La sirena della giungla

Really wretched "jungle" film from the early 1940's with Crabbe and his friend Paul Bryar as two Americans working for the Free French in Africa out to spoil the German plans there for some nonsense or other. The plot really is threadbare even for a film of this ilk and though it has a running time of only 68 minutes - this reviewer found that one tough hour plus almost unbearable to sit through in one showing. The sound quality is scratchy(as previously noted) but that notwithstanding the film has virtually nothing to offer an audience - whether it be older or younger. Buster Crabbe and Bryar along with the semi-pretty, always bad-acting Ann Corio as the Jungle Siren herself act like they are Hope, Crosby, and Lamour with only a tenth of their talent. One-liners and jokes fill the lack of tension and all fall flat. Hearing Crabbe utter words like "Gosh" and "swell" just didn't do anything for me. Nor did hearing Corio with a heavy American accent and look parade around as someone brought up by natives. The natives are unconvincing as is just about everything in this film. Give this one a pass and do yourself a big favour. I could name thousands of other ways to spend that hour - let me count the ways. It is going to be infinitely more interesting then this tepid tempest in a toy teacup.