James Parker and Harry Holt are on an expedition in Africa in search of the elephant burial grounds that will provide enough ivory to make them rich. Parker's beautiful young daughter Jane arrives unexpectedly to join them. Harry is obviously attracted to Jane and he does his best to help protect her from all the dangers that they experience in the jungle. Jane is terrified when Tarzan and his ape friends first abduct her, but when she returns to her father's expedition she has second thoughts about leaving Tarzan. After the expedition is captured by a tribe of violent dwarfs, Jane sends Cheetah to bring Tarzan to rescue them... Written by

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Sarah (history_65) from Glasgow
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Of course, Tarzan and His Mate is by far the best film in the wonderful 1930s MGM series. But you shouldn't therefore overlook its forerunner, Tarzan the Ape Man. This is also a great movie and has some fantastic moments. In particular, get a load of the lighting and the way in which the jungle's well-defined shadows are cast across Tarzan's (equally well-defined!) torso. Also worth watching, of course, to discover what Tarzan really says, as he certainly DOESN'T ever say 'Me Tarzan, You Jane'. While Tarzan and His Mate is often cited for its sexy content, this movie is also pretty hot in places; a beautiful pre-code film, which is a must for any Tarzan fan to see.

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Ben Burgraff (cariart) from Las Vegas, Nevada
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TARZAN THE APE MAN was one of Irving Thalberg's 'pet' projects at MGM, an opportunity to take an existing franchise (Edgar Rice Burroughs' jungle lord had been a film staple since beefy Elmo Lincoln donned a loincloth, in 1918), give it 'A'-list production values and a 'name' director (W.S. Van Dyke), introduce charismatic actors as the leads (28-year old multiple Olympic champion Johnny Weissmuller and 21-year old Irish import Maureen O'Sullivan), and create a 'definitive' success for the studio.

A success? Thalberg created a legend!

Utilizing MGM's vast library of stock footage (primarily from 1931's TRADER HORN), a primordial Africa that was more pulp fiction than reality was created on the back lot, and veteran British character actor C. Aubrey Smith and 20s matinee idol (and future 'Batman' regular) Neil Hamilton were introduced, as James Parker and Harry Holt, adventurers questing after the legendary 'Elephants' Graveyard'. The arrival of Parker's daughter, Jane (O'Sullivan), a free-spirited, raven-haired beauty, complicates matters, but her stubborn refusal to lease, and confidence with the natives (shown as rear projections behind Smith and O'Sullivan) finally win the two men over, and soon the trio, accompanied by whip-induced native labor, are on safari.

When a dying porter points the way to the Escarpment, a massive 'taboo' mountainous plateau protecting the Graveyard, the party has the missing piece to the puzzle, and begin an arduous climb to the top. (How a massive mountain range could be hidden, for so long, is not explained). After losing a porter, and nearly Jane, on the steep climb, the summit is achieved, and the famous Tarzan yell (a combination yodel/howl, created by MGM's sound department), is first heard. A treacherous river crossing, featuring stock footage of hippos and crocodiles, then costs the safari more bearers, with another yell saving their lives.

All this leads up, of course, to Johnny Weissmuller's first appearance as Tarzan, observing the party from the trees. He is simply magnificent...tanned, slim, smoothly-muscled (as opposed to the brawny body builders later cast in the role) and nearly naked. He soon kidnaps Jane (he may be ignorant, but he's not dumb!), and the incredible chemistry between the pair is exhibited for the first time. While initially terrified of the savage (particularly as he pulls off her clothing parts to examine them), he doesn't 'have his way' with her, and she realizes he is far more sensitive than she'd assumed.

Holt kills the ape guarding Jane (one assumes it is Kala, ape 'mother' of Tarzan, in the ERB books), and Tarzan screams in anguish at his loss. Displaying the racism prevalent in so many 30s films, Jane tries to defend her erstwhile kidnapper to her father ("He's WHITE!"), but the two hunters aren't buying it, and soon wound Tarzan, himself. Jungle animals spirit the bleeding jungle lord away...and Jane is soon at Tarzan's side, bandaging his head, and looking lustily at the big lug! When he recovers, the pair consummate their passion (in a scene tastefully off-camera), and are swapping names ("Jane...Tarzan...Tarzan...Jane").

