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The Jungle Book

Original title: Jungle Book
  • 1942
  • Approved
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
4.4K
YOUR RATING
Sabu in The Jungle Book (1942)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:19
2 Videos
61 Photos
ActionAdventureFamily

A boy raised by wild animals tries to adapt to human village life.A boy raised by wild animals tries to adapt to human village life.A boy raised by wild animals tries to adapt to human village life.

  • Director
    • Zoltan Korda
  • Writers
    • Laurence Stallings
    • Rudyard Kipling
  • Stars
    • Sabu
    • Joseph Calleia
    • John Qualen
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    4.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Zoltan Korda
    • Writers
      • Laurence Stallings
      • Rudyard Kipling
    • Stars
      • Sabu
      • Joseph Calleia
      • John Qualen
    • 41User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 1 win & 5 nominations total

    Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:19
    Watch Trailer
    Jungle Book: Fire!
    Clip 3:26
    Watch Jungle Book: Fire!

    Photos61

    Poster for video release, 1 sheet
    Sabu and Kaa in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Kaa in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Sabu and Bagheera in The Jungle Book (1942)
    Joseph Calleia, Patricia O'Rourke, and Sabu in The Jungle Book (1942)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sabu
    Sabu
    • Mowgli
    Joseph Calleia
    Joseph Calleia
    • Buldeo
    John Qualen
    John Qualen
    • The Barber
    Frank Puglia
    Frank Puglia
    • The Pundit
    Rosemary DeCamp
    Rosemary DeCamp
    • Messua
    • (as Rosemary De Camp)
    Patricia O'Rourke
    • Mahala
    Ralph Byrd
    Ralph Byrd
    • Durga
    John Mather
    • Rao
    Faith Brook
    Faith Brook
    • English Girl
    Noble Johnson
    Noble Johnson
    • Sikh
    Bagheera
    • The Panther
    Rama Bai
    Rama Bai
    • Villager
    • (uncredited)
    Baloo
    • The Bear
    • (uncredited)
    Mel Blanc
    Mel Blanc
    • Kaa
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Hathi
    • The Elephant
    • (uncredited)
    Kaa
    • The Snake
    • (uncredited)
    Shere Khan
    • The Tiger
    • (uncredited)
    Nick Shaid
    • Villager
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Zoltan Korda
    • Writers
      • Laurence Stallings
      • Rudyard Kipling(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This was the first film for which original soundtrack recordings were issued. Previously, when record companies released music from a film, they had insisted on re-recording the music in their own studios with their own equipment. The "Jungle Book" records were taken from the same recordings used for the film's soundtrack, and their commercial success paved the way for more original-soundtrack albums.
    • Goofs
      Kaa states that cats do not like water; therefore, Shere won't follow Mowgli through water. However, tigers do like water, so it should not be surprising that Shere follows Mowgli when he jumps into the water.
    • Quotes

      Buldeo: Verily, you would have all of India in your picture. Nay, you would have the book of the jungle to read in my eyes.

    • Connections
      Featured in Family Classics: Family Classics: Jungle Book (1963)

    User reviews41

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Memorable Star, Brilliant Art Design--And Incredibly Dire DVDs
    Loosely based on the Rudyard Kipling "Mowgli" stories, the 1942 JUNGLE BOOK offered war-weary audiences brilliant Technicolor, elaborate sets, numerous action sequences, exotic animals, lost treasure, and a climatic firestorm--not to mention charismatic Indian-born star Sabu in a persistently and titillating half-naked state. It was easily one of the most popular films of the year, a two-hour respite from some of the darkest days of World War II, and its style was so admired it easily won two Academy Awards for best color cinematography and best art direction.

    Seen today, however, JUNGLE BOOK is considerably less enchanting. Much of the film's original appeal arose from audience interest in seeing "jungle beasts" in full color--and while several of the animal sequences (particularly those relating to tiger Shere Khan) are classics of their kind, most modern audiences have seen many such scenes in many later films. Further undercutting the animal-interest is the film's use of several animal "dummies" that seemed realistic in 1942 but which are now very obvious in their artificiality.

    What remains, however, are Sabu and the overall design of the film, both of which are quite remarkable. Sabu (1924-1963) was an extremely unlikely star, plucked from complete obscurity in India by the Korda brothers to star in the 1937 ELEPHANT BOY. Fluent in English, unexpectedly charismatic, and with a handsome face and impressive body that the Kordas displayed to great effect, Sabu's greatest success would come with the 1940 Korda brothers' production of THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, and he would remain a popular actor in exotic roles throughout World War II. Although not his best film, JUNGLE BOOK captures Sabu at the very height of his appeal--and that is saying a great deal indeed.

    The design of the film is equally notable and provides a perfect backdrop to Sabu's charms. Filmed largely on soundstages where producer Alexander Korda, director Zoltan Korda, and art director Vincent Korda could exercise absolute control over every aspect of the film, JUNGLE BOOK is a study in the art of the Technicolor process and easily ranks among the finest color films of that decade. The sets, particularly the complex jungle and "lost city" scenes, are both remarkably fine and beautifully photographed, and the firestorm that climaxes the film retains considerable power.

    Unfortunately, however, there doesn't really seem a single DVD edition of the film that presents the film in its full 1942 glory. JUNGLE BOOK is among a number of famous films that has fallen into public domain--and the result is a host of incredibly dire releases to the home market. I have seen, either in full or in part, at least a half-dozen DVD releases of the film, and in each instance the colors are extremely muddy and the picture very fuzzy, often to a point at which the movie is virtually unwatchable. And sadly, given the obscurity of the film in the wake of the popular Walt Disney animated feature, we are very unlikely to see anything better.

    Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
    helpful•35
    4
    • gftbiloxi
    • Aug 4, 2005

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 3, 1942 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Jungle Book
    • Filming locations
      • Sherwood Forest, Lake Sherwood, California, USA(India)
    • Production company
      • Alexander Korda Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,834,000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,905,444
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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