The Jungle Captive (1945)

Once again Paula ape woman is brought back to life, this time by a mad doctor and his disfigured assistant, who also kidnaps a nurse in order to have a female blood donor. By this time, ... See full summary »

Director:

Harold Young

Writers:

Dwight V. Babcock (screenplay), Dwight V. Babcock (story),

Stars:

Otto Kruger, Vicky Lane, Amelita Ward

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Otto Kruger	...	Dr. Stendahl
Vicky Lane	...	Paula Dupree - the Ape Woman
Amelita Ward	...	Ann Forrester
Phil Brown	...	Don Young
Jerome Cowan	...	Detective W.L. Harrigan
Rondo Hatton	...	Moloch the Brute
Eddie Acuff	...	Bill
Ernie Adams	...	Jim
Charles Wagenheim	...	Fred
Eddy Chandler	...	Motorcycle Cop
Jack Overman	...	Detective - George

Storyline

Once again Paula ape woman is brought back to life, this time by a mad doctor and his disfigured assistant, who also kidnaps a nurse in order to have a female blood donor. By this time, Paula's been brain damaged by experiences in the last film, so there's not much for her to do except wander around.

---

Plot Keywords:

mad doctor | ape | simian fiction | morgue | multiple murders | 

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wild Jungle Captive

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Johnny, errand boy: Ah, my dear Ann! So glad to see you again after all these minutes. Twenty of them, at least.
Ann Forrester: *Fifty* minutes, Johnny.
Johnny, errand boy: Fifty minutes! Fifty years away from you, Ann.
Ann Forrester: You're not flattering me Johnny. Now what have you been doing?
Johnny, errand boy: Waiting for the specimen at Dr. Lees'.
Ann Forrester: I could check with Dr. Lees' office nurse, you know... but I'll let it go at that.
Johnny, errand boy: Ah, gee, thanks Ann. Dr. Lee would like to have reports quickly as possible.
Ann Forrester: I don't think we can run another test this afternoon, ...
[...]

---

Connections

Follows Captive Wild Woman (1943)

User Reviews

The Jungle Captive (1945) **1/2

Pretty good and under-appreciated finale to Universal's "Ape Woman Trilogy". Otto Kruger plays an older and grandfatherly doctor who appears kind and respectable but has sinister plans up his sleeve to revive Paula the Ape Woman and transform her into Vicky Lane (since Acquanetta left the series). His perfect assistant is none other than Rondo Hatton, the actor who in real life suffered from the disease Acromegaly, which enlarged his face and hands. Rondo was never an actor, but he's better here than in any of his other films, with a generous helping of dialogue and emotions on display. We also get a little more time with the actual Ape Woman than usual and this is a short 60 minutes of typical mad doctor/assistant/monster nonsense that's fun, if not anything exceptional. A favorite line is when the doc looks at the deformed Rondo Hatton who's admiring the human female patient on the table and says to him: "No offense, but with that face you're not exactly a Casanova, you know". And then, pointing at the beastly Ape Woman on the next table: "This is more in your line". I wonder how Otto Kruger felt delivering an insult like that to the unfortunate Rondo?