Tarzan returns Jane, and walks away, despite her pleas to return to civilization with them. The safari is soon captured by a height-challenged native tribe ("Are they Pygmies?" Jane asks; "They're dwarves," her father replies...uh, whatever...), and a gruesome scene ensues of the surviving members being lassoed and dropped into a pit with a giant gorilla (a not-quite convincing guy in an ape suit). Holt is knocked unconscious, Parker is mortally injured, Cheeta is tossed against a wall, and Jane swoons in the gorilla's arms (shades of KING KONG), then Tarzan busts in, to kill the ape and save them all. As the ever-available stampede of elephants mash the dwarves into pulp, Tarzan leads the dying Parker, Jane, and Holt to the 'Elephants' Graveyard', where Jane's father passes away. Holt returns to civilization (he would return in the sequel, TARZAN AND HIS MATE) and Tarzan, Jane, and a recovering Cheeta start an exciting new life together!

Yes, the story is unintentionally campy, the 'apes', and animal fights, unconvincing, and there is blatant racism throughout the film. But as sheer entertainment, Depression-era audiences were enthralled. Weissmuller and O'Sullivan conveyed the kind of eroticism that pre-Code Hollywood was notorious for (and would reach even greater heights in the sequel), the action sequences were spectacular, and a new MGM franchise was born, that would produce six more films over the next nine years.

Thalberg had again proven why he was considered the film industry's resident genius!

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Righty-Sock (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
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Johnny Weissmuller, an Olympic swimmer, was billed as "the only man in Hollywood who is natural in the flesh and can act without clothes." Maureen O'Sullivan was chosen for his mate, and the film concentrated on romance and ignored Tarzan's origins...

It was in this movie, that Tarzan becomes the unintelligible, but very sexy man-ape that most cinema-goers recognize... The famous phrase "Me Tarzan, You Jane' was never spoken, but the film did include Tarzan constantly pointing to himself and then to Jane, enunciating "Tarzan - Jane."

It was in this film that Cheetah the chimpanzee made the debut... The film was an enormous success, and Weissmuller's simple native hero became the forerunner of many subsequent versions...

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raysond from Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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"Tarzan The Ape Man",was without a doubt one the definitive "Tarzan" movie,and the first "Tarzan" talkie that started it all and it continues to go strongly to this day,a century after Edgar Rice Burroughs's most famous character was first introduced,generations ago. It also introduce to audiences Johnny Weissmuller who was an Olympic swimming champion and so forth and the introduction of actress Maureen O'Sullivan whom would star in all six pictures from 1932 to 1942. However,there have been numerous attempts to remake,update or improve on the classic story by Edgar Rice Burroughs(notably the pretentious 1984 Tarzan update of "Graystoke",directed by Hugh Hudson)on it,but have failed to near the original's entertainment value or even its technical quality,which still holds beautifully to this day.

This was in fact the "original" of a long series of Tarzan movies starring Weissmuller and O' Sullivan that were made by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer,which in turn made Tarzan a hot commodity and its studio a Hollywood producing powerhouse of great entertainment. Dubiously faithful to the Edgar Rice Burroughs story about the humble beginnings to where Tarzan is introduced has been remade numerous times,but this is the 1932 original where Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan bring a class of style of wit to the roles and the results are absolutely brilliant from beginning to end. Then in 1934,MGM made a sequel entitled "Tarzan And His Mate" which was the second entry in the lavishly produced MGM Tarzan series. Weissmuller and O'Sullivan cohabit in an unmarried bliss before the Hays Code of the era moved them into a treehouse with twin beds. There is also the swimming scene,which until now has been restored from the original print which has been banned for years until MGM reissued this scene back into the film. The scene where Maureen O'Sullivan is swimming with Weissmuller,completely nude was in its day very noticeable and very restricted toward adult audiences. Among the challenges that they face in there private domain is against nasty white hunters,savage natives,angry elephants,hungry lions and maneating crocodiles.

