Tarzán y las sirenas

Johnny Weissmuller's final film as 'King of the Jungle', after 16 years in the role, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS, is bound to disappoint all but the most ardent of his fans. At 44, the ex-Olympian, one of Hollywood's most active 'party animals', was long past the slim athleticism of his youth, and looked tired (although he was in marginally better condition than in his previous entry, TARZAN AND THE HUNTRESS).

Not only had Weissmuller gotten too old for his role; Johnny Sheffield, the quintessential 'Boy', had grown to manhood (he was a strapping 17-year old), so he was written out of the script, under the pretext of being 'away at school'. Brenda Joyce, at 35, was appearing in her fourth of five films as 'Jane' (she would provide the transition when Lex Barker became the new Tarzan, in 1949's TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN) and was still as wholesomely sexy as ever.

Produced by Sol Lesser, at RKO, on a minuscule budget, the cast and crew took advantage of cheaper labor by filming in Mexico. While the location gave a decidedly Hispanic air to what was supposedly darkest Africa, veteran director Robert Florey utilized the country extensively, incorporating cliff diving and an Aztec temple into the story.

When a young island girl (Tyrone Power's future bride, Linda Christian) is rescued in a jungle river by Tarzan, he learns that a local high priest (George Zucco, one of filmdom's most enduring villains) had virtually enslaved the local population, threatening retribution from a living 'God' if they don't do his bidding. The girl had been chosen to become the 'God's' bride, so she fled. Faster than you can say 'Is this a dumb plot or WHAT?', the girl is kidnapped by the priest's henchmen and returned to the island, and Tarzan, followed by Jane, colorful Spanish character 'Benjy' (charmingly played by John Laurenz, who sings several tunes), and a government commissioner are off to take on the Deity and his priest (poor Cheeta is left behind). After a series of discoveries (the 'God' is simply a con man in an Aztec mask, working with the priest in milking the island's rich pearl beds), a bit of brawling action, and comic relief and songs by Benjy, everything reaches the expected happy conclusion.

Remarkably, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS features a musical score by the brilliant film composer, Dimitri Tiomkin, and is far better than what you'd expect from this 'B' movie!

While the film would provide a less-than-auspicious end to Weissmuller's time in Tarzan's loincloth (he would immediately go on to play Jungle Jim, a more eloquent variation of the Ape Man, in khakis), the talent involved lifted the overall product at least a little above the total mess it could have been.

Tarzan was about to get a make over, and become much sexier...

Watching Tarzan And The Mermaids I was thinking this looks a whole lot like Acapulco rather than Africa. Even the 'natives' look Latino. And sure enough I found that RKO had shot a good deal of this in Acapulco. It was good for Johnny Weissmuller because in this film more than most of the Tarzan films he got to do what he did best, swim and dive.

Wherever Tarzan was from exactly in Africa in the Forties he kept running into more Africans who weren't black than those who were. In this film he's found himself a culture who worships the God, Baloo. Baloo in fact is a pearl trader Fernando Wagner who puts on a Baloo suit and with high priest George Zucco keeps the natives in line. Wagner wants pearls, but Zucco's got an eye for Linda Christian and Baloo says to her to marry with Zucco. But she likes Gustavo Rojo and in the end Tarzan has to straighten everyone out in his usual manner.

Brenda Joyce was Jane again, but Johnny Sheffield as Boy had departed the series going off to England for a neglected education. God only knows what that was like for the kid in an English public school. But Sheffield at least managed to miss some of the nonsense rampant in Tarzan And The Mermaids.

Don't get me wrong, it's great fun if you don't take it seriously.

OK! The mermaids of the title here are actually pearl divers who require Tarzan's help to topple their evil leader. Oh and said evil leader has set himself up as a false God, thus enslaving the islanders with religious fervour.

Filmed at Churubusco Studios in Mexico, Mermaids is the final appearance of Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. It's no great send off for the man who had worn the loin cloth with distinction. It's standard fare, with the franchise looking as tired as its iconic lead actor. However, it moves along at a good clip, introduces us to the lovely Linda Christian and director Robert Florey inserts enough under water battles (with men and creature) and cliff diving escapades to keep the pic zippy. Boy is away in England studying, but Jane (Brenda Joyce) is around looking delicious and not at all jealous of Tarzan bringing home Mara (Christian) after she escapes a planned marriage to evil false deity guy. While Cheeta, bless her, auditions for the role of Duane Eddy.

Harmless lord of the apes fluff all told, but instantly forgettable into the bargain. 6/10

The vine swinging here is pretty good and the background music better than even some of the so called better Tarzan films involving higher expense. Within the budget constraints that this film was produced - and I don't believe Weissmuller was paid anywhere like handsomely- this is a Tarzan film with light-hearted humor with some very unexpected but entertaining swimming and diving scenes with a dash of adventure . I particularly find the fight with the octopus refreshingly good and rather picturesque and reminds one of Hogarth's drawings of Tarzan fighting an octopus in once famous comic series. The difficult under-water scenes are done very well particularly the scene in which Tarzan battles his many youthful enemies with great swimming skill and craft: he appears agile, strong and a champion in the water that he was. He does quite a bit of rigorous cliff climbing like a mountain lion looking very fit and lion-like and diving into the water here again he appears strong and agile.The grand finale in which he hurled the impostor "Balu" from a high cliff is quite impressive. When his adversaries invaded his "estate" he defended his house and home like a true jungle lord ,throwing some over his head and punching others away as if the were toys! I appreciate Weissmuller's self confidence in asking for a "raise" for the continuation of the Tarzan contract which was terminated with the lame excuse that he was out of shape. More than a dozen or so Jungle Jim adventure films in which Weismuller now "fully clothed" did a bit of vine swinging ,a lot of swimming,diving and fought lions,leopards and tigers showed that Weissmuller could get back into shape again and was fit and strong enough to carry on for a few more years as the one and only Tarzan if only he was given a fair chance.

Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan saga ends here.Weissmuller ended his Tarzan career after twelve motion pictures.Here he lives in the jungle with the sweet Jane (Brenda Joyce) and Cheeta.Boy has left to study in England.And a man named Benji (John Laurenz) brings some singing mail from him.Linda Christian plays a young girl who is being forced to marry an evil pearl trader who poses as the God Balu.But she's in love with Tiko (Gustavo Rojo).So she jumps into the ocean and escapes until Tarzan captures her in his net.Robert Florey's Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948) isn't the most critically acclaimed Tarzan movie but it works for me.It's a lot of fun to watch this character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs getting away from sticky situations.In this movie the sea has a big part.It's a real treat to watch the beautiful and sensual Linda Christian swimming and diving like a mermaid.The movie is full of great underwater action.Take Tarzan battling with a giant octopus, for instance.Some sweaty situations take place on shore, as well.Altogether this is a nice way for Johnny Weissmuller to say farewell to the character, the mighty Tarzan.