Tarzan and the Lost Safari

TARZAN AND THE LOST SAFARI - 1957


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Director

H Bruce Humberstone

Presented by

Sol Lesser

Producer

John Croydon

Executive Producer

N Peter Rathvon

Screenplay

Montgomery Pittman &
Lillie Hayward

MAIN CAST

Tarzan

Gordon Scott

Tusker Hawkins

Robert Beatty

Diana Penrod

Betta St John

Gamage Dean

Yolande Dolan

Doodles" Fletcher

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Carl Kraski

George Coulouris

Dick Penrod

Peter Arne

Oparian Chief Ogonooro

Orlando Martins

BACKGROUND

• RKO-Radio Pictures had distributed twelve Tarzan films for Sol Lesser Productions between 1943 and 1955 and had maintained the policy of producing one a year. Early in 1956 mounting financial difficulties forced RKO to sell the company to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, who converted it into Desilu Studios. Lesser approached MGM with a distribution deal and nostalgic memories of the Weissmuller days helped them arrive at a settlement. Hoping that this was a "new era" of the ape-man Lesser laid elaborate plans for the most ambitious Tarzan project ever. MGM leant some assistance and it was decided to use colour for the first time (Lesser had unsuccessfully attempted colour photography on Tarzan's Peril in 1951), widescreen, and to film some of the film on location in Africa (also done for Tarzan's Peril). Gordon Scott accompanied a small film crew led by Miki Carter to East Africa to film some wild animal and location footage. Miki also provided animal footage for the Irish McCalla TV show, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. The African exploits of Miki Carter and his wife are captured in two episodes of the adventure documentary series Bold Journey. (Essoe)

APE CRY
• Click on the image at right to hear the ape cry used in this film

PLOT - Note: Spoiler warning
• Tarzan rescues five passengers when their light plane crashes in the jungle. He reluctantly agrees to lead the spoiled socialiites, who have no bush skills, to the coast. The party consists of Dick Penrod, a selfish playboy; Diana, his disaffected wife; Gamage Dean, a wisecracking blonde; "Doodles" Fletcher, a writer for society columns; and Karl Kraski, an old friend. They meet a sly white hunter named "Tusker" Hawkins, who offers to help lead them to the coast, but he has his eye on Diana (above). Hawkins' conniving leads the party through the country of the savage Opar tribe so that he can betray the group to Chief Ogonooro to use as human sacrifice in the primitive rituals of Opar. His payment is possession of Diana and the sacred Tusks of Opar, a fortune in ivory. Cheta, who has learned to use Doodles' lighter, creates a distraction by setting fire to Opar while Tarzan frees the prisoners. Ogonooro spears Hawkins as the party escape across a burning suspension bridge (right). Tarzan bids farewell to the party as the five survivors embark for the coast.

MOVING PICTURES

Click on the image below to see the trailer for this film:

SOURCES

• Tarzan of the Movies by Gabe Essoe, 1968, The Citadel Press
IMAGES
• The poster for this film was pilfered from an eBay auction item
• Both photos are screenshots taken from my DVD of this film
• The video clip of the trailer for this film was uploaded to Youtube by me specifically to embed in this web page

LYNX
• Read a review and rating of this film at At-A-Glance Film Reviews
CAPTURE
• This film has never been released commercially but collectors sometimes offer it on DVD on eBay

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