Jungle Book (1942)

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

This is a Movie adaption of a Tale written by the famous Rudyard Kipling a fellow of English Blood who was born and Raised in the foothills of the Himalayas in India. CINEMATOGRAPHY GREAT. The BEGINNING of the MOvie is a wonderful scene of Wildlife. This is a colored film but has the resolution of black and white, so I am guessing was quite a cinematographers delight in the day. IF you can get a good quality version and watch it on a really good flat TV or better yet an HD CRT, you will get the richness of the movie. SO much of it is dark spaces. MUSIC was very nice. NOt quite Indian, somewhat orchestral, and interesting mix of what seems like very original music, carries the film wonderfully. Folksy and majestic at the same time, fitting to the story!!ACTING very good. Solid acting , nothing stupendous, some nice subtle performances within. Most of this movie is carried by the story and the action. SCENES are generally small, and very cozy, almost like a stage play ,from a modern perspective. I get hungry for sandwiches when i watch this movie. for you in Cold Weather climates, watch this movie in the WINTER!!!This is an ACTION ADVENTURE movie with Political and Dramatic Strings, an Deservingly classic tale, and this movie is quite well made. CULTURALLY & ETHNICALLY sensitive people who object to a lot of stuff may have some internal issues to defeat to enjoy this movie, but other than that, it is an Epic Story made into a great adventure movie.T H A N K S F O R R E A D I N G ! ! ! !

As a child, I loved this 1942 film Jungle Book. As a 20-year old adult, I still do, my favourite version of the story alongside the less faithful but just as fun 1967 Disney film. As with all Korda Brothers films(The Four Feathers being my personal favourite), the film is full of beautiful scenery and cinematography as well as an exotic atmosphere. Miklos Rozsa's score is suitably stirring with an authentic touch, while the story is exciting and amusing with a real adventurous streak about it and the pace not dragging too much. The jungle animals look great and are colourful characters in their own right, and the film is lovingly directed as always. Sabu is a likable and athletic lead, Joseph Calleia is terrific as Buldeo and Rosemary De Camp is a sympathetic mother figure. My only complaint is the romance, which was not as developed as it could have been. Overall though, I still love this film and still thinks it holds up today. 9/10 Bethany Cox

The first time I saw this movie I walked each step with Sabu playing the part of Mowgli, what an adventure it was. The animals of the jungle know and respect him, they willingly do as he wishes because, they know that he is good and one of them. I first saw this in a theater, and don't remember the year, I was very young. I am sorry to say that it has gained some darkness and lost a little of the very nice color, but to anyone who didn't first see it way back when, it should seem very nice. Watch for the one who whispers, so old and yet so special. Well worth the rental/buy price in my opinion. Mowgli of the wolfs wants to get a tooth, and he does. A very nice movie, I have watched it many times, and will watch it many more. Join me.

Sabu (as Mowgli) is raised by wolves after his father is killed in the jungles of India. After a dozen or so years as an "animal", he encounters a village of humans. The village includes his natural mother Rosemary DeCamp (as Messua), who coincidently takes him in, and teaches him to speak English. But, adjusting to human life is difficult. Sabu discovers humans are a mixed bag… Beautiful color photography is the highlight of "Jungle Book". Additionally, the performance of Sabu is certainly intense; his eyes, in introductory scenes, really seem like the eyes of someone raised by wolves! Storyteller Joseph Calleia (as Buldeo) is charming. This is, however, a very lethargic movie. I expected to like the "village" scenes, but was surprised to favor the non-talking jungle scenes. Okay, GIANT English speaking SNAKES are exempt from the previous sentence. I did like the pursuit of the ordinary non-speaking tiger. Admittedly, I'm not a "Jungle Book" movie fan, but I do recall seeing another version; and, this one is better... ****** Jungle Book (4/3/42) Alexander Korda : Zoltan Korda ~ Sabu, Joseph Calleia, Rosemary DeCamp