It helps to be in the right mood to enjoy this rather typical nonsense about Tarzan (Lex Barker) foiling a plan by a villain with a Polish name (George MacReady) to arm one band of African natives with rifles and Tommy guns so they can conquer another tribe and sell them into slavery or concubinage or something. The name of MacReady's character is Radijek. It SOUNDS villainous, doesn't it? And in 1951, Slavic names served nicely as labels for the bad guys although, to be sure, Hollywood must have been experiencing some conflict over whether to give their heavies the names of Commies or Nazis. At the moment the moguls must be in turmoil, what with the Arabs.
I don't really think the plot is worth going on about. MacReady sneers constantly and murders his partners in the scurrilous plan one by one in order to steal their share of the loot. Jane wears necklaces by Tiffany and a wrap-around sarong out of Christian Dior. Tarzan comes home from the jungle and Jane says, "Sit down and have some supper," just like Dagwood and Blondie or Ricky and Lucy. Their tree house has several rooms, one of them with a comfortable table and chairs, suitable for wedding receptions and bar mitzvah celebrations. I think I spotted a framed poster of a Marc Chagall on one of the bamboo walls. The bathroom probably has a framed poster too -- a yellow rose over the slogan "Tomorrow Is The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life." You can probably read it while on the throne.
Of course, if you're NOT in a receptive mood, the movie sucks. There was some second-unit shooting in Africa. You can watch the stilt-legged water birds gobble down newly hatched baby crocodiles while a jaunty tune plays in the background. Dorothy Dandridge is in here somewhere, in a minor part, and we don't get to see nearly enough of her. Tarzan not real man. If Tarzan red blooded, then Tarzan shed domestic tranquility, fling Dandridge over shoulder, and swing through tree to someplace else. Company of Cheetah optional.
I don't really think the plot is worth going on about. MacReady sneers constantly and murders his partners in the scurrilous plan one by one in order to steal their share of the loot. Jane wears necklaces by Tiffany and a wrap-around sarong out of Christian Dior. Tarzan comes home from the jungle and Jane says, "Sit down and have some supper," just like Dagwood and Blondie or Ricky and Lucy. Their tree house has several rooms, one of them with a comfortable table and chairs, suitable for wedding receptions and bar mitzvah celebrations. I think I spotted a framed poster of a Marc Chagall on one of the bamboo walls. The bathroom probably has a framed poster too -- a yellow rose over the slogan "Tomorrow Is The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life." You can probably read it while on the throne.
Of course, if you're NOT in a receptive mood, the movie sucks. There was some second-unit shooting in Africa. You can watch the stilt-legged water birds gobble down newly hatched baby crocodiles while a jaunty tune plays in the background. Dorothy Dandridge is in here somewhere, in a minor part, and we don't get to see nearly enough of her. Tarzan not real man. If Tarzan red blooded, then Tarzan shed domestic tranquility, fling Dandridge over shoulder, and swing through tree to someplace else. Company of Cheetah optional.