Tarzan, o Magnífico

Tarzan the Magnificent (1960)

*** (out of 4)

Tarzan (Gordon Scott) must try and escort criminal Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney) and a group of people through the jungle to try and turn him over to authorities. Not only is Tarzan forced to drag these people through the dangerous jungle but he also has to deal with Banton's crazy father (John Carradine) and brothers who plan on getting him back. This was the sixth and final time that Scott would play Tarzan and this is clearly the best of his pictures and I'd probably say that overall this is the best Tarzan film since TARZAN AND HIS MATE. This film pretty much has everything you'd hope for in a Tarzan movie and that includes action, drama, a strong story, a terrific setting, great villains and of course of strong Tarzan. Scott was clearly in charge here as he delivers a wonderful performance as the ape man. There's no question that his physical ability was fine for the role but he also managed to make Tarzan a human and pull off the actual performance. As was the case in the previous film, this one here features a terrific supporting cast. Mahoney, who would take over the role of Tarzan in the next film, is perfect as the bad guy. What's so great about Mahoney is the way he really doesn't say much but instead you can see his evil thoughts simply by looking into his eyes. The two large men are perfectly matched against one another and especially the end sequence, which ranks among one of the best fight scenes of the series. Carradine is terrific as always playing the cold-blooded father and we also get strong support from Betta St. John, Lionel Jeffries, Alexandra Stewart and Earl Cameron. The final line from the opening credits lets viewers know that this film was shot in Africa and the on location shooting certainly helped build up some terrific atmosphere. The jungle looks really good and the various wild life really helps bring this film to life. The entire film is pretty much a chase sequence because we have Tarzan trying to get these people through the jungle with one issue coming up after another and on top of all of this he has to deal with the crazy family following. The action scenes are extremely well done and I'd say they're some of the most suspenseful of the series. This is especially true during a scene where Tarzan and Coy fall into some quicksand and must struggle to get out. TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT is without question one of the best films in the series and even those non-fans should be able to enjoy this one.

After seeing "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" in 1959 I thought Gordon Scott had made the best Tarzan film ever.....one year later "Tarzan the Magnificent" comes along and it is nearly as good, just a tad not as good as TGA.....Scott, a bulging musclemen and very handsome makes a great Tarzan, and the old cornshuck scripts and groans were taken out of his vocabulary again and he is a thinking, intelligent ape man hell bent on righting the wrongs of the notorious Banton gang....as in "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" Scott is after a gang of cuthroats and killers again and wont settle the score until they are all captured or killed. Producer Sy Weintraub assembled another top notch cast of veterans like Jock Mahoney and John Carradine as superb villains and some other newcomers too......a couple of nice looking women are again in the mix ala TGA.......This time instead of doing the chasing of villains as he did in TGA, Tarzan is chased and followed by the murderous Banton gang, hell bent on getting back their brother (played by Jock Mahoney) who has been captured by Tarzan and has Tarzan wanting to give him to the authorities in a settlement a few miles away. Problem is Tarzan must escort a group of mixed up civilians who do not know the ways and treacheries of the jungle terrain. Tarzan is constantly trying to stay ahead of the Banton gang and yet is slowed to a crawl by his civilian misfits. Then Mahoney creates ultimate friction by wooing and stealing one of the group's wife.....Tarzan has his hands full at this point!! In the end Scott must fight the remainder of the Banton gang and wipe them all out ala TGA.....in the end he delivers Mahoney to the proper authorities and Scott returns to his jungle realm. All in all this is another great Weintraub production of an intelligent Tarzan and Scott rises to the role in superb fashion. He is definitely the best Tarzan ever in my opinion. Very sadly this was Scott's last Tarzan film and the thing that has perplexed me is why Weintraub after the amazing success of TGA and T the Magnificent did not want Scott to make more of these great Tarzan movies. Very sadly a skinny, underweight Jock Mahoney became the next Tarzan and he is no Scott......nowhere near as handsome either. Scott at this point joined his good friend Steve Reeves and made a slew of the very popular sword and sandal Hercules type films in Italy during most of the 60s......Scott finished up his film career with a good Italian western "The Tramplers" made in 1966.....

Although more a western than a typical Tarzan movie, this film has a good plot and is more violent than others. Gordon Scott plays a too stolid, clean and modern Tarzan fighting against a more rude and violent than usual heavy family (father John Carradine and his four sons). John Carradine and Jock Mahoney steal the show as the two main villains. As a mere curiosity, although in this Tarzan movie did not appear the famous Tarzan yell for the first time, in Spanish dubbed version it did! Also, in Spanish dubbed version, to avoid infidelity, censors decided to convert mr. and mrs. Dexter into father and daughter, leading to a rather peculiar situation. They did also changed black chief's wife illness from pregnancy to appendicitis, giving as post surgical result...a baby. There are nice shots of Africa (filmed on location) and a final good fight in the falls. All and all a nice and entertainment movie.

Entertaining and colorful Tarzan/Scott movie , though dubiously faithful to Edgar Rice Borroughs story . Bad guys brothers and a nasty father wish they hadn't messed with Tarzan . Tarzan (Scott) must escort a prisoner wanted for reward : 5000 dollars , Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney) , out of the jungle to the authorities . As Tarzan gets into trouble with his prisoner who attempts to flee . Furthermore , Tarzan offers himself to protect five more of the boat's unfortunate passengers through the jungle , pursued by a delinquent family led by a baddie father (John Carradine) and hostile natives . Tarzan takes some dangerous ways throughout quicksands and swamps in order to escape the pursuers .

It contains noisy action , sensational adventures , many angry natives , nasty white hunters , hungry lions and marvelous outdoors , though mostly shot in Kenya and Shepperton studios . Exotic location in Kenya are a decided plus in this routine hero/adventure/Tarzan story . This time an extremely nasty father and his sons are the villains of the multiple action scenes . Well starred by Gordon Scott , here Tarzan/Scott rescues five occupants , and Gordon brings wit and style to the classic character and he looks good in his loincloth . Gordon starred 5 Tarzan movies : ¨Tarzan's fights for life¨ by H. Bruce Humberstone , ¨Tarzan and the lost Safari¨ by Humberstone , ¨Tarzan and the trappers¨ by Sandy Howard and Charles Haas , ¨Tarzan's greatest adventure¨ produced by Sy Weintraub , directed by John Guillermin and this ¨Tarzan the magnificent¨ by Robert Day . Although Gordon Scott also played all kinds of genres as Spaghetti : ¨Tramplers¨, Euro-spy : ¨Death ray¨ , Pirate movie : ¨Marauder¨ , and especially Peplum : ¨Hercules and the princess of Troy¨, ¨Coriolanus¨, ¨Conquest of Mycene¨, ¨Gladiator of Rome¨, ¨Hero of Rome¨, ¨Samson and the 7 miracles of the world¨. It is finely co-starred by Jock Mahoney who was a noted stunt man , doubling for Errol Flynn, John Wayne , and Gregory Peck. He tested to replace Johnny Weissmuller , as Tarzan but lost out to Lex Barker. In 1960, he played the heavy in this film and his part there led Sy Weintraub to hire him as Scott's replacement. In his two Tarzan movies , he did all his own stunts . He played ¨Tarzan's 3 challenges¨ and ¨Tarzan goes to India¨ and he continued working in spite of dysentery , dengue fever and pneumonia . By this time, Weintraub was looking for a younger Tarzan , envisioning a future TV series. By mutual agreement, his contract with Mahoney was dissolved. After a couple of years regaining his strength and weight , Jock returned to making action films . Support cast is acceptable , such as : Betta St John who previously played in ¨Tarzan and the lost Safari¨ , Lionel Jeffries , Alexandra Stewart , Charles Tingwell , Al Mulock , Gary Cockrell , Harry Baird , all of them give nice interpretations and here stands out the nasty Hollywood veteran John Carradine . As usual , sets and production design are visually appealing , though there are the obvious uses of stock footage and shot on location . The motion picture was well produced by Sy Weintraub and decently directed by Robert Day . Hard-core Tarzan fans should see it .

First Tarzan/Johhny Weissmuller was ¨Tarzan , the ape man¨ (1932) by W.S. Van Dyke , this one being the definitive Tarzan movie , the original of the long series . Followed by ¨Tarzan and his mate¨ (1934) by Jack Conway . Richard Thorpe continued the following sequels : ¨Tarzan escapes¨(1936) , ¨Tarzan finds a son¨ (1939) with the addition of the five-year-old Johnny Sheffield as Boy , ¨Tarzan's secret Treasure¨ (1941) , and ¨Tarzan's New York adventure¨ (1942) where Boy is abducted by an evil circus owner , then Tarzan goes to rescue him and he meets N.Y. big city , being Maureen O'Sullivan's final appearance and in which Elmo Lincoln's , the screen's first Tarzan, had a cameo . These stories were lavishly produced by M.G.M. and R.K.O. Subsequently , to be appeared other Tarzans produced by independent producers as Sol Lesser ; the latter being replaced by Sy Weintraub , these movies were interpreted by Lex Barker and Gordon Scott : ¨Tarzan the Magnificent¨ and ¨The greatest adventure¨ directed by John Guillermin . Furthermore , Mike Henry starred as Tarzan in ¨Tarzan and the jungle boy ¨ , ¨ Tarzan and the great river¨ , and ¨Tarzan 66¨ directed by Robert Day . Besides , two performed by Jock Mahoney : ¨Three challenges¨ and ¨Tarzan goes to India¨ directed by John Guillermin , among others . Plus , other TV Tarzan as Ron Ely , Wolf Larsen , Joe Lara .

I'm writing this a few days after Gordon Scott's life has come to an end, so this review is a tribute to his life and career , especially his characterization as Tarzan, which many consider the best ever brought to the screen. Gordon Scott had a great screen presence as well as underrated acting abilities, and we really need more of his films released on DVD.

"Tarzan the Magnificent" is his last Tarzan film, I think, and it was released in 1960, right after "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" which I consider the best Tarzan film ever made. This film is not as good as that one, though it comes close, therefore coming in as the second best Tarzan film ever made. In any case, Gordon Scott again does a fantastic job portraying the ape man. I think he was the only one who convinced me that physically he could take on lions and crocodiles as well as Sean Connery.

The plot of this movie is basically the same as "Greatest Adventure." Tarzan pursues and battles a gang of jungle crooks. (What the hell are backwoods moonshiners doing in Africa anyway?) Here there is a psychological angle as well as slam bang action. The location photography is great too. The ending is a little too similar to the last outing, but hard hitting just the same.

Gordon, wherever you are, thanks for the great entertainment!