Tarzan and the Mermaids

Fed up with scientists, hunters, leopard women, Amazon warriors and Nazis ruining their peace and quiet, Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) and Jane (Brenda Joyce) have upped sticks and moved to a riverfront property, where they hope to spend their days relaxing, fishing and enjoying a little privacy now that Boy has finally flown the coop (gone to school in England, apparently, although I reckon actor Johnny Sheffield saw the proposed plot for this film and ran a mile!).

This seemingly idyllic locale still has its drawbacks though: not only do the couple now have a really irritating new neighbour in the form of calypso-singing mail-man Benji (John Laurenz), but only a few short vine swings down the river, trouble is brewing in the taboo coastal realm of Aquatania, where a pair of wicked con artists (George Zucco and Fernando Wagner) are posing as living deity Balu to trick the locals out of a fortune in pearls. After giving refuge to a young Aquatican woman who has escaped from a forced marriage to the false god by swimming upriver, Tarzan decides that if he is ever going to get some well earned rest and relaxation (and judging by Weissmuller's haggard appearance, he really could do with some), he must first sort out the unrest in Aquatania (although personally I would begin by throttling Benji!).

The twelfth and final outing for Johnny Weismuller as Edgar Rice Burrough's ape-man, Tarzan and the Mermaids is easily the weakest of the whole series, with a star who looks like he's been partying way too hard between shooting (stubble and a paunch is not a great look), a poor script that favours musical numbers, lighthearted aquatic frolics, scenic panoramas over decent action and adventure, and a thoroughly unconvincing Mexican filming location (an Aztec temple, the unmistakable cliffs of Acupulco, and a supporting cast of Hispanic performers don't exactly give off that African vibe). Director Robert Florey's tepid direction does little to help matters, with even an attack by giant octopus proving to be a big disappointment.

Weissmuller enthusiasts will no doubt want to check out 'Mermaids' for the sake of completion, but be warned, this ain't a great way to end an era.

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.

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.

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.

We begin with some background information about the plot, which concerns false god "Balu" and his native followers. Employing hocus-pocus, high priest George Zucco (as Palanth) wants "Balu" to become the bride of luscious Linda Christian (as Mara). She would rather have handsome Gustavo Rojo (as Tiko). "Tarzan and the Mermaids" features no mermaids, but Ms. Christian is referred to as one. Intermittent singer John Laurenz (as Benji) brings news explaining the absence of "Boy", who is studying in England. This was the last appearance of Johnny Weissmuller (as Tarzan) in the series. Clearly growing too old for the role, Mr. Weissmuller turned in his loincloth and signed on for the more appropriate "Jungle Jim" series. All of this is secondary to the lush Acapulco location and photography, which makes this a pleasant film in spite of itself.

***** Tarzan and the Mermaids (3/29/48) Robert Florey ~ Johnny Weissmuller, Linda Christian, Gustavo Rojo, John Laurenz