Jungle Gents

After a diamond heist, Huntz Hall (as Sach Jones) sniffs out some booty, which leads police to believe he's an accomplice. Actually, pill-popping Mr. Hall has acquired the power to smell the presence of diamonds; then, he is released. To wit, leader Leo Gorcey (as Slip Mahoney) decides to take Hall and "Bowery Boys" David "Condon" Gorcey (as Chuck) and Benny "Bennie" Bartlett (as Butch) to the "dark condiment" of Africa. There, they search for a fortune in lost diamonds, and mingle with natives…

"The Bowery Boys" and "Africa" do not mix. A good rest would have been preferable to this moronic, cheap, and clammy movie. The "lion scenes" are startlingly ineffective - look at them for an example of what NOT to try on a small budget. Gorcey appears alternately tired and angry. Hall is stuck with absolutely humorless material. Curvy Laurette Luez plays a luscious jungle girl in modest one-piece, Woody Strode collects a paycheck, and Clint ("Cheyenne") Walker has a memorable film cameo debut as "Tarzan", just before the curtain closes on "Jungle Gents".

** Jungle Gents (9/5/54) Edward Bernds ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Bernard Gorcey

Since I've reviewed a couple of Grade B Jungle Movies I'll try my hand at this one. I liked it a lot. The Gorceys and Huntz Hall always cracked me up. I regard this as one of their better late outings. Leo Gorcey's malaprops are there in all their glory. My favorite, "Africa, the dark condiment". Louie Dombrowski (Leo's dad Bernard in real life) from the sweet shop bringing his luggage on safari, jungle girl Laurette Luez' ridiculous fight with the stuffed lion to save Satch, most of all the wonderful chemistry between Slip Mahoney (Leo) and Satch(Hall). The thing moves. It doesn't let you think. They paid attention to little things, particularly casting. Laurette Luez is a vision as the Jungle Girl Onata and Clint Walker's cameo as a Tarzan type is priceless. Too bad they didn't make a real Tarzan movie with those two in the lead. Also look for the great Woody Strode as one of the native bearers. Apparently not all of the reviewers were crazy about the flick. It's a matter of taste, but it certainly works for me for me.

In many of the later Bowery Boys films, the plots involve Sach developing some sort of strange superhuman power--one that seems to disappear before the next film. Some examples of Sach's powers in films are super strength, the ability to predict numbers at gambling and mind reading...but the strangest has got to be here in "Jungle Gents". It seems that due to a sinus infection and his medication, Sach has the weird ability to sniff out diamonds with his nose!! Soon the boys and Louie find themselves in Africa...looking for lost diamonds. Talk about a strange, contrived plot!!!

A major strike against the film is the lack of originality. Sure, being able to smell diamonds IS original...but Sach developing super powers eventually became a cliché because this plot device was used so often. Of course, you don't expect Shakespeare or a Truffaut picture when it comes to the Bowery Boys!! There is also a strike against the extensive use of what is obviously stock footage...which you'd expect in a low-budget B-movie. You also get a giant stuffed lion which attacks Sach. In other words, it's not particularly distinguished and is like most of their later films...a bit lame. For better films, try to find the earlier Bowery Boys as well as the East Side Kids pictures.

By the way, the director and co-writer, Edward Bernds, also directed quite a few of the Three Stooges films...including the really lame later ones. He also did several of the Blondie and Dagwood pictures. So, he would appear to be in his element working here with the Bowery Boys.

A lot of the Bowery Boys movies had the theme that Sach discovered a new power-- whether a K.O. punch in the boxing ring, or a wonderful singing voice, etc. In this film, Sach develops the power to "smell" diamonds! (Sach got it from taking a new antibiotic, "Striptopifficin" 50,000 micrograms, for a sinus "infatuation.") When a jewel thief runs into Louie's Sweet Shop, and tries to hide some stolen diamonds from a policeman, Sach sniffs out the loot-- "a king's transom" of diamonds, as Slip says. So the Boys decide to sniff out diamonds in Africa. Actually, they spend a lot of time on a sound stage with trees and tropical plants, and look at mis-matched stock footage of the Serengeti Plain (sort of like an episode of "Ramar of the Jungle"). They hack through a steaming jungle, where the temperature is 130 degrees "centipede." Sach meets beautiful jungle girl Anatta (Laurette Luez), with the same beauty salon hairdo, eye shadow and lipstick she had as Tigri in "Prehistoric Women" (1950). She wants to "Kiss, kiss, kiss" Sach (who said these movies make sense)? The Boys are captured by a hostile tribe, and the witch doctor wants to shrink everyone's head (except Sach's). Slip bemoans, "I don't know one place in New York City that sells 1-and-7/8 size hats!" Will they escape? Will they find the diamonds? Will they ever see the Bowery and Louie's Sweet Shop again? Watch the movie and enjoy!

A Bowery Boys movie, written by Edward Bernds and Elwood Ullman. It doesn't get any better than this. And if you don't think this movie has one of their prettiest guest stars in Laurette Luez, you should get your eyes examined by an "octopus" (oculist).

If as Carol Channing and Marilyn Monroe sang that Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend than it would have been in Lorelei's interest to befriend Huntz Hall because in Jungle Gents a sinus operation has left Sach with a nose that can smell where diamonds are located. What to do with that but go to Africa and do a little prospecting.

The whole Bowery Boys gang including Bernard Gorcey who once again leaves Louie's Sweet Shop to accompany Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the rest to the Dark Continent. Of course diamonds already mined and out of the ground are easier to find which leads the boys into contact with some smugglers played by Patrick O'Moore and Rudolph Anders.

Really at this point the series was sliding downhill. How many more plots can they have where Huntz Hall develops some strange power that gets them all in a jackpot?