"Tarzan Escapes",was the third entry in the series released in 1936. In this sequel,Jane(O'Sullivan)is tricked by evil hunters into abandoning her fairy tale life with Tarzan(Weissmuller). So the Ape Man sets out to reunite with is one true love,and as he sets out to get back with Jane,trouble ensumes. The third entry in MGM's successful Weissmuller/O'Sullivan series is still among the better Tarzan movies thanks to the leads,but the Hays Office made sure that Jane was wearing a lot more clothes this time around since this was also aimed toward adult audiences. The series from this point takes a three-year hiatus. Then in 1939,the fourth entry in MGM's Weissmuller/O'Sullivan series went toward the kiddie fare with "Tarzan Finds A Son" which was family oriented material and a little more tamer than the first two installments. However,Weissmuller and O'Sullivan returned to their roles after three years with the addition of five year-old Johnny Sheffield as "Boy". He's an orphan whose awful relatives hope he stays lost so they can collect and inheritance. Tarzan and Jane fight to adopt the tyke and when the new family are captured by a wicked tribe only an elephant stampede and Tarzan's call of the jungle can save them.

Then in 1941,after a two year hiatus,the fifth entry in the series was really standard kiddie fare with "Tarzan's Secret Treasure". Tarzan saves an expedition from a savage tribe only to be repaid by having greedy hunters hold Boy and Jane hostage. They want Tarzan's help in finding a secret cache of gold hidden in the jungle. But Tarzan doesn't take kindly to threats against his family and teaches those evil-doers a lesson they'll never forget! This one was action-packed and it does show Weissmuller doing some of his own stunts. Then,in 1942,the last and final entry in the MGM Tarzan series titled "Tarzan's New York Adventure",marked Maureen O'Sullivan's final appearance as Jane. This one is so-so adventure with some very humorous moments when Tarzan meets the big city. When Boy is kidnapped by a evil circus owner,Tarzan,Jane and Cheta head out to rescue him.Then Tarzan shows off his jungle prowless by climbing skyscrapers and diving off the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River. This final Tarzan entry for both Weissmuller and O'Sullivan showcases some very interesting cameo appearances including one which features Elmo Lincoln,the screen's first Tarzan in a cameo appearance.

After the huge success of the Tarzan films for MGM,Johnny Weissmuller continue to played The Ape Man in six more films for RKO Pictures which began in 1943 and ended in 1948,where Weissmuller's final appearance as the Ape Man concluded in "Tarzan And The Mermaids",before he would venture into a new medium---television as "Jungle Jim" in the early-1950's. He also played "Jungle Jim" in several theatrical films for Columbia Pictures. As for actress Maureen O'Sullivan,after the success of the Tarzan films,she would go on to star in several films including "The Big Clock" and "Bonzo Goes To College" opposite Ronald Reagan and so many more. As for Johnny Sheffield,he would go on to continue the role of "Boy" in five more Tarzan films with Johnny Weissmuller until 1949,when he went on to star in more than twelve features as Bomba Of The Jungle under RKO Pictures and would continue that role on television.

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dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York
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Jane Parker goes into the jungle and meets the man of her dreams. A long running movie series is born.

All kidding aside this is a really good adventure film of the sort that they don't make any more. The first of the MGM series, though not the first Tarzan movie, nor the only Tarzan film made during the same period (Edgar Rice Burroughs had deals with several producers) this is the film that broke box office records and spawned ten million "Me Tarzan, you Jane" jokes.

The film was made to cash in the previous years Trader Horn, a jungle picture that MGM had produced. Wanting to feed a public that wanted more as well as to make use of the hours of location footage shot for that film. The ape man was the perfect choice.

The plot has to do with Jane arriving in the jungle to see her father and then going of to find the elephant grave yard. Along the way is carried off by Tarzan and the rest is the movie. Its an exciting ride (especially if you forgive the creaky special effects and ape suits).

