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BACKGROUND
• This film was National General
Pictures second attempt to ride the cinematic gravy train by
hobbling together another one of the double episodes of the
Ron Ely Tarzan TV series. The two-part episodes,
The Blue Stone of Heaven, Parts 1 and 2, were first screened
in the US in October 1967 as part of the show's second series.
The show attracted venerable guest stars and these episodes
featured the talented 70-year-old character actor Sam
Jaffe as Dr Singleton, an archaeologist. Jaffe's
film career began in the silent era but he is well-known for
several memorable roles: the High Lama in Lost
Horizon (1937); the hero in Gunga Din
(1939); and Professor Barnhardt in The
Day the Earth Stood Still (1955). He was also
well known to television audiences in the 1960s for his portrayal
of the wise Dr Zorba in Ben
Casey (1961-1965), which starred Vince
Edwards. The menacing Colonel Tatakombi was played
by gifted African American character actor William
Marshall. Ulla Strömstedt played the attractive
Mary, whose distrust of Tarzan turns to admiration. (Fury)
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APE CRY
• To hear the ape cry used in this
film click on the image at right |
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PLOT - Note: Spoiler
warning
• A respected archeologist, Dr Singleton,
and his daughter, Mary, seek Tarzan's help in locating an ancient
relic called The Blue Stone of Heaven (above). The stone,
which has been lost and buried beneath some pyramids, is believed
to endow whoever stands to the right of it with godlike powers.
This legend has aroused the interest of the power-hungry
Colonel Tatakombi who aspires to rule the jungle as a supreme
dictator. Tarzan leads the party to the ancient pyramids
and when the stone, a large blue statue, is uncovered Tatakombi
uses it to instigate a rebellion amongst the local natives (right).
Tatakombi also turns the natives against Tarzan, who has
inadvertently violated an ancient taboo. Tarzan is imprisoned
and Mary, who has fallen in love with him, frees him with Jai's
assistance. Tarzan confronts Tatakombi atop the pyramid
where he is preaching to the natives. They fight and Tatakombi
is eventually overpowered by Tarzan's strength. Tarzan
destroys the statue to prove to the natives it is only stone.
The Professor and Mary return to civilisation. |
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SOURCES
• Kings
of the Jungle by David Fury, 1994, McFarland Classics
PHOTOS
• The French poster for this film was pilfered from an eBay auction
item
• Both photos are screenshots from my DVD of this film
LYNX
• Read a Ron
Ely filmography at the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
CAPTURE
• This film has not been released commercially but it is sometimes
offered on DVD by collectors on eBay
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TARZAN®
is the property of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., Tarzana CA.
This independent, nonprofit, fan-based analysis of the Tarzan material
is copyright © 2002 Paul Wickham
This page updated September 2007
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