Tarzan und die Jäger

Of the countless actors who have portrayed Tarzan since Elmo Lincoln first appeared in 1918's `Tarzan of the Apes,' Gordon Scott remains the best to ever don a loincloth. So it's no surprise that `Tarzan and the Trappers' is one of the better Tarzan films of the past 80 years. The 1958 film was actually intended to comprise the first three episodes of a television series, but instead was made into a better-than-average Sol Lesser production that runs 74 minutes. The film's story remains contemporary, with Tarzan forced to fight for his own life while stopping greedy traders from illegally trapping and removing wildlife from the jungle.

With the future of much of the world's wildlife in question, the story is as compelling now as it was 45 years ago...

At six foot three inches, with a muscular frame, Gordon Scott cuts a fine figure as legendary ape-man Tarzan: he's perfectly cast, even though his hair is rarely out of place while swinging from vine to vine.

But as impressive as the ex-lifeguard is in the role, Tarzan and the Trappers isn't one of the character's more memorable cinematic adventures, the film being edited together from three episodes for a television series that never happened. The result is, unsurprisingly, rather episodic and cheap looking, with a scrappy narrative that sees Tarzan foiling the plans of a party of animal-trappers, one of whom wants revenge on the ape-man for having his brother sent to jail, while another seeks a fabled lost city.

The action is formulaic and rather dull, with only a couple of fun moments to break the tedium: Tarzan riding a giraffe, and Cheeta the chimp raiding a bee hive for honey, with inevitable results. What this film sorely needed was a man-eating plant, some quicksand, a giant spider, and a tribe of cannibals. Eve Brent adds a little welcome glamour as Jane, but Rickie Sorensen is a little too 'Leave It To Beaver' as Boy.

This Tarzan film was originally put together from episodes of an unsold T.V. series. This explains the films bifurcated structure. I have been told producer Sol Lesser then edited the episodes together and released it overseas as a feature in some markets. I also understand Americans did not get to see this film until 1966 when it was sold as part of a Tarzan film package to television. As a theatrical release, it looks like a third rate Tarzan film designed to fill out the second half of a double bill. But viewed as what it was intended as; a saturday morning kiddie show from the fifties, it looks better than other shows from the same era such as SHEENA, QUEEN OF THE JUNGLE and RAMER. I'm surprised this potential Tarzan T.V show did not sell.By the way, Eve Brent makes a sexy blonde Jane.

After dispatching a nasty hunter who is illegally collecting wildlife for menageries , Tarzan has to confront his brother who seeks vengeance by means a violent hunting for human game . Along the way , Tarzan arranges to free all of the captured animals as an elephant baby . While a safari of mean hunters attempt to discover a lost city full of treasures.

Tarzan and the Trappers is an adventurous film dubiously faithful to Edgar Rice Borroughs , it packs perilous feats , fights , betrayals , angry natives , wildlife , starving animals , stock footage and gorgeous exteriors. However, being spoiled by a black and white cinematography , resulting to be Gordon Scott's first Tarzan and only with no color . In fact , Scott starred 5 Tarzan films , his Tarzan movies ranged from rather cheap re-edited television pilots to larger scale epics . These are the following ones : Tarzan fights for life by H Bruce Humberstone , Tarzan's greatest adventure produced by Sy Weintraub directed by John Guillermin , Tarzan the Magnificent by John Guillermin and Tarzan and the lost Safari . Although Gordon Scott also played other kinds of genres as Spaghetti Western : Tramplers , Buffalo Bill Hero of the West , Euro-spy : Death Ray, Secretissimo , Pirate movie : Marauder and especially Peplum : Hercules and the Princess of Troy , Romulus and Remo, Coriolanus , Maciste in court of the Great Khan , A Queen for Caesar, Ercole versus Moloch, Goliath and the Vampires , Conquest of Mycene , Gladiator of Rome , Hero of Rome , Samson and the seven miracles of the World . In Tarzan and the Trappers 1950 Gordon Scott brings wit and style to the classic role . His handsome features , imposing height , muscular physique made him a magnificent choice to replace Lex Barker as Tarzan , and he won out over 200 candidaters for the character. It was producer Sol Lesser who changed his name from Werschkul to Scott . Here Gordon Scott is accompanied by the beautiful Eve Brent as Jane and Ricky Serenson as their child . And nice secondaries as Maurice Marsac , Scatman Crothers , Leslie Bradley and Bruce Lester . Of course , special mention for the sympathetic chimpanzee Cheeta , giving some hilarious moments with leaps , frolics, mayhem and antics.

The classic Tarzan movies starred by Johnny Weissmuller were financed by MGM , subsequently took the production some independient producers , as this Tarzan and the Trappers was produced in medium budget by Sol Lesser , subsequently replaced by Sy Weintraub . However , this one seems to be a re-edition from three three episodes of a never shown television series that was rejected by three general networks . The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by Charles Haas , Sandy Howard and uncredited H Bruce Humberstone, the latter to direct other Tarzan movies . .

Gordon Scott made some good Tarzan movies, but this is not one of them.

As I watched it, wincing at the bad, obviously interior sets and the hollow wooden "clonking" sounds as they walked across supposedly dirt trails, and cringing at the bad dialog and worse acting among the supporting cast, I kept thinking, "Sheesh! This is TV show level!" Then I find out it was, indeed, three TV show pilot episodes woven seam-fully into one.

It's nice to see Scott get outside (alone), away from the lame sets, in a few of the scenes; and the fights do have some pretty nice moves... but oh, ow, and ouch as to the dialog. And did I mention the acting? Heck, Cheetah (or "Cheta," in this version) was a better actor than most of the humans.

And that's not saying much.

It is kind of a stitch to see a younger Sherman (i.e. Scatman) Carothers acting as a native. But probably not worth the overall time-investment.