Crazy to think that in the 1930s, 3 different production companies were all making TARZAN films at the same time! MGM (with loads of money & Johnny Weismuller), Sol Lesser (budget knock-off of same), and Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of the character. Burroughs' 12-chapter serial, "THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN" (presumably a follow-up to an earlier silent serial) featured by far the single MOST-AUTHENTIC Tarzan ever seen on film, until producer Sy Weintraub came along in the late 50s.
It also featured Herman Brix, who was, until Jock Mahoney and Ron Ely, the most authentic-LOOKING Tarzan ever seen on film. Brix had been cast for MGM's 1st film, but had to be replaced because of a broken shoulder. If not for that accident, there might NEVER have been an "illiterate" Tarzan plaguing movies for decades. Had Brix been in "TARZAN THE APE MAN" in 1932, I feel certain that film would have been EVEN BETTER than it was, since MGM felt compelled to "dumb down" the hero due to Weismuller's thick accent.
Many serials were recut to produce "feature" versions; this one's unusual in that the 1st film only covered chapters 1-2, while this sequel covers chapters 3-12!! That should "explain" why this "runaround" seems so choppy. I've seen the complete serial, it definitely holds together far better.
4 groups are after a mysterious stone known as "The Green Goddess", which contains hidden jewels, and, an ancient formula for a powerful explosive that could endanger the world if it fell into the wrong hands. We have the Maitland expedition, accompanied by our intelligent, cultured, and physically-imposing "ape man"; Raglan, the obligatory bad guy; Ula Holt, a very capable government agent; and the near-mindless savage brutal HORDES inhabiting the "lost city" who will stop at nothing to get their stolen idol back.
When I called this a "runaround", I wasn't kidding. It's my experience that stories like this almost always work better when watched ONE chapter at a time, spaced a day (or a week) apart.
Burroughs' film, shot ON LOCATION under horrific conditions in Guatemala, looks fabulous, but tragically, is missing the gloss and slickness and professionalism of MGM (the biggest studio in hollywood at the time), or even the mid-level quality of Sol Lesser's independant films (Lesser wound up taking over the "official" series when MGM bowed out after the first 6 Weismullers). As a result, this can be a chore to plow through... but, if you're a fan of the REAL Tarzan as I am, it's worth the extra effort.
I found numerous bits to laugh at for various reasons. These included Tarzan, tied up as a prisoner, using his voice to imitate various wild animals, causing the local bad guy henchmen to run off in terror. I also loved when Brix, looking more like the character in the Russ Manning newspaper strips than anyone else I've ever seen, would DIVE into action against a whole group of assailants; it would usually require at least 6 opponents to take him down! And then there's the scene where comic-relief "George" foolishly toys with a large turtle, only to be assaulted by about a DOZEN of them in retaliation. That'll learn 'im! (Well, in his case, maybe not... heh.)
Most absurd line in the film (maybe): "You will PRODUCE the Goddess, or you will DIE." I felt like somebody should have replied, "Well, that's going to be awful difficult if we're PRISONERS, wouldn't you say?"
Brix later took acting lessons and changed his name to "Bruce Bennett", and appeared in such fun flicks as "DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE". It's kind of a shame he didn't get to appear in a Tarzan film with FAR-better technical elements.
Although the Ron Ely TV series was a direct spin-off of the official film series (under the then-guidance of Sy Weintraub), I view THIS project as the REAL precursor to Ely's series. I hope to upgrade both to DVD eventually.
