Tarzan's Savage Fury

TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY - 1952


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Director

Cyril Endfield

Producer

Sol Lesser

Screenplay

Cyril Hume, Hans Jacoby &
Shirley White

MAIN CAST

Tarzan

Lex Barker

Jane

Dorothy Hart

Rokov

Charles Korvin

Edwards

Patric Knowles

Joey Martin

Tommy Carlton

BACKGROUND

• Sol Lesser was keen to recreate some of the domestic solidarity lost since the departure of Johnny Sheffield from the series. He approached Cyril Hume, who had scripted the classic Tarzan Finds a Son! in 1938, to develop a story utilising a young male character similar to Boy. He chose Cy Endfield to direct, who would later distinguish himself as the director of Zulu (1964), and as writer of it's prequel Zulu Dawn (1979). Eleven-year-old Tommy Carlton, in his only film appearance, played Joey, a jungle orphan who is terrified of lions. Once again Sol Lesser decided to use a different actress to play Jane and it is strange that he didn't keep this one longer. I agree with Fury that 28-year-old Dorothy Hart was one of the most "physically appropriate" actresses to play Jane. She was a beautiful, shapely redhead with long hair whose face expressed a strength and determination ideal for the role. Sadly, this was her only role as Tarzan's mate. The Arboretum was used for the jungle scenes, the Olancha sand dunes for the desert sequence and the Iverson Movie Ranch for other location sequences. The film was released on 18 March 1952. (Essoe & Fury)

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

PLOT - Note: Spoiler warning

• Tarzan's cousin is killed by Rokov, his guide, who concocts a plan to substitute his cowardly partner, Edwards, for the cousin. Tarzan rescues a young boy named Joey who is being used by natives as bait for crocodiles and he and Jane decide to adopt him. Rokov (photo right - far left) and Edwards (photo right - far right) use the diary of Lord Greystoke, Tarzan's father, as proof of Edward's identity and persuade Tarzan to lead them into Waziri country to find diamonds, supposedly needed for national security. At the Waziri village an old man remembers Tarzan and his father but Rokov steals the jewels and kills both Edwards and the Waziri witch doctor. The Waziri decide to sacrifice Jane as punishment and Joey races through the jungle to find Tarzan who has been ambushed by Rokov. Joey must face his biggest fear, lions, and manages to warn Tarzan of Jane's danger. Tarzan kills Rokov, rescues Jane and returns the diamonds to the Waziri. In gratitude the Waziri give Tarzan half of the diamonds and he, Jane and Joey return to their tree-house.

MOVING PICTURES

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

SOURCES
• Tarzan of the Movies by Gabe Essoe, 1968, The Citadel Press
• Kings of the Jungle by David Fury, 1994, McFarland Classics
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 of the trailer 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
• Vist the excellent In Memorium Lex Barker site
CAPTURE
• This film has never been released commercially but collectors sometimes offer it on DVD on eBay

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