A perfect film for a rainy afternoon

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nnnn45089191 from Norway
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Johnny Weissmuller,the former Olympic champion in swimming,makes his debut as Tarzan.The movie spawned a lot of sequels and Weissmuller continued as Tarzan for 11 more films during the next 16 years. I had seen this early and somewhat primitive talkie a couple of years back and found it hard to sit through.I decided I'd give it another chance and was surprised at how much more I enjoyed it.Weissmuller is stunning, he fits the part excellent and looks amazing.There's screen charisma by the thousands.Maureen O' Sullivan as Jane really made the role her own.The African footage, shot during the making of "Trader Horn" is exciting and must have been worth the ticket on its own back in the thirties.There's some bad rear-projection used,but it doesn't spoil the movie if you don't let it bother you. So enjoy this entertaining film.

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zetes from Saint Paul, MN
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This is the first of the MGM Tarzan films featuring Olympic medalist Johnny Weismuller in the titular role. It is new out on DVD, in a box set that contains the first six (out of twelve) that he would make. His co-star in these first six films (though I think she disappears in the latter six) is Maureen O'Sullivan, one of the greatest beauties Hollywood ever knew. They are the perfect Tarzan and Jane. Tarzan the Ape Man is extraordinary. The second film of the series, Tarzan and His Mate, is an acknowledged masterpiece of the adventure drama, but I'd almost rank Ape Man aside with it. It is beautifully done in every way, fun and exciting, but also at lengths gentle, charming, and downright erotic. There's a long scene where Tarzan and Jane play in the water. It's so sweet and so sexy. There's hardly any background music to the film, which sets it apart from many in its era that overused their musical scores. Long scenes are played out silently. There is no attempt to make up for a lack of dialogue. Of course, since this is the first time Tarzan meets men (at least white men), he doesn't speak much except for a few grunts to his chimpanzee buddies. It's quite amazing how much attention and care is put into the way Tarzan behaves, how he has become chimp-like. I also begin to notice with this film how good an actor Johnny Weismuller is. Tarzan the Ape Man is really a wonderful film. The new box set is absolutely a must-have. 10/10.

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David Atfield (bits@alphalink.com.au) from Canberra, Australia
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It has to be said - this is a very strange film. A proper young English lass is kidnapped by a white man who, for reasons never explained in this version, lives with the apes. She instantly falls in love with him and gives up everything to swing through the trees with him. Hardly the kind of thing America in the early thirties would have thought proper. Which makes this film quite subversive - and Johnny Weissmuller is practically naked! His beauty, particularly in body shape and skin tone, is special - but so too is the performance of Maureen O'Sullivan. With Weissmuller monosyllabic at best, it is left to O'Sullivan to convey most of the story - and she does it with great grace and charm - and quite a bit of sex!

All that aside, there is some remarkable animal footage - sometimes with the actors and at other times with obvious doubles. There is a band of marauding pygmies (basically dwarves in black make-up) that has to be seen to be believed! The hardest things to take in this film though are its racism (the whites whip their black servants, and, when O'Sullivan's dad says that Tarzan has no real human feelings, O'Sullivan explodes "But he's white"!), and the rather fake animals used in certain scenes - particularly the men in ape suits. There is also some really bad rear projection. But, if you can ignore all that, there is much to enjoy and Cheeta the chimp is very cute.

But it is in the silent action sequences that the film really flies. Too often it gets bogged down in static sound sequences - and there is the usual problem with early talkies of too little music. It makes me think what a great silent film this would have been. W.S. Van Dyke was a first-rate visual director with many impressive silent films like "The Pagan" and if we could now just sit back and watch this sexy action film without talking and sound effects, just a great music score, this film could well be considered a masterpiece. But then I guess we would never have heard Tarzan's famous cry.

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James Christian from United States
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I'm sure I saw bits and pieces of "Tarzan, the Ape Man" on television when I was a kid, but I never really paid much attention to it. I just recently checked out the DVD from my local library, and I was amazed to discover what I had been missing all these years.

