Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942)

Too many fans seem to be blown away

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

Just perfect...

Blistering performances.

Copyright by 20 March 1942 by Loew's Inc. An MGM picture. New York opening at the Capitol: 6 August 1942. U.S. release: May 1942. Australian release: 13 May 1943. 6,362 feet. 70 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Tarzan rescues Boy from an evil circus owner.NOTES: Number 18 of the 45-picture Tarzan series. Elmo Lincoln who starred as the first Tarzan back in 1918 plays one of the roustabouts in the Bickford-Kendall circus.COMMENT: The last of MGM's Weissmuller Tarzans, this entry is rarely seen and consequently has a poor reputation. Fortunately, a recent revival on free-to-air television confirms that the movie's thumbs-down rating is wrong. In fact, the novel story idea is given a great work-out: Tarzan clambers around skyscrapers, jumps from the Brooklyn Bridge and showers in a double-breasted suit!True, the climax is less original but it's still a happy variation of the usual jungle call as the ape man's elephant friends thwart the villains' efforts to escape. Cheeta has a great deal to do too (perhaps too much), as she skittles through a nightclub, shakes hands with Hobart Cavanaugh, dandies herself up in Jane's clothes and telephones gibberish to a startled Mantan Moreland. Even Boy has his moments, particularly at the beginning of the film where he demonstrates his jungle skills to an incredulous Charles Bickford, Chill Wills and Paul Kelly. And as for Maureen O'Sullivan, who is making her last appearance here as Jane, she hasn't looked so sexy since Tarzan and His Mate (1934).All told, a sure-fire crowd-pleaser, pacily directed, glossily produced, and featuring a fine array of character players led by Bickford at his villainous best. Attractive songstress Virginia Grey is also on hand, and, like Miss O'Sullivan, is well treated by Sidney Wagner's sparkling black-and-white cinematography.

Last of the Maureen O'Sullivan Tarzans has Jane and Tarzan going to the Big Apple after Boy who was taken to America by poachers (who thought Tarzan and Jane were killed in a fire). Boy is put to work in a circus and the happy couple run around trying to find their son.Brief adventure film is quite enjoyable on its own terms, though I don't know how its going to play if you haven't seen any of the previous five films since any notion of character is out the window. The film starts in the typical manner of the idyllic life being turned upside down by the arrival of a party-this time in a plane-which then results in the main plot being put into motion. Its not bad, just formulaic, as all but the first two films in the series have been.

This is the last of the six great "Tarzan classics" with Johnny Weismuller and Maureen O'Sullivan. And I frankly didn't think I would like it: who, after all, wants to see Tarzan anywhere but in the jungle? But this turned out to be a delightful tale after all. We are given enough of Tarzan, Jane, Boy, and the animals in the jungle to set the stage; and then are whisked to New York for a story full of situational humor, social commentary, and adventure.Cheetah perhaps plays a bigger role in this movie than in any of the others. Cheetah provides us with great scenes of fun and good humor, opening the movie at the beginning and closing it at the end in the jungle. In both scenes, Cheetah opens with the elephants with delightful playfulness. In between, we have Cheetah going to New York with Tarzan and Jane for a series of easy-going, hilarious romps that help to really provide this movie with a special humor to offset what is I'll admit I really didn't like Boy's "tricks" with the baby elephants at the beginning of the movie. This all seemed very unnatural, and that really undermines the movies depiction of Boy in the Jungle.However, the perhaps predictable but mordant social commentary contrasting "civilization" and Tarzan's jungle was to me a very good fit for a movie that really more than usual emphasizes environmental contrasts. The adventure/action scenes of Tarzan high above the streets of New York, and far above the Brooklyn Bridge, were wonderful.The cinematography was excellent, crisply precise. The pace occasionally lagged, but in general, was good. All in all, this is a very worthwhile addition to the great Tarzan canon, and I would recommend it to anyone.

It brings back wonderful memories where, after going to church Sunday morning and having Sunday dinner (always roast beef, country ham or fried chicken), my sisters and I would gather around the old tabletop Philco B&W TV to watch "Jungle Theater" which always showed either Tarzan or Jungle Jim (Johnny Weismuller's other alter ego). This was always one of my favorites, especially the dive off the Brooklyn Bridge and Tarzan giving his famous yell in the shower, fully clothed. And to us and all our friends, there was only one Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller. Alas,kids today don't know what they're missing. Ongowa, pacey, Cheetah!