Swamp Fire

SWAMP FIRE never aspired to be anything more than a low budget B-movie intended for the double feature trade that thrived in the 1940's. Oddly, 37% of the votes on IMDb are a "10" -- no more idiotic than the 10-scores given to so many rotten pictures of 2006-2006 -- but equally inaccurate.

The main asset is Johnny Weissmuller -- herein playing a rare non-Tarzan role during the time when he was still thriving in his Tarzan role. But it doesn't end there. This is a tidy little good story about the Cajuns (and others) living in southern Louisiana at the time just after World War II. Even in 2008 the narrative holds up well and the swamp atmosphere is a big plus.

Ignore the reference to 2 Tarzans. Technically Buster Crabbe did play Tarzan, but almost nobody saw that movie. Johnny Weissmuller was the only true Tarzan to most folks, although I also credit Lex Barker.

Here's the inside word: Weissmuller was ready to quit Tarzan -- after 14 years -- for just one reason. In Swamp Water, as in Jungle Jim, he was allowed to wear clothes; not just a loin cloth. The ravages of age get the best of us all.

At some time in studio boardroom had to have said "Let's put those 2 guys that played Tarzan together in one movie. This idea will sell itself to the distributors." He was probably right because SWAMP FIRE is a decently made, well paced movie that does not disappoint viewers.

Johnny Weissmuller starts as Johnny Duval, a war hero returning to his bayou home. He lost a ship he was in command of during the war and vows he will not take up his old position as bar pilot. This does not at all bother his old rival Mike (Buster Crabbe sporting a mustache and a Cajun accent) who sees this as a chance to make time with Johnny's old sweetheart Toni (Carol Thurston, who also appeared with Weissmuller in the Jungle Jim movie KILLER APE (1951)). Too bad but Toni only has eyes for Johnny. To make matters worse a spoiled rich girl (Virgina Grey) has set her sights on Johnny and coerces her dad (Pierre Watkin) to buy up a lot of bayou land and outlaw all trapping, which means the local folks can no longer hunt to feed their families. Is that enough plot for you? Wait, there is a lot more to come, and somehow it all fits into the 68 minutes running time without any of the resolutions seeming like a plot contrivance.

Johnny faces his demons while navigating rough waters one night but just when you think things are going to start going well he is piloting another ship through a dense fog and rams a smaller boat captained by Toni's father! Trying to drink himself to oblivion he is found Ms. Grey who uses this opportunity to poison his mind against Toni. Does it work? Does it ever? Don't forget the jealous Mike is still hanging around and think Johnny has sold out his own people to join the yacht club crowd. He plans a revenge where he plans to . . . oh well . . . you saw the title of the movie, right?

The cast is fabulous. Pierre Watkin had played Perry White in both SUPERMAN serials for Columbia Pictures. Ms. Grey would go on to encounter dinosaurs in UNKNOWN ISLAND in 1948. Mr. Crabbe found a home in B westerns and Mr. Weissmuller never really leave the jungle; starring as Jungle Jim in movies and TV for many years to come.

Budget restraints are pretty obvious. This movie must set a record for the number of rear screen projection shots used but it is still fairly believable and fun to watch.

As the film opens, the narrator explains the swampland behind the credits, and how they must defend against fires. "Johnny" (Weissmuller) has just come back from war, home to the bayou and to "Toni" (Carol Thurston, who was actually 16 years younger than Weissmuller). Distractions for both Johnny and Toni... Virginia Grey is the rude, snooty outsider Janet, who is chasing Johnny, and local boy Mike (Buster Crabbe) has been after Toni the whole film. Another plot point here is that Johnny keeps having war-time flashbacks, and that has been delaying him from getting back into the ship piloting. Things happen quite fast, once they get going... it's only 69 minutes, so there really isn't much time for character development. Everything happens, all at once. and the storyline is kind of all over the map. Antics ensue. It's passable adventure. Directed by William Pine, who had co-founded prolific Pine Thomas studios. Story is ok. Picture quality is pretty bad... it seems to be a copy of a copy. Written by Daniel Mainwaring, who had written TONS of crime stories and adventure novels.

What happens behind the scenes of "Swamp Fire" are much more interesting that the film itself.

Some time ago around 1973 I attended a Western Film Festival, and was provided the opportunity to ask Buster Crabbe a question. My question simply put was this, "I have often wondered if you and Johnny Weissmuller (both famous movie Tarzans and both Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming ever had the opportunity to compete in swimming one against the other? Mr. Crabbe was very gracious as he corrected me by saying that there was only one great movie Tarzan, and that was Weissmuller. He panned his portrayal of Tarazan and indicated he was best remembered as for being the movies first "Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rodgers" of the cliff hanger chapter serials.

He then went on to tell me about his stormy relationship with Johnny Weismuller over the years. Apparently, Weismuller beat Crabbe's mentor, the legendary Duke Kahanomoku in the 1924 Olympics in the 100 Meter Free Style. Several years later while Buster Crabbe was preparing for his eventual victory in the 1934 Olympic 400 meter Free Style...the two met, and Crabbe challenged Weissmuller to a swim. Weismuller who by this time had gained a few pounds accepted the cocky Crabbe's challenge for a 100 Meter Free Style competition in a good natured way. Crabbe narrowly beat the older Weismuller, and joked..."Johnny...See you in the 400 Meter Free Style event.", all the while realizing this was his stongest swimming event, and that an out of shape Weissmuller had even a lesser chance than before of beating him. Weissmuller apparently didn't appreciate the comment responding, "Not me kid!". In 1933 Crabbe made two Tarzan type movies "King of the Jungle" and "Tarzan the Fearless" in an attempt to replace Weissmuller as Tarzan of the movies. The effort failed as neither film was memorable, but the fact remained that Crabbe had tried to replace Weismuller and this did not sit well with Johnny. Years later in 1946 the two great Olympic athletes signed for the William H. Pine film "Swamp Fire". Weissmuller was set to play the "good guy" and Crabbe signed to play the "heavy". Crabbe indicated that while making the film an out of shape Johnny Weissmuller liked to drink bourbon between scenes. The Director, William Pine, approached Crabbe about the films final fight scene, telling him he wanted to be very realistic....and he wanted a lot of bubbles during the underwater fight between him and Weissmuller. Crabbe complied and aggressively grabbed Weissmuller as he pulled him down into the water and held him. Bubbles were flaring up everywhere, as the intoxicated Weissmuller fought for a breath of air. Crabbe indicated he regretted doing that to Weissmuller...but the apology didn't seem to work as Weissmuller continued to be distant to him throughout the years.

It is so unlikely that both Buster Crabbe and Johnny Weissmuller were Tarzan on screen during the early thirties; one was more famous than the other and proceeded for several pictures starring the ape man. Johnny Weissmuller forged his career and legend because of TARZAN and not Buster Crabbe, or only just a part. There was the same scheme with Gordon Scott and Jock Mahoney, TARZAN characters in the sixties or late fifties, and in one film of the series, Jock Mahoney was the villain fighting against Scott. TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT. So, here, there is no Tarzan character but an adventure film, not so bad to watch and endure. The final fight between the two "TARZAN" is the most worth seeing.