A movie director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) sets sail to an island with his star Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) who is snatched by King Kong, a gigantic fifty foot ape worshiped by the locals. Carl and his crew wend their way through the jungle and manage to grab Ann back, capturing Kong as well. There are a lot of special effects including a battle between Kong and a prehistoric monster. They bring Kong to New York, where the giant ape escapes and seeks refuge on top of the Empire State Building snatching Ann back and taking her with him. Then ensues the final confrontation with a battle to stop Kong.