This movie made me feel like a young boy, craving excitement and adventure. This first installment in the MGM Tarzan movies delivers big time. Yes, the special effects and interweaving of the stock footage looks a bit dated, but remember that this film was only made three years after the first "talkie" (i.e. a sound picture, not a silent movie). There are certain techniques that obviously stem from the silent movie days. But to me, this just adds to the charm.

The animal footage is excellent. For the first time in a long time, I was actually on the edge of my seat during a movie. The CGI effects today are amazing, but they're so overdone (most of the time). The thrills and suspense in "Tarzan" are heightened, because you know everything you see is physically tangible, not an actor reacting to a green screen.

I still don't know how they did some of those scenes without anyone getting hurt. Swinging from the treetops, wrestling with lions, wrestling with leopards, being chased by wild animals--all of these things make for great entertainment and adventure.

I should also mention that the relationship between Tarzan and Jane is one of the most captivating I've ever seen in a movie. It's very understated, yet very sexy. Today, they would ruin the story by making the couple have sex after five minutes. But because the sexual chemistry is only hinted at, the entire relationship is one of Jane flirting and Tarzan pursuing. It just builds and builds. This romance actually has excitement to it. Definitely one of the best screen romances of all time.

Despite a few minor shortcomings in the special effects of the time, this is a thrilling movie. Great adventure, great excitement, great entertainment. Don't miss it!

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MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta
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This week I also watched the first two entries in the MGM Tarzan series by way of Warner's elegant 4-Disc Set. I actually took some persuading to purchase these films (the very positive online buzz is what got me), and I finally relented some time ago thanks to a generous 20% sale on the part of Deep Discount DVD!

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by them: solid (though primitive) production values, a bevy of exciting action sequences, and gleeful doses of eroticism and sadism made for great (if somewhat repetitive) fun. Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O' Sullivan created a wonderful (and spontaneous) rapport and generally inhabited their roles very nicely, making them the screen's definitive incarnations of these characters.

TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934; ***1/2) edges the original slightly because of the former's (necessary) tendency towards exposition: the sequel dives straight into action (though, curiously enough, it still takes quite a bit before Tarzan makes an appearance!) but also features lecherous villainy from Paul Cavanaugh and even takes time to develop the lovable personality of Cheetah (especially in a lengthy sequence where it is beset by assorted creatures while journeying through the jungle to alert Tarzan of the [invariably] impending danger)…and then, of course, there's that famous nude swimming scene! The lion-infested finale, too, is every bit as remarkable as the pygmy sequences at the climax of TARZAN THE APE MAN (1932; ***) – if anything, it's even more ambitious.

It's a pity, therefore, that the special effects (once considered ground-breaking) have not withstood the test of time: innumerable back-projection shots, the conveniently-placed (and thinly-disguised) series of trapeze which allow Tarzan to swing from one tree to the other, all-too-fake snakes and alligators, the rotoscoping of lions into a scene to make them appear as if they were fighting elephants, etc. Unfortunately TARZAN AND HIS MATE (and probably all the others that follow) took a ridiculous turn by having Jane mimic the famous Tarzan cry/yodel, which I felt to be an unwise decision on the part of the studio! Still, I do look forward to the rest of the series, hoping that they're at least as entertaining (even if reviews claim production values got progressively more lavish, and thus unrealistic, and the plots cornier).

ape|elephant|africa|rescue|ivory|jungle|first part|wild boy|pre code|animal in title|bare chested male|climbing a tree|tiger|swinging on a vine|swimming|stock music|stock footage|rifle|pygmy|pygmy tribe|pit|murder|love|loincloth|lion|knife|injury|father daughter relationship|exotic locale|death|big game|alligator|foot fetish|throat slitting|gorilla|hippopotamus|sequel|chimpanzee|based on novel|character name in title|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Australia:G / Finland:K-12 (1952) / Finland:K-16 (1932) / Netherlands:AL / USA:Passed (National Board of Review) / USA:TV-G (TV rating)