To escape from an arranged marriage to Aquatania's pagan god, a desperate maiden ends up in Tarzan's fishing net. But soon, he, too, finds himself before a well-planned conspiracy. Can Tarza... Read allTo escape from an arranged marriage to Aquatania's pagan god, a desperate maiden ends up in Tarzan's fishing net. But soon, he, too, finds himself before a well-planned conspiracy. Can Tarzan save the mermaid from the barbaric idol's will?To escape from an arranged marriage to Aquatania's pagan god, a desperate maiden ends up in Tarzan's fishing net. But soon, he, too, finds himself before a well-planned conspiracy. Can Tarzan save the mermaid from the barbaric idol's will?
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
- Older Aquitanian
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe absence of the Johnny Sheffield character "Boy" from this film is explained with the the claim that Boy is "away at school." In truth, Sheffield's RKO contract had not been renewed, and the actor then signed a deal with "Poverty Row" studio Monogram Pictures to make a series of movies as "Bomba," a character clearly intended to evoke memories of Sheffield's many appearances in Tarzan films.
- GoofsTarzan wears shoes in this movie, and the shoes have the ability to appear and disappear between shots. When he goes after Mara and her kidnappers, he has on what appear to be sandals. During the times he is in the cave, the shoes appear and disappear. Later on, when Tarzan is attacked by an octopus, he has no shoes on, and after he kills it, the shoes are back on his feet.
- Quotes
Palanth, the High Priest: If my people knew anyone posed as Balu, they would destroy him.
Tarzan: If people know Balu a man, they destroy you!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Buster and Billie (1974)
- SoundtracksI'm Taking a Letter to My Friend, Tarzan
(uncredited)
Written by Sir Lancelot
Played on guitar and Sung by John Laurenz
As for the story starting with a narration followed by ten minute character introductions, Mara (Linda Christian), a beautiful maiden from the forbidden island, is forced by the High Priest (George Zucco) to become an unwilling bride of a feared island "God" Varga (Fernando Wagner), a villainous pearl trader, although she actually loves the exiled Tiko (Gustavo Bojo). Mara escapes Aquantinia and swims to the location of Tarzan (Johnny Weissmiller) and Jane (Brenda Joyce) who agree to assist her. After Mara is found, she is abducted and taken back to her island. Tarzan and Jane follow, are held prisoners. Following their escape, Tarzan intends to unmask the false god and expose the white men after their priceless pearls before Mara's wedding is to take place. Also featured in the cast are Edward Ashley (Balu)and Andrea Palmer (Luana).
In spite the fact that TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS, might have made Weissmuller's farewell performance into something special, its ordinary 68 minute storyline, which appears to have been revamped many times over the years, especially from the Maria Montez and Jon Hall South Seas adventures produced over at Universal through most of the 1940s, weakness dominates few of its strengths. Obvious changes were also being made at this time. Missing from the cast of regulars is Johnny Sheffield as Boy, who had outgrown his part. He is mentioned by Jane, as she writes a letter to him, to be attending school in England (a truant officer must have come for him after all these years in the jungle), leaving Tarzan and Jane with Cheetah to fill in the void. Along with the good and the not so good, this marks the first in the series since the early MGM days to be lensed on location rather than a closed set. Opening titles credit this with location scenes filmed in Acapulco and the studios at Churubusco and Mexico City, which is all well and good, but one would wonder why color photography wasn't an added factor to the expense of location scenes. Interestingly, the use of the footage lacks the substance of any indication of this being in Tarzan's native homeland of Africa. As for the featured players, George Zucco as the villainous high priest, is the only asset. One only wishes he had more scenes matching wits with Tarzan adding more interest to the story.
While the weakest in the series, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS shouldn't be classified as the worst. Lacking more action than usual, one of its main faults is not so much as adding new characters to the story, but the extensive use of a singing mailman, played by John Lorenz as Benji (no, not in the form of the famous dog). Not truly categorized as a musical, it consists of numerous songs to make it so, including such forgettable tunes as, "I'm Taking a Letter to My Friend, Tarzan," "Oh, Most Beautiful Mermaid," "Fairwell, Fair Mermaid," "Let Us Hasten to Adventure" and "I'll Serenade You With My Guitar." A pity Tarzan doesn't get his chance to serenade Jane in a canoe surrounded by swimming native girls, which might have worked as a very silly highlight, but for what it is, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS is so offbeat from its predecessors, lacking the standard use of animal stampedes, dangers setting place underwater (though there's a memorable cliff diving scene and added attraction of Tarzan fighting an octopus), the traditional Tarzan ape call, along with additional footage centered upon other actors bearing little or no interest to the viewer, of course with the exception of the characteristic Zucco.
Having played on commercial television since the 1960s as part of its "Tarzan" lineup, with the RKO Radio series never placed on video but onto DVD, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS was, along with the other "Tarzan" adventures, presented on American Movie Classics cable channel (1998-2000) before moving to Turner Classic Movies(TCM premiere: June 25, 2011). As specified, TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS marked the end of an era for Weissmuller, who no longer was physically fit to appear in any more installments.
Considering his type-casting, he didn't end up collecting his unemployment check. Almost immediately, he found renewed success assuming the part as another jungle hero (fully clothed) in a brand new film series as JUNGLE JIM (1948 to 1955) for Columbia Pictures. Brenda Joyce would play Jane one more time for the next installment, TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN (1949), introducing Lex Barker as the new (and younger) jungle man. (**1/2)
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan and the Mermaids
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 8 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1