Tarzan défenseur de la jungle

Dull Tarzan outing is filled with a higher than average amount of racist stereotypes of African native people. In this one they are depicted as big eyed simpletons amazed by magic and believers in human sacrifice. The story has Tarzan acting as a guide for a couple of British diamond hunters, but as usual the great white hunters have ulterior motives and Tarzan has to save the day. Also, after watching a few of these Lex Barker Tarzan pictures, I've noticed a pattern that they all seem to end with Cheetah doing something funny and everyone laughing. Ho hum... don't bother with this Tarzan film. FUN FACT! This film was directed by Cy Endfield, who'd go on to direct the classic "Zulu."

A cousin from the Greystoke family goes to visit jungle king Lex Barker (as Tarzan) in his African home, and is quickly killed by greedy uncut diamond-hunting Charles Korvin (as Rokov). Next, the Russian-accented villain arranges an impersonation and expedition to get Mr. Barker's help in obtaining a tribe's treasure. Meanwhile, Barker saves cute American orphan Tommy Carlton (as Joseph "Joey" Martin) from becoming alligator food, and adopts him as a new "Boy" companion. They get into the usual danger, along with pretty mate Dorothy Hart (as Jane) and pet "Cheeta" the chimpanzee.

The previous entry in the series, "Tarzan's Peril" (1951), didn't really benefit from a modest increase in location footage. Conversely, this film wisely makes full use of RKO's studio jungle, with the direction and photography by Cy Endfield and Karl Struss most outstanding. The editing (Frank Sullivan) and "trick" photography are also improved. The rotating "Jane" looks the part again; fresh-faced but familiar, she's back in long hair and dressed to arouse. The plot incorporates some elements from writer Edgar Rice Burroughs' actual "Tarzan" stories and includes the film's popular "Boy" character.

******* Tarzan's Savage Fury (3/14/52) Cyril Endfield ~ Lex Barker, Tommy Carlton, Dorothy Hart, Charles Korvin

A good Tarzan adventure film, another of the Lex Barker films that were made with decent budgets and not just cheap knock-offs. Barker does a great job as big hunk Tarzan (its definitely a role that requires more action than acting). First-class actress Dorothy Hart is lovely as Jane and does most of the real acting in this Tarzan household. She was a truly gifted actress who soon quit movies for roles in prestigious television productions and other activities that utilized her worthwhile abilities. There is also a little boy character well played by a lad named Tommy Carleton, although this character seems superfluous to me and was subsequently dropped from the Tarzan series. Former leading man Patrick Knowles does a great job as a vacuous baddie, a weak willed character whose actions are essential to the plot.

The overall story of "Tarzan's Savage Fury" is wholly inconsequential but the movie is directed at a nice crisp pace. It is definitely above average for a b-movie adventure flick. I can recommend this film for the action and physicality that Barker brings to the Tarzan role, and for Dorothy Hart's luminous presence and fine acting.

Strangely I've missing this one in my childhood somehow, according my files I never saw it, certainly was one the most acceptable work of Lex Barker playing Tarzan, not for himself only, the storyline is quite good, for first time they shot on external scenes more specific in the desert and rocky spot, they casting an another Jane (Dorothy Hart) and introducing the newest Boy the orphan Joey, the plot summarized is about a Tarzan's cousin arrives at Africa to meet him, he was lured by Edwards (Patrick Knowles) and his crook and greedy guide Rokov (Charles Korvin) who kill the Greystoke's member, thus Edward replaces him as cousin henceforth, they have a strategic planning, approaching of Tarzan to guide them to a Wazuri tribe, where has a large amount of diamonds, by far the best of Lex Barker until now!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.

By the fourth Lex Barker entry into the Tarzan series things were more or less established, and though the new adventures had become almost routine, the efficiency evidenced in the previous films was still maintained. The new additions here are a surrogate for Boy called Joey, played very well by a kid whose only film this was; and a fourth actress playing Jane, pretty Dorothy Hart. The Cold War shadow is still present in this production, with a Russian villain named Rokov (Austrian-born actor Charles Korvin), who wants to get hold of the diamonds of an African tribe. As in "Tarzan's Peril" a murder happens in the first minutes, leading to the impersonation of Lord Greystoke, Tarzan's cousin, by the villain's weak colleague (Patrick Knowles), and Jane convincing Tarzan to help them. Here Cheetah's compulsive stealing is also a main ingredient of the plot, and little Joey also plays a key role in the proceedings. Considered by some specialists as one of the best Tarzan movies, it was directed by Cy Endfield, an American left-wing filmmaker who had a promising career but when blacklisted by the House Un-American Activities Committee, he went to England in 1951, where he made television, advertisement and a few good films as "Mysterious Island", "Sands of the Kalahari" and "Zulu" before retiring and inventing the Microwriter. Possibly it was Endfield who introduced several "sleight-of-hand routines", performed on screen by Rokov, who uses them to trick gullible natives. Known as a "master of the art of micro magic", Endfield had worked in Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre. Last but not least, this is probably the only Tarzan movie to include two black-listed film professionals: Endfield and Korvin.