Jungle Bride

Jungle Bride (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Doris Evans (Anita Page) and her reporter/boyfriend John (Kenneth Thomson) are on board a ship hoping to clear her brother who has been found guilty of murder. Doris believes that the real killer was a man named Gordon Wayne (Charles Starrett) who just happens to be on the same boat. When the boat crashes, as luck would have it, the three end up on an island with a deep jungle where they must try and survive together. I love watching "B" movies and I love watching pre-codes so this here was the perfect mixture of the two and I was really surprised at how entertained I was. Sure, the thought of an entire ship going down and these three connected people (plus a fourth guy) all end up surviving and then floating to the same island is very far-fetched but once on the island we're treated to all sorts of goodies that would be outlawed in a few years by the Hayes Office. The story itself might be far-fetched but I thought the island/adventure stuff was pretty good. I'm really not sure what island they're on but they've got the beach in front of them and a few steps away there's this uncharted jungle full of lions, monkeys, rhinos and countless other animals that the humans must eventually deal with. In one of the highlights of the film Gordon must go up against a lion and while it's easy to tell when the trainer is fighting with the lion it's still a pretty exciting scene. The pre-code elements deal with some sexual talk but the real highlight comes with the outfit worn by Page. It's a black dress that hangs quite loose on her and it's especially loose around her cleavage, which is constantly swinging for the viewer's delight. In one scene she has her back towards the camera as she takes her shirt off and doesn't this little swing, which causes her boob to pretty much swing to her side and in full view. You don't see anything too graphic but the scene is certainly something that should be in Pre-code Heaven. As far as the performances go I thought the three leads and Eddie Borden as the fourth survivor were pretty good. Page comes off incredibly sexual in her part and I thought the chemistry between her and Starrett was very real. Thomson makes for the perfect jerk and Borden adds some nice comic touches. JUNGLE BRIDE isn't that well-known, which is a shame considering how good the cast is and how nice certain sexual tones are flowing here. The movie is far from a masterpiece but if you enjoy cheap but enjoyable films then this here is just for you.

A year later a proper studio with proper actors used a very similar plot to make an excellent film called FOUR FRIGHTENED PEOPLE. This is most definitely not an excellent film - it does however feature Anita Page getting her clothes stolen by a chimp.

As soon as you see a chimp in a pre-code movie you know exactly why he's there. A chimpanzee has one purpose and one purpose alone in a pre-code movie: an actress will discretely strip off to go for a swim and the chimp will subsequently run off with her clothes.

Along with Jean Harlow, Anita Page certainly had one of the bounciest bodies of the 1930s! This was an asset even Mussolini admired. Whereas Il Duce was apparently besotted with Anita, L B Mayer wasn't - he only needed one Jean Harlow in his studio so coupled with the fact that she allegedly wouldn't sleep with Irving Thalberg, by the time this was made her career was virtually over. Thus she was farmed out to this third rate outfit to make this third rate film which feels like it was made in someone's shed.

Her acting ability wasn't really any worse than Jean Harlow but to be honest, that's not saying much. This film should not be one she should put on her c.v. Her co-stars in this are hardly any better though but I suspect this is a result of poor direction because Anita Page for example was pretty good in a few other films such as WAR NURSE or SKYSCRAPER SOULS.

Chadwick Productions didn't really go in for believable characterisation, just fun action adventure. Not sure you could tick the boxes for fun or adventure but there's at least a lot of action going on. The amateurish feel of this however makes you think you should finish watching it just out of politeness because those guys must have put a lot of effort into making this on that budget so the least you can do it watch it.... even though you know it's rubbish.

Whereas in FOUR FRIGHTENED PEOPLE which stared the divine Claudette Colbert, thanks to C B DeMille's direction we got to see how the survivors' personalities and mindsets were affected by their situation, in this we just get actors reading words. Anita Page's prettiness is not enough justification to sit through this.

A group taking a cruise is marooned on the coast. A few surviviors band together, after washing up somewhere in africa. No filming locations are currently listed, but it's probably on a beach in los angeles, with some exotic animal noises thrown in. Lots of stock footage, of wild animals. An engaged couple, john and doris, and an accused murderer, who may or may not be out of trouble, now that they are shipwrecked and clear of society. At twelve minutes, with horrible edits, poor film quality, and momentary lack of subtitles, we can't hear what is being said by the crew. It sounds like someone changed course, and the ship struck something in the water. Was it espionage by the crook and the ship's crew, to help the criminal escape prosecution? Just amazing how their clothes still look washed and pressed the entire time, even after sinking and and washing up on a sandy beach. Of course they show the chimpanzees right away, when they wake up on shore, so we know the chimpanzees will be up to no good! The old saying is, once you have shown the gun, it must be used at some later point! Doris falls for the wanted man, and seems to lose interest in john. Can anyone prove that wayne is innocent so he and doris can finally be together? As poor quality film, and unlikely as all this is, it's still kind of fun to watch these old exotic adventures in "far away" lands. Directed by harry hoyt and al kelley. It's okay. Probably will never be restored, since it's coming up on 100 years old!

A woman with a reporter in tow, chases an entertainer around the globe in order to clear her innocent brother's name. When the ship they are on sinks the entertainer, his friend, the girl and the reporter end up on a deserted island off the African coast.

This is a decidedly pre-code film with implications of unmarried sex, unwanted pregnancy, a woman's bare back and a bare boob (but no nipple) flashing across the screen in ways that would soon disappear for 20 odd years. The film is certainly much better for it all.

To say this film is off beat is an understatement. There are some interesting twists and turns, only some of which are predictable. It all mixes together to make a very enjoyable film. If you run across it I certainly would hope you'd tune in since its a good little film that deserves to be rediscovered. (It may not be the best film ever made but its certainly one of the better ways to spend an hour)

Seven out of Ten

This delicious, 63 minute pre-Code movie stars Anita Page as the "jungle bride." Doris (played by Page) believes that Gordon Wayne (Charles Starrett) committed a murder that her brother is in jail for. In an attempt to clear her brother's name, Doris and her reporter fiance track Gordon to a ship traveling from South America. A shipwreck leaves Doris, her fiance, Gordon and his best buddy all alone on a deserted island. These four agree to coexist in the hopes of survival, but it's tough! It gets even harder when Doris begins to have feelings for Gordon!

One of the movie's highlights is the island set. It reminds me of a 1930's Gilligan's Island, complete with the attractively furnished huts. Anita's wardrobe is a hoot! She was, naturally, shipwrecked in an evening gown that rips to shreds, exposing her legs. She also gets to wear a circa 1930 Navy outfit that she looked pretty good in too! In one scene, she goes to wash her clothes in a river, and some naughty monkeys steal her clothing! Heeheehee! So much for wardrobe! I always think the "special effects" in a B-movie are lots of fun. Watch the shipwreck scene--was that a toy boat in a bathtub?

I think fans of either Anita Page or Charles Starrett would enjoy this film. It's very short, but fairly well packed with action so you don't get too bored with it. Anita was one of the brightest stars of the early 1930's, and she photographs beautifully in this one! It makes you sad that her career didn't last longer. As of this writing, she is still living, and appears every so often in a documentary or video clip on TCM. Look for this hard-to-find movie, and don't be too critical when you watch it.