La revanche de Tarzan

If you grew up with Johnnie, Lex, Gordon and Jock Tarzans, then you really owe it to yourself to see this one. You would be crazy to miss it; however, you would have to be even crazier to watch it a second time. It is really bad! I rated it a "5" on a nostalgic sympathy vote, which in one higher than the largest group of voters gave it. Seeing a different Tarzan makes the viewing worthwhile, but personally I am glad he never reprised the roll. Eleanor Holm was cute in the main female role, but my favorite was catching Wild Bill Elliott in a bit part as a ship's captain. He definitely paid his dues before starring later as a western hero. You'll recognize his voice before his face. Most of the movie is used showing one character or another going through the jungle (a studio backlot) with cuts to shots of various wild animals. Basically, thirty minutes of story and forty minutes of filler.

See it once.

Physically, Glenn Morris is perfect for Tarzan: powerfully built, yet light on his feet. His feats of strength (wrestling with a hyena, bending cage bars, etc.) are almost credible in this context. But he's so taciturn (I think he utters 3 words in the entire movie: Tarzan, Eleanor, good) that he's a bit of a bore. Eleanor Holm is an excellent swimmer and a more than decent actress. This is a fairly polished production, but it suffers from tedious scripting - there isn't enough story for 70 minutes. ** out of 4.

Tarzan's Revenge (1938)

** (out of 4)

Winning a gold medal in the Olympics must have been pretty nice in the 1930s as not only did you get the gold but you also got fame and a role in a Tarzan movie. This time out it's Glenn Morris who takes over the role of Tarzan as he must constantly save a rich girl (Eleanor Holm) who falls into traps, gets attacked by lions and eventually kidnapped by a evil priest. TARZAN'S REVENGE is pure "B" movie non-sense and if you're expecting the quality of the MGM films then you're certainly going to be disappointed. It's clear that the producers of this film really didn't care about quality as it seems they were just happy to have the Tarzan rights, looked at what MGM was doing and just tried to copy it. It really does seem as if the producers would be happy with no flubbed lines so that they could quickly edit the material together and get it released into theaters. There's really nothing horribly wrong with this picture it's just that nothing's very good either and in the end we're left with a rather bland and unmemorable film. Morris really isn't all that good as Tarzan. He certainly has the physical look down but the speech and mannerisms simply aren't there. Holm isn't too bad in her part and we get familiar faces like Joe Sawyer and Hedda Hopper in supporting roles. The stock footage is the typical stuff you'd expect from a movie like this. The biggest problem is that there's just no energy to anything you're watching.

When Johnny Weissmuller already paved a solid career in three successful MGM's Tarzan with a huge box-office, then came up 20th Century Fox's Tarzan introducing another Olympic winner athlete to performer Tarzan aiming for share this profitable niche market, however due the poor production and onward lowest box office, Fox's Tarzan and Glenn Morris's career was buried for good in face he didn't enough skill to play another roles.

Now scrutinizing the low profile offering it turns out dealing with routine Tarzan's picture, over an expedition of wealthy American family on rain forest at black continent, something alike a touring, taking photographs, exploring news spots and just capturing some small animals, among them just a male hunter that is fiancé of the skinny eye-candy Eleanor Reed (Eleanor Holm) who approaches Tarzan when was in jeopardy as quicksand and on river swimming track down by a menacing crocodile, soon as intended arouse a mutual affect among them.

Meanwhile a local a womanizer Sultan bribes the dubious safari guide Olaf Punch (Joe Sawer) often with a nervous tic at your face, pushing the expedition entering at his territory where he intends to catch the pretty Eleanor to fill up his crowed harem, actually a fortress inside the dense jungle, forcing Tarzan to make a heroic act to save her, the "Jane" in question was miles away to match Maureen O'Sullivan whatever benchmarking, actually Eleanor delivered a pale Jane's performance, It never come out at Brazil in any format, I have found at Youtube a restored colorized print, for historical Tarzan background worthwhile a look as die-hard Tarzan's enthusiast like me.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2014 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD-R - Youtube / Rating: 5.5.

Glen Morris (Decathlon Gold in Hitler's Games) and Elanor Holm (Gold in '32 for "Backstroke").

These Olympians were Paired Only 1 Time as "Tarzan and His Wannabe Mate",

both Her and Cheetah are Denied Their "Iconic" Names in this Non-MGM Filler made in a 3 Year Gap of the Johnny Weissmuller Popular Series.

It's Rumored that Morris was so Devastated by the Cruel and Bad Reviews, He Left Movies after His Only Attempt and Headed for Home.

It's a Fact, that Elanor "Partied So Hearty" on the Boat-Trip to the '36 Games that She was Disqualified and Benched. She Also Made No Other Fictional Movies.

In this Tarzan Picture, Once Again, the Ape-Man is Semi-Mute, Morris Only Uterring 3 Words the Entire Film,

but He is Handsome and Built Like "The Lord of the Jungle", Swings a Mighty Vine, Bellows a Commanding "Tarzan Yell", and, of course, Runs Like a Deer.

But None of this could Manage to Remove this Back-Lot, Low-Energy Production from the Doldrums.

Even Though, there is a Nifty, Energetic Fight with Tarzan and a Slew of Natives on a Wooden Bridge Hundreds of Feet in the Air,

and a "Busby Berkley" Inspired Gal-a-Athon Dance in a Harem-Filled Palace in the Middle of the Jungle.

The Constant, Repetitive Musical Underscoring is Nerve-Shattering, almost as Much as "Hedda Hopper" and Her Relentless "Sneezing".

For "Tarzan" Completest and Undiscriminating Lovers of "B-Movie" Adventures, it's...

Worth a Watch.