The Romance of Tarzan

Infobox Film
name =The Romance of Tarzan


caption =
director = Wilfred Lucas
producer = William Parsons
writer = Edgar Rice Burroughs (novel)
Bess Meredyth and Wilfred Lucas (adaptation)
starring =Elmo Lincoln
Enid Markey
Thomas Jefferson
Cleo Madison
music =
cinematography = Harry Vallejo
editing = C. R. Wallace
distributor = National Film Corporation of America
released = 16 September 1918
runtime = 96 min
country = USA
language = Silent film
English intertitles
budget =
imdb_id = 0009560
preceded_by = ""Tarzan of the Apes" (film)"
followed_by = "The Revenge of Tarzan"

"The Romance of Tarzan" (1918) is a silent, black and white action adventure film directed by Wilfred Lucas starring Elmo Lincoln, Enid Markey, Thomas Jefferson and Cleo Madison. The movie was the second Tarzan movie ever made, and is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' original novel "Tarzan of the Apes". It adapts only the second part of the novel, the earlier portion having been the basis for the preceding film, "Tarzan of the Apes". Less popular than its predecessor due to much of the action taking place in the wild west rather than Africa, the film has not been preserved, and no prints of it are known to survive today.

Plot

The film opens with flashbacks from "Tarzan of the Apes" to establish the back story. The African expedition led by Professor Porter (Thomas Jefferson) to find Tarzan (Elmo Lincoln), the ape-raised heir of Lord Greystoke, has been crowned with success, and Tarzan and Porter's daughter Jane (Enid Markey) are in love. The party now prepares to return to civilization when it is attacked by natives and separated from the ape-man. Tarzan's cousin Clayton (Colin Kenny), the current Lord Greystoke, desiring to keep his wealth and title, reports having seen the savages kill Tarzan. Believing him dead, they leave without their charge. But Tarzan has in fact survived, and is eager to be reunited with Jane. Finding his new friends gone he swims out to another boat to follow. Eventually he reaches California in the United States of America, and is landed near the Porters' San Francisco ranch. Tarzan in civilization is like a bull in a china shop, as is demonstrated early in a destructive incident in a dance hall, where his prowess impresses La Belle Odine (Cleo Madison). Things get back on track when Jane is kidnapped by outlaws, presenting him with the opportunity to rescue her. Jane, however, is cold to him, as Clayton has falsely convinced her he is in love wit the other woman. Heartbroken, Tarzan swears off civilization and returns to Africa. Belatedly learning the truth from Odine, Jane follows, and is happily reunited with her lover in the jungle.

External links

*imdb title|id=0009560|title=The Romance of Tarzan
* [http://www.erbzine.com/mag5/0504.html Entry on the film in ERBzine]