|
|
| TARZAN
AND THE GREAT RIVER (director:
Robert Day; screenwriter: Bob Barbash/from a
story by Bob
Barbash/based on the characters of Edgar Rice Burroughs;
cinematographer: Irving Lippman; editors: Edward
Mann/James Nelson/
Anthony Carras; music: William Loose; cast:
Mike Henry (Tarzan), Jan Murray (Capt. Sam Bishop),
Diana Millay (Dr.
Ann Phillips), Rafer Johnson (Barcuma), Manuel Padilla Jr (Pepe),
Paulo Gracindo
(Professor); Runtime: 99; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Sy
Weintraub; Paramount; 1967) "Inferior Tarzan venture." Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz Robert Day ("She"/"The Green Man"/"Operation Snatch") directs this inferior Tarzan venture. It's based on a story by Bob Barbash. This time the jungle setting is in Brazil's Amazon jungle. Tarzan (Mike Henry) visits
his zoologist friend (Paulo Gracindo) at the Rio de
Janeiro zoo and after learning that a killer ancient
cult of jaguar natives has been revived and are
burning and attacking villages in the Amazon and also
taking slaves and, that its leader is called Barcuma (Rafer Johnson), the
African discovers the professor killed by the cult. To
stop the killings Tarzan determines he has to pursue
Barcuna, and travels to the Amazon with his pet chimp
Cheetah and pet lion Baron. When he reaches the Amazon
river, he must rescue grumpy small cargo captain Sam
Bishop (Jan Murray) and his cheerful 10-year-old
orphan first mate Pepe (Manuel Padilla Jr) from a killer cult attack.
The captain agrees to give Tarzan a ride upstream to
the village of Calebah, where he's to deliver medical
supplies to Dr.
Ann Phillips (Diana Millay). At the village they
discover a frightened Dr. Phillips, the only survivor
of an attack by the cult. She now joins the boat, as
she must get the medicine to the Marakeet country to treat an
epidemic. While there Tarzan discovers the spot where
Barcuna is forcing the slaves to dig for diamonds and
gets into a fist-fight with him. After killing
Barcuma, the cult folds its tents and vanishes. Too bad no one could act in
this silly Tarzan venture, as Mike Henry makes for a
wooden Tarzan and borscht-belt comedian Jan Murray is
a fish out of water. REVIEWED ON 11/7/2011 GRADE: C Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ |