Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

A missing heir of respected Scottish family, raised in African jungles by animals, finally returns to his estate only to realize that difference between the two worlds is really significant.

Director:

Hugh Hudson

Writers:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (novel), Robert Towne (as P.H. Vazak)

Stars:

Christopher Lambert, Andie MacDowell, Ralph Richardson

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ralph Richardson	...	The Sixth Earl of Greystoke
Ian Holm	...	Capitaine Phillippe D'Arnot
James Fox	...	Lord Charles Esker
Christopher Lambert	...	John Clayton / Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Andie MacDowell	...	Miss Jane Porter
Cheryl Campbell	...	Lady Alice Clayton
Ian Charleson	...	Jeffson Brown
Nigel Davenport	...	Major Jack Downing
Nicholas Farrell	...	Sir Hugh Belcher
Paul Geoffrey	...	Lord John 'Jack' Clayton
Richard Griffiths	...	Captain Billings
Hilton McRae	...	Willy
David Suchet	...	Buller
Ravinder	...	Dean
John Wells	...	Sir Evelyn Blount

Storyline

A shipping disaster in the nineteenth century has stranded a man and woman in the wilds of Africa. The lady is pregnant, and gives birth to a son in their tree house. The mother dies soon afterwards. An ape enters the house and kills the father, and a female ape takes the tiny boy as a replacement for her own dead infant, and raises him as her son. Twenty years later, Captaine Phillippe D'Arnot discovers the man who thinks he is an ape. Evidence in the tree house leads him to believe that he is the direct descendant of the Earl of Greystoke, and thus takes it upon himself to return the man to civilization.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1885 | shipwreck | africa | ape | orphan | 

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Taglines:

He was a boy alone in the jungle, innocent of its dangers and awed by its beauty. He became part of a family of apes who raised and protected him. It was the start of a bond that was never broken and it is the beginning of a timeless and classic adventure . . .

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. WB Shop / Warner Archive

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

30 March 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Greystoke: The 7th Earl Lord John Clayton, Tarzan of the Apes

Filming Locations:

Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,517,732, 1 April 1984

Gross USA:

$45,858,563

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$45,858,563

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., WEA Records

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a 2012 interview at the London BFI (British Film Insitute), Viggo Mortensen confirmed that he was considered for the role of Tarzan.

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Goofs

Eric Langlois is left-handed.

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Quotes

Capitaine Phillippe D'Arnot: Listen to me John. How many other white apes have you seen? You're like me, not them. You have another family, far away, one you have never seen.

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Alternate Versions

In a 2016 Hollywood Reporter article that interviewed director Hugh Hudson about his work on "Greystoke" ("The Secrets Behind That Other Tarzan Movie - The One That Earned a Dog a Screenwriting Oscar Nomination," by Stephen Galloway, July 01, 2016), Hudson is quoted saying, "What was complicated was to bring the film down to two hours and 20 minutes. We had an original cut of three hours, and it was at its best at two hours and 40 minutes, where you had a little bit longer [with Tarzan] growing up in the jungle and it was a bit more violent. The world of an ape is a violent world. And the studio was very nervous about that." http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/greystoke-inside-story-1984-tarzan-908081 Unfortunately, there are no known intact copies of the director's favored two hour, 40 minute cut anywhere to be found.

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Connections

Version of Tarzan (1999)

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Soundtracks

The Dashing White Sergeant
(uncredited)
Written by John Burgoyne
Music by H.R. Bishop (as Henry Rowley Bishop)

User Reviews

Best yet!!

Having seen numerous Tarzan movies over the years, I consider Greystoke, one of the best, if not the best. It played with all emotions. Christopher Lambert's portrayal of Tarzan was excellent. I have never read Borough's book, but this adaptation must, in the least, put any Tarzan movie that Johnny Weismueller or Lex Barker played in to shame. I have seen this movie at least 5 times and would watch it again and again.