User reviews

TARZAN AND THE JUNGLE BOY (Paramount, 1968), directed by Robert Gordon, may not be the best nor the worst in this long running series based on the Edgar Rice Burrough's created character, but no doubt one of the weakest. Though the premise is basically a good one, using two subplots for the price of one, this Tarzan adventure stands apart for having more plot elements than unrelated segments leading to high adventure.

Starting off traditionally in 1960s style where prologue precedes opening credits, the initial three minutes sets upon a famed geologist named Carl Brunik, who, after stumbling upon mineral deposits, packs up his supplies into his canoe where his seven-year-old son, Erik, and pet baby leopard are seen sleeping under a blanket. While heading down the rapids, Brunik loses control of the canoe that flips over. Father drowns while boy and leopard mysteriously disappear from view. After the slow motion title credits superimposing over the image of Tarzan running about or swinging on the vine and other scenes to take place for the upcoming 99 minutes, the plot resumes, moving forward six years. Myrna Claudel (Aliza Gur), a photographic journalist, and Ken Matson (Ron Gans), her associate, parachute from a private airplane through the trees of the African jungle. They are soon met by Tarzan (Mike Henry), and his pet chimpanzee, Cheta. Myrna asks for the Lord of the Jungle to guide them through Zanuga territory in hope of finding a missing boy. Based on a photo they've acquired taken by a oil company stationed there, they've come to the conclusion the son of the late geologist is very much alive, having miraculously survived the jungle with a leopard as his only companion. Naturally, Tarzan takes to the assignment. Second portion of the story involves brother against brother competing for leadership of the Zagunda tribe. Buhara (Edward Johnson), friend of Tarzan, is kept from tribal leadership by being abducted, left to die by his evil brother Nagambi (Rafer Johnson), while tied to the ground onto four extended pillars in the view of hungry lions at a distance. After Tarzan finds jungle boy (Steven Bond), known to many as Jukaro, "boy of the trees," Myrna and Ken are captured and become hostages to be sacrificed under Nagambi's rule.

While the basic element is on the search of a missing boy, the second premise lifted from the Bible's "Cain and Abel" is actually better. Steve Bond, makes an agreeable jungle boy. Appearing 27 minutes from the start of the movie, he has limited scenes to himself, one worthy of mention is his method of hunting and survival. Boy doesn't meet Tarzan until the film is nearly over. Almost instantly, Tarzan and Erik form a certain bonding in the father and son mode, even taking time out for fun and games by having boy dive into the river from Tarzan's shoulders. Leisurely paced to a degree, TARZAN AND THE JUNGLE BOY greatly benefits from rich color photography from Panavision, as well as fine scenery and authentic jungle locales of Brazil in place rather than its true setting of Africa.

While previous Tarzan actors were far from great actors, Henry, the latest and most muscular ape man since Gordon Scott a decade earlier, enacts his role in calm, low-key style, often speaking with little expression. Categorized as bad acting, Henry, in his third and final attempt in the role for which he is most identified, gives some impression of being bored in some spots. With the writers bringing Tarzan more down to earth and being more relevant towards the sixties, this latest Tarzan is definitely not the same character as presented in decades past. Tarzan's background very much parallels that to the jungle boy. A prime example of this is found during one of their one-on-one talks. Tarzan briefly mentions as being an orphan of the jungle himself, taken to civilization, and making his decision of returning to the Africa after reaching manhood. Though there's not a mention of he being Lord Greystoke as depicted in the Tarzan stories, there's a clue of he being educated in city schools before resuming his lifestyle of a jungle man.

Having come a long way since the titled character's introduction in TARZAN OF THE APES (1918) featuring Elmo Lincoln, and dozens more Tarzan's since then, TARZAN AND THE JUNGLE BOY marks the end of the trail. Frequently shown in many commercial TV stations on "Tarzan Theater" since the 1970s, TARZAN AND THE JUNGLE BOY did play part of the cable TV generation on American Movie Classics (1997-2000) and Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: November 12, 2011). Though this closed the annual or biannual theatrical release of Tarzan adventures since the 1940s, Tarzan was then on call for a TV series (1966-1969) starring Ron Ely for NBC that certainly kept the legend alive regardless of which actor plays him. (** loin-cloths)

