Tarzan et la vallée de l' or

The picture concerns a tidy Tarzan (a bouncing Mike Henry) well suited with necktie and elegant and carrying a briefcase . But a nasty assassin named Vinaro (the distinguished secondary David Opatoshu) schemes heinous plans . He abducts a little boy (Manuel Padilla) . Thus Tarzan , now in his loincloth , heads to jungle in order to save the spunky ten-years-old-boy and gets into trouble with bad guy , an evil with six feet high named Mr Train (the habitual villain Don Megowan) . Meanwhile , avaricious mercenaries with tanks , a little army and helicopters are going to the lost city of gold . The criminal Vinaro is accompanied by a beautiful girl named Sophia (attractive Nancy Kovack , nowadays married to Zubin Metha) who is leaved with an explosive necklace . The treasure seekers wish they hadn't messed with the ape-man .

The movie is dubiously faithful to Edgar Rice Borroughs story . However , it contains noisy action , sensational adventures , wonderful outdoors and with some elements from James Bond films . The sets and production design are visually appealing . Film was shot in city of Mexico with background of the famous Aztecas pyramids and temples . As usual , there are the obvious uses of stock footage in many of the wild animal sequences though with the intervention of a well trained lion and a chimpanzee ex-professed for the film . The film was produced by Sy Weintraub (substituting former producer Sol Lesser) , he produced three for Mike Henry directed by Robert Day : ¨Tarzan and the jungle boy ¨ and ¨The great river¨ and this one. Besides , he produced two for Jock Mahoney : ¨Three challenges¨ and ¨Tarzan goes to India (directed by John Guillermin)¨ and two for Gordon Scott (recently deceased) :¨Tarzan the Magnificent¨ and ¨The greatest adventure (by John Guillermin)¨. Also he produced the classic TV series with Ron Ely and the little boy , Manuel Padilla Jr ,in this one as co-starring.

Perhaps the makers of this film thought it was time to update Tarzan and cash in on the secret agent craze that swept movies and television in the 60's. In this picture Tarzan played by Mike Henry is first seen stepping out of a helicopter in a suit and tie carrying a briefcase. Later he engages in a gun battle ala James Bond.

Eventually he ends up back in the jungle sheds his coat and tie along with his pistol for his loin cloth and knife and takes on the bad guys who are equipped with machine guns, tanks and hi-tech explosives. Actually this Tarzan film although not one of the best is a great deal more entertaining than the 1981 Tarzan The Ape Man with Bo Derek. Along as his sidekicks are Manuel Padilla Jr who takes on the "BOY" role with the name of Remel and Nancy Kovacks who becomes sort of his Jane decked out in sexy female jungle safari clothes. His chimpanzee buddy goes by the name "Dinky". If your a Tarzan fan this film should be included in your viewing keeping in mind that the Tarzan character like Superman has been able to adjust to change through out the decades.

David Opatoshu one of the most distinguished actors of the Yiddish Theater back in the day came to Hollywood rather late in his career. In doing so however he created a series of varied and distinguished roles. But none I liked better than his playing of international criminal David Vinaro in Tarzan and the Valley of Gold.

Tarzan's been sent for by the Guatamalen government because a mysterious young boy played by Manuel Padilla, Jr. emerges from the jungle saying he's from a lost city that has vast uncounted gold. Of course that interests Opatoshu and he kidnaps the kid and forces him to lead a well armed expedition back to the lost city.

Of course they're no match for Tarzan as played in this film by Mike Henry. In addition to his jungle skills, Henry has a good command of both the Queen's English and of modern weaponry which he demonstrates during the film. He also in the end gets Nancy Kovack who is Opatoshu's mistress out of harm's way. Naturally she likes the idea after one look at Henry in a loin cloth.

Still Tarzan and the Valley of Gold belongs to David Opatoshu. He clearly loves the part he has and the end he meets in the Lost City is a poetical one to beat all.

It's a long time since I saw this and spent a fun afternoon watching it on the small screen; all I really remember is that the chimp usually known as "Cheetah" was called "Dinky" in this one. And that Mike Henry! What a versatile actor!

this movie is fine!it is filmed in mexico,which makes it special!mike henry is the best tarzan actor of them all!he is very sexy running in his loincloth barefooted!his well buit body is fine!!he puts a full nelson on the bad guy,he never stops,untill he snaps his neck. at the end the gold is safe!this movie is a perfect 10!