull Island
Skull Island is a fictional island first appearing in the 1933 film King Kong and later appearing in its sequels and in the two remakes. It is the home of the eponymous King Kong and several other species of creatures, mostly prehistoric and in some cases species that should have been extinct long...
where Carl Denham
Carl Denham
Carl Denham is a fictional film director in the films King Kong and Son of Kong , as well as in the 2005 remake of King Kong, and a 2004 illustrated-novel titled Kong: King of Skull Island. The role was played by Robert Armstrong in the 1933 films and by Jack Black in the 2005 remake...
intends to make a film. On the way, Driscoll falls in love with the actress, Ann Darrow, and when she is kidnapped by a giant ape on the island, Kong
King Kong
King Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films...
, Driscoll rescues her after helping to lead a search. Beyond these facts, even his characterization is quite different in the two films.
Driscoll is a supporting character in Kong: King of Skull Island, an "authorized" illustrated-novel that continues the Kong story in 1957.
Driscoll is also one of couple of playable characters in the video game Peter Jackson's King Kong
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie is a first person shooter action adventure game based on the 2005 film King Kong...
, along with Kong himself.
1933 film
In the 1933 film, Driscoll is a rugged sailor, the Ventures first mate, who disdains having women on ships, considering even their mere presence to be a "nuisance." He says as much to Ann Darrow, but despite this early encounter, and while still on the ship, Driscoll eventually develops an infatuation with her, telling her, "Say... I guess I love you." As Denham remarked, "Some big hard-boiled egg gets a look at a pretty face and bang - he cracks up and goes sappy." Ann is at first surprised by Driscoll's interest, but the two embrace. Upon reaching the island, Ann is kidnapped by the natives and sacrificed to Kong, but Driscoll, Denham and several other crew members charge into Skull Island to rescue her. It is eventually Driscoll who saves Ann from Kong's clutches, but the ape gives chase until Denham's team captures it and sends it to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Having returned to New York, Driscoll and Ann continue to work for Denham as Kong is chained to a stage and shown to live audiences. During the show, Denham gives Driscoll credit for coming to Ann's rescue, and it is revealed that Ann and Driscoll are to be married. Kong breaks free, however, and despite Driscoll's attempts to keep Ann secure by taking her to a room and trying to fight Kong after the beast reaches through a window, Ann is once again kidnapped. They are reunited after Kong dies at the end of the film.
It is believed that the choice of actor Bruce Cabot to play Driscoll was in part due to his strong resemblance to popular heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, who at the time embodied the rugged, heroic male "ideal". The choice of the similar name "Jack Driscoll" is further indication that this was in fact the case.
2005 film
The original Driscoll is divided into two separate characters in the 2005 film. His duties as first mate are transferred to second mate Ben Hayes, played by Evan ParkeEvan Parke
Evan Parke is a Jamaican actor perhaps best known for his role as Hayes in King Kong. Originally from Jamaica, Parke was raised in Brooklyn, New York and then on Long Island...
, while the character name and the function of Ann Darrow's romantic interest are given to a playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
who tries to write a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
for Denham, as a friend. This Jack Driscoll does not intend to join the expedition at all, but delivers the script to the ship before it departs. With limited time, however, Driscoll did not write nearly enough, and Denham, desperate for more, tricks him into staying on the ship as it leaves for Skull Island. Driscoll complains that he prefers the stage, but Denham retorts that "if you really loved it, you would have jumped."
As it turns out, Denham's struggling actress, Ann Darrow, had been very familiar with Driscoll's work beforehand, and admired Driscoll greatly. She is very excited to meet him, but at first the relationship is awkward (owing in part to a case of mistaken identity on Darrow's part. When writing the next part of the script with Denham, Driscoll decides to kill off the first mate. When Denham questions it, Driscoll replies, "That's assuming she knows who the first mate is." This is a reference to the 1933 film, in which Jack Driscoll was the first mate of the Venture.) The two eventually grow closer, however, and Driscoll also reveals that he has begun writing a comedic play dedicated to Ann, as a sign that he has fallen in love with her. (The dynamic from the original, in which Ann is told that women should not be on ships, is not actually said by Driscoll, but does appear in Denham's film, although as it turns out Driscoll's script had been altered by the actor, Bruce Baxter
King Kong (2005 film)
King Kong is a 2005 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong....
).
While writing the screenplay, Driscoll is the first to learn that Denham is taking the crew to an undiscovered island. When they reach the island, Ann is kidnapped by the native inhabitants as a sacrifice for Kong, and Driscoll sets out in search for her along with the rest of the crew. He shows both great amounts of courage and a single-minded determination to find and rescue Ann. Of the original party, he is the only member who survived the journey through the island (including attacks by dinosaurs, a giant fish, and giant insects) and did not return to the settlement without rescuing Ann, managing to retrieve her by himself.
Unlike the original, Driscoll did not continue with Denham or Ann after Kong was brought to New York, but rather continued with the comedy he had dedicated to Ann. Nor does Denham give Driscoll credit as being the hero of the adventure at Skull Island. Driscoll does, however, come to fear that he has let Ann slip away from him.
Driscoll realizes before anyone else that Denham's opening is heading for disaster, but can't do anything to prevent it. Discovering that Kong actually recognizes him on sight -- and is hellbent on killing him for taking Ann -- Driscoll attempts to use that to draw Kong away from Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
and away from crowds of bystanders. Driscoll nearly gets killed for his heroic effort, but Ann approaches and stops Kong's rampage, saving Jack's life this time around.
When Ann is alone on the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
after Kong has fallen, Driscoll is reunited with her and the two embrace.
Real-world history
With the 2005 film, the casting of Adrien Brody drew some criticism, reported by film critic Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, because he was "not precisely hero material." Ebert defended that casting decision, saying Driscoll was just a writer who did not need "big muscles."
On the making of documentary, Adrien Brody commented that of all the films he had ever made, King Kong was the one for which he was most anticipating seeing the finished product.