In his third and final outing as the jungle hero, muscular Mike Henry (as Tarzan) sheds the trendy "James Bond" pseudo-spy opening for his regular game. After this film, interest was mainly on TV's "Tarzan" (Ron Ely). Clinging to more traditional vines, Mr. Henry finds the boy who went missing after the mishap in the opening sequence. He is little brown-haired Steve Bond (as Erik) - not the blond-haired boy lost, but you get the idea. Young "Jungle Boy" Bond grew up to become a muscular "General Hospital" TV soap opera hunk. Bond gets the job done, in his first feature appearance. Rafer Johnson does well, too. Beautifully proportioned Aliza Gur (as Myrna) is the feminine presence - watch for her Bond-age scene.

**** Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (5/68) Robert Gordon ~ Mike Henry, Steve Bond, Rafer Johnson, Aliza Gur

One of the better post-Johnny Weissmuller "Tarzan" films stars heavy-lidded Mike Henry in the lead. Henry, ex-football player making his third appearance as the Ape Man, is a decent actor, although he would probably be more comfortable cast as a shady gigolo seducing older women over champagne than playing Tarzan. Henry does have the proper physique for the role, and his modern appearance is used to his advantage. This Tarzan is given a 1960s spin: he's 007 in a loincloth! Tarzan searches for a lost child in the jungle, aided by a sexy female reporter. The entire movie is full of sweaty bodies, so it comes as something of a surprise when potential love-interest Alizia Gur isn't allowed to play around with anything but her camera! ** from ****

this movie is fine!mike henry is at his best once again!the plot involves tarzan finding a lost boy!the boy sees him,sets a trap!the ape man steps into it.but he is too big for it!the boy tries to run,but tarzan calls him before he escapes!after that,they engage in male bonding!they swing in vines,swim in the river!the film is set in brazil,which makes it very special!!

Mike Henry's last film outing as Tarzan is in this film Tarzan And The Jungle Boy. Although shot in Brazil, but with establishing shots of African wildlife to make sure that Tarzan after a few films away from Africa was back in his native habitat. Too bad that this warmed over remake of Tarzan Finds A Son was not better than what MGM did on its back lot jungle sets back in the days of Johnny Weissmuller.

Tarzan takes on an assignment to find a lost kid in the jungle played by young Steve Bond. He hears about it from journalists Ron Gans and Alicia Gur who want to tag along, but Tarzan moves better on his own. For any number of reasons they should have stayed behind, but Gur especially wants the story. They kidnap a drunk Cheta and follow Tarzan into the jungle with Cheta on a leash.

Tarzan And The Jungle Boy features 1960 Olympic Decathalon champion Rafer Johnson as the villain locked in a struggle with his real life brother Ed for the succession to be tribal chief. They have their own little Decathalon in the jungle which consists of versions of the Javelin, the pole vault, and the broad jump. That's easily the best part of the film.

This one's a little too unbelievable for me to swallow, especially Tarzan telling some kid about the benefits of civilization.

By 1968, when the third and final Mike Henry TARZAN movie hit theaters, the television series starring Ron Ely and Mike's former sidekick Manual Padilla Jr had already almost run its course, because TARZAN AND THE JUNGLE BOY was made in 1965 and shelved for three years...

Beginning like Edgar Rice Burroughs' original story since the titular JUNGLE BOY was abandoned and raised there, so Tarzan can surely relate... only it's the villain's brother, literally played by returning actor Rafer Johnson's lookalike sibling Edward Johnson, who searches for and eventually rescues the kid...

The bamboo bridges built upon a craggy mountain of endless waterfalls is reused from TARZAN AND THE GREAT RIVER, where Rafer had played another antagonist but from a different region... there the Amazon, here back in Africa... yet both filmed in South America, where the locations are effective except for intrusively-grainy archive footage of genuine wildlife...

And as the kid (Steve Bond) becomes a wishbone for the Johnson brothers, Mike Henry sort of comes and goes, almost like he's watching another movie while basically ghost-starring in what's supposedly his very own TARZAN swansong: hardly even able to swing with gorgeous ingenue Aliza Gur, by far his hottest Jane-surrogate yet.

Allow me a moment to wipe the drool from my mouth, what with Mike Henry being such a delicious piece of prime beef! Even if the film was no good, it would still have been worth the watch. I could easily pause the movie and just stare at his great physique. He is also the first hairy chested Tarzan - and oh-so-yummy! Fortunately, I enjoyed the movie as a whole.

