In 1958 producer Sy Weintraub took over and totally revitalised the Tarzan franchise. He brought it more in line with the original creation of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Weintraub believed (correctly) that the version of Tarzan presented in movies was at that point entirely played out. Weintraub wanted a Tarzan who was as much at home in the modern world as in the jungle, a Tarzan who spoke perfect English and was comfortable with modern technology. A man of two worlds.
He also felt that for the kinds of movies he had in mind Jane would have to go. This would be a globe-trotting Tarzan, a restless wanderer.
Weintraub also believed it to be essential to shoot the movies in colour with high production values, and to get Tarzan away from African settings and put him in lots of different exotic locations. Everything was to be done to make the Tarzan series seem fresh and exciting again, and it worked.
This time Tarzan is in South America, on his way up the Amazon. A dangerous bloodthirsty cult led by the charismatic and ruthless Barcuna (Rafer Johnson) is spreading slaughter and destruction among the jungle tribes.
Tarzan teams up with probably not overly honest river-boat captain Sam Bishop (Jan Murray) who has adopted an orphan kid named Pepe from a local tribe. Captain Bishop is there to provide some very uninspired comic relief while the kid is there to give the movie its cuteness factor.
Tarzan encounters dedicated doctor Ann Philips (Diana Millay). The village where she has been operating her clinic has just been razed to the ground by Barcuna. She is determined to reach another village where an epidemic has broken out. Tarzan warns her that this would be incredibly dangerous but she insists. Tarzan accepts her decision - he understands that she has to do her duty as she sees it.
Along the way Tarzan and his companions encounter all the animals you’d expect to find in the Amazon rainforest - hippos, lions, ostriches. There was supposedly some location shooting done in Brazil but I get the impression that a lot of stock footage was used without the slightest attempt at authenticity.
This is a fairly ruthless Tarzan. When the riverboat is menaced by hostile tribesmen in canoes Tarzan realises he cannot take on eight men single-handedly. He solves the problem by overturning their canoes and letting the gators take care of them. Tarzan thinks it’s a great idea and so do the gators. Tarzan deals with similar threats just as ruthlessly. Killing bad guys doesn’t bother him one little bit.
Gordon Scott played Tarzan in the first two Weintraub-produced movies, with Jock Mahoney taking over the next two. In the last three movies ex-football star Mike Henry took over. I have no problem with any of the three actors. Mike Henry certainly had the physique to look very convincing in the role. He’s perfectly OK in this movie.
The other cast members are quite adequate. It’s not exactly a movie that requires advanced acting skills.
The previous entry in the cycle, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, had been an attempt to give the movie a bit of a James Bond feel. That didn’t please everybody although personally I thought it worked quite well. Tarzan and the Great River feels like an attempt to go back to basics which may be why I was a bit disappointed by it. It’s too much of a stock-standard Tarzan movie. For me the appeal of the earlier Weintraub Tarzan movies is that they try to avoid being too formulaic.
The action scenes in Tarzan and the Great River are not quite as impressive as those in the earlier films.
Tarzan and the Great River is not a great Tarzan movie but it’s enjoyable. Recommended.
It’s included in a Warner Archive Tarzan DVD boxed set. The transfer is reasonably good.
I’ve reviewed the original 1914 Edgar Rice Burroughs novel Tarzan of the Apes. I’ve also reviewed several of the earlier Sy Weintraub-produced movies in this franchise - Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (1959), Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963), Tarzan Goes to India (1962) and Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966). They’re all very much worth seeing. And of course if you’re a Tarzan then you absolutely have to see Tarzan and His Mate (1934) which I’ve also reviewed.
He also felt that for the kinds of movies he had in mind Jane would have to go. This would be a globe-trotting Tarzan, a restless wanderer.
Weintraub also believed it to be essential to shoot the movies in colour with high production values, and to get Tarzan away from African settings and put him in lots of different exotic locations. Everything was to be done to make the Tarzan series seem fresh and exciting again, and it worked.
This time Tarzan is in South America, on his way up the Amazon. A dangerous bloodthirsty cult led by the charismatic and ruthless Barcuna (Rafer Johnson) is spreading slaughter and destruction among the jungle tribes.
Tarzan teams up with probably not overly honest river-boat captain Sam Bishop (Jan Murray) who has adopted an orphan kid named Pepe from a local tribe. Captain Bishop is there to provide some very uninspired comic relief while the kid is there to give the movie its cuteness factor.
Tarzan encounters dedicated doctor Ann Philips (Diana Millay). The village where she has been operating her clinic has just been razed to the ground by Barcuna. She is determined to reach another village where an epidemic has broken out. Tarzan warns her that this would be incredibly dangerous but she insists. Tarzan accepts her decision - he understands that she has to do her duty as she sees it.
Along the way Tarzan and his companions encounter all the animals you’d expect to find in the Amazon rainforest - hippos, lions, ostriches. There was supposedly some location shooting done in Brazil but I get the impression that a lot of stock footage was used without the slightest attempt at authenticity.
This is a fairly ruthless Tarzan. When the riverboat is menaced by hostile tribesmen in canoes Tarzan realises he cannot take on eight men single-handedly. He solves the problem by overturning their canoes and letting the gators take care of them. Tarzan thinks it’s a great idea and so do the gators. Tarzan deals with similar threats just as ruthlessly. Killing bad guys doesn’t bother him one little bit.
Gordon Scott played Tarzan in the first two Weintraub-produced movies, with Jock Mahoney taking over the next two. In the last three movies ex-football star Mike Henry took over. I have no problem with any of the three actors. Mike Henry certainly had the physique to look very convincing in the role. He’s perfectly OK in this movie.
The other cast members are quite adequate. It’s not exactly a movie that requires advanced acting skills.
The previous entry in the cycle, Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, had been an attempt to give the movie a bit of a James Bond feel. That didn’t please everybody although personally I thought it worked quite well. Tarzan and the Great River feels like an attempt to go back to basics which may be why I was a bit disappointed by it. It’s too much of a stock-standard Tarzan movie. For me the appeal of the earlier Weintraub Tarzan movies is that they try to avoid being too formulaic.
The action scenes in Tarzan and the Great River are not quite as impressive as those in the earlier films.
Tarzan and the Great River is not a great Tarzan movie but it’s enjoyable. Recommended.
It’s included in a Warner Archive Tarzan DVD boxed set. The transfer is reasonably good.
I’ve reviewed the original 1914 Edgar Rice Burroughs novel Tarzan of the Apes. I’ve also reviewed several of the earlier Sy Weintraub-produced movies in this franchise - Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure (1959), Tarzan's Three Challenges (1963), Tarzan Goes to India (1962) and Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966). They’re all very much worth seeing. And of course if you’re a Tarzan then you absolutely have to see Tarzan and His Mate (1934) which I’ve also reviewed.
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