Tarzan's Fight for Life

Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958)

** (out of 4)

In the deep jungles Dr. Sturdy (Carl Benton Reid) is trying to introduce medicines to the local natives but a witch doctor (James Edwards) feels that they are trying to steal his power. Soon the tribes are ready to attack the new hospital but Tarzan (Gordon Scott) and Jane (Eve Brent) know the good that could come from the medicines. This was the third film to feature Scott as Tarzan but this is actually the first I've seen. I think Scott fits the role perfectly as God knows he has the perfect body for the part but I also found him to be quite charming in some of the more comic moments and he also handles the action very well. According to a few posts I've read, Scott was nearly killed by a 18-foot python that he fights in the film. I'm not sure how true this is but the scene here is full of excitement and it's easy to see how that creature, when wrapped around Scott's neck, could cause some major issues. Brent, as Jane, doesn't give an Oscar-worthy performance but she has the right look for the part as that blonde hair and curvy legs look just fine in color. Reid and Jil Jarmyn playing his daughter aren't too bad and Edwards is clearly having fun as the witch doctor. We've also got Woody Strode playing one of the bad guys. While the cast is certainly up for anything the screenplay on the other hand is pretty flat and boring. The first portion of the film has the doctors talking to one another about why this medicine is needed while on the other side of the jungle we get countless scenes with the witch doctor throwing a fit. We then go away from this and visit Tarzan's home where Jane is suffering from an illness that might need the attention of a real doctor. There's way too many dialogue scenes and it's a shame that the filmmakers didn't try to capture more action and scenes in the wildlife. There's no question that this is being filmed on sets but they're well decorated and at least look somewhat real. The countless stock footage is of course cheap but you've got to expect this. Coming in at 88-minutes this thing is just way too long and there's not enough going on to make it one of the better entries in MGM's long-running series.

Gordon Scott plays Tarzan in this bland outing for the Lord of the Apes, which was more racist than most entries in the series, where the main story points revolve around native people as being gullible and superstitious. The story has Tarzan helping a white doctor convince the easily fooled natives that an evil witch doctor is a hoax. That witch doctor is played by the great Woody Strode and one of the other natives is played by James Edwards, likely best remembered for his performances in "The Manchurian Candidate" and "The Killing." Tarzan wrestles a boa constrictor, rides a giraffe, and Cheeta the chimpanzee provides his usual comic relief. I'd normally sum up this film by saying it's blandly inoffensive, except that there is a fair amount in the film to be offended over, but I will say I was entertained.

A lot of critics have panned this movie as a poor Tarzan film ...I totally disagree...Gordon Scott is a magnificent Tarzan with a superman physique - just what the role demanded....Scott must save a tribal village from an evil witch doctor named Futa who hates Tarzan with a passion because Tarzan knows that the witch doctor's medicine is inferior to Dr. Carl Sturdy who is in the jungle trying to develop a serum to fight tropical infections....adding to the film is a romance between Dr. Sturdy's daughter (Jill Jarmyn) and her father's medical cohort. Movie was made in brilliant technicolor with very good lighting effects....Gordon Scott gives the Tarzan yell from a limb on a tree as Futa's henchmen try to attack and kill natives bringing supplies to Dr. Sturday...It should be mentioned that MGM inserted several ft of footage to this film from film from "Tarzan and the Lost Safari" also starring Scott.....Scott is by far the most athletic Tarzan of them all, the handsomest and best athlete for the role... Check out a scene where a 25 ft python is wrapped around Scott who is trying to protect Jane from attack....lots of good action scenes and lions and evil tribesman...standard fare for the day for a Tarzan movie....Scott introduces his son as "Tartu" and not "boy" for some strange reason in the film....James Edwards (the cook in "The Caine Mutiny") gives a good action job as the evil Futa.....I liked this Tarzan film a lot and one year later Scott starred in the classic "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" with Anthony Quayle and a young Sean Connery of 007 fame.

I must admit to being a Tarzan junkie so keep that in mind while reading my comments. There's not a whole lot to the plots, in fact they tend to be fairly similar. Some injustice takes place, usually perpetrated by evil white men, and Tarzan sets things right. That's about it and if you expect complicated character interactions and plot twists you'll surely be disappointed. One of the best things about these movies is the physiques, happily and gloriously shown with as little clothing as possible. Jane is always an eyeful so I sat down to watch this one (the second color Tarzan) because I had never seen Eve Brent, the twelfth Jane. Although not the prettiest she was perhaps the sweetest and her scenes with Gordon Scott were rather passionate. Their kisses would make the heart of any romantic flutter. Still, as good as that was, my favorite part was James Edwards' characterization of Futa, the evil witch doctor. He made 'Fight for Life' an over the top camp fest. Yes, Gordon Scott was a hunk, Eve Brent was eye candy, there was Cheeta (although the chip can be irritating), there's lots of jungle and dangerous animal shots, but Edwards elevated this one above its routine plot and production values.

Dr. Sturdy (Carl Benton Reid) and his daughter Anne (Jil Jarmyn) are studying jungle illness. Tarzan (Gordon Scott) saves Anne and her fiance Dr. Ken Warwick (Harry Lauter) from Nagasu tribal warriors. Warrior Ramo (Woody Strode) under the influence of witch doctor Futa (James Edwards) is fighting the encroachment of modern medicine. Tarzan tries to reason with Futa to no avail.

I'm sure that Tarzan was declining by this time. It's the second Tarzan movie in color. It's old fashion with interior sound stage filming while trying to modernize with color. It was probably dated even during its initial run. I can see this character moving into kids TV territories until his revival in the 80's. The whole white savior to the savage Africans premise must be getting old. Nevertheless, it is done pretty well. Without dissecting its deeper meanings, the movie works. The production isn't any worst than the other Tarzan movies. The franchise is transitioning into a slow spot in the popular culture.