Tarzan's Hidden Jungle

Infobox Film
name = Tarzan's Hidden Jungle


image_size =
caption =
director = Harold D. Schuster
producer = Sol Lesser
screenplay = William Lively
writer =
narrator =
starring = Gordon Scott
Vera Miles
Jack Elam
music = Paul Sawtell
cinematography = William Whitney A.S.C.
editing = Leon Barsha
distributor =
copyright = Sol Lessor Productions, Inc.
released = 1955
runtime = 73 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by = "Tarzan and the She-Devil"
followed_by = "Tarzan and the Lost Safari"
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0048699

"Tarzan's Hidden Jungle" is a 1955 RKO B&W movie starring Gordon Scott in his first film as Tarzan, taking over the role from Lex Barker, who had in turn followed Johnny Weismuller in the series. This film about Edgar Rice Burroughs' ape-man also features Vera Miles and Jack Elam, and was directed by Harold D. Schuster. Scott played Tarzan in six movies over a five-year span.

Plot

Men come into the jungle intent on wholesale slaughter of animals to get barrels of animal fat, lion skins and tusks. Tarzan (despite getting a university education Tarzan talks like a four year old) friend of the animals tries to help a baby elephant, one of their first victims. He takes the elephant to an animal doctor and his female assistant who have pitched their tents in the jungle to do business. The hunters turn up and pretend they are photographers and have the doctor escort them to where the animals are. They leave the doctor and start killing animals. His assistant has found out they are evil and goes after them but needs Tarzan's help when she stumbles into quicksand. He rescues her and she is as clean as when she went in. But she says she needs a bath so Tarzan throws her into the river, to clean up.

They reach a tribe who worship animals and who are Tarzan's friends. However, the tribe hear that animals are being slaughtered and decide to kill the doctor and his assistant as he led them there. Tarzan goes after Jack Elam and his crony and they end up getting their just deserts. He arrives back in time to save the doc and his assistant from the lions in the pit they have been thrown into.

A fairly good action film, helped by the fact that Gordon Scott looks the part. It was filmed with lots of dense vegetation but a scene in the village showed multiple shadows showing the strong lights they had to use. Tarzan's monkey (Zippy played Cheta) steals the scenes he is in. A fair amount of library footage used for the animal in the jungle scenes.

Cast

Gordon Scott ... Tarzan
Vera Miles ... Jill Hardy
Peter van Eyck ... Dr. Celliers
Jack Elam ... Burger
Charles E. Fredericks ... DeGroot (as Charles Fredericks)
Richard Reeves ... Reeves