In this film, Tarzan is a civilized man who is educated and very well spoken. There is no Jane, hence no "Me Tarzan, you Jane." In fact, there is no romantic interest whatsoever. On the contrary, Tarzan is trying to get away from the only female character in the film!

Ok, but let's start at the beginning. The film opens with a father and his young son running into trouble in white waters. The father is washed away and we can safely assume he drowned, leaving the boy stranded in the wilderness.

Six years later, a journalist, Myrna, and her assistant, Ken, travels to the jungle to meet with Tarzan hoping to find the boy. Meanwhile, the Chief of the Secunda tribe is ill and his two sons, Buhara and Nagambi, are in a contest to determine who will be the next Chief. Buhara is Tarzan's friend and agrees to help locating the boy, while Nagambi is the film's antagonist and wants the boy killed.

'Tarzan and the Jungle Boy' delivers non-stop action and adventure, and is also a story of rivalry and jealousy. Mike Henry makes a credible hero, but I found the character a bit too well educated to be a jungle man. Unfortunately I did not find Steve Bond believable at all as the young boy, Erik, but I think the casting was too blame. He was too small and skinny for the character, and it wasn't believable - especially when he was helping an injured Buhara.

'Tarzan and the Jungle Boy' didn't really feel like a Tarzan movie, but it was still a good enough adventure film.

This is the movie with Steve Bond's (soap opera actor of "General Hospital" and "Santa Barbara") first performance. He plays Erik, a boy who was forced by circumstances to survive in the jungle on his own. He is a kind of smaller version of the hero, Tarzan.

Mike Henry's Tarzan is averaged (a softened version of the classic Tarzan), as is the movie. This must be a movie in a line of other Tarzan-films. All the stereotyped elements are there: Cheetah the monkey (in this movie kind of addicted to alcohol to amuse the viewer), Tarzan's screaming (but only once...) ...

Charming story full of adventures, many animals, so-called clever slogans from our hero, a very sexy reporter (Alizia Gur) and some tension is created when the villain seeks revenge of Tarzan.

6 out of 10

The Tarzan films I have seen so far were often guilty of padding, but it is particularly noticeable in this late entry where Tarzan does not even get into a skirmish until literally an hour in; until then, he seems to be just running around the jungle without getting anywhere. Mike Henry has a commanding physique but not the voice (or presence) to match; the best scene actually does not feature him, but a physical contest in multiple stages between two brothers (played, according to IMDb trivia, by two real-life brothers, one of whom was also an Olympic gold medalist in decathlon!). It's easy to see why this was the last theatrically-released Tarzan film for over a decade - the James Bond series and other action films of its period make its thrill-an-hour pacing seem obsolete. *1/2 out of 4.

This picture was the last one Tarzan managed for movie theatres after that the famous producer Sy Weintraub changed his efforts through TV series with Ron Ely, shot in Brazil at glamorous Atlantic forest near Rio de Janeiro according some accurate sources most precisely at Tijuca forest which explains so clean ground shown in the picture.

Mike Henry has an average performance, far away from previous ones in fact he gets action just in middle of the picture, before he has been running, swimming and tries find out a lost boy, the main action is provides by two enemies brothers which Tarzan attends in final scene only!!! Watchable for many reasons, it'was a final of a golden era!!! José Lewgoy a great Brazilian actor was on the cast, however unfortunately uncredited!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1988 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6.25.

The final entry in the "Tarzan" series "Tarzan and the Jungle Boy",not only marked actor Mike Henry's final appearance as "Tarzan",but also this was the last theatrical "Tarzan" movie as well,a franchise that has spanned more than four decades,going back to the first "Tarzan" talkie starring Johnny Weissmuller in 1932,and from there the series became an American icon not to mention a box office success,spanning more than 36 years with five different actors playing the role from Lex Barker,to Gordon Scott,to Jock Mahoney,and from there the last actor to play him in the theatres,Mike Henry.

At the time this final "Tarzan" movie came out in 1968,not only was the franchise was coming to an end,but it was in fact the end of an era that has lasted more than four decades. Also at the same time,the "Tarzan" television series starring Ron Ely was also ending its run after more than 57 episodes. "Tarzan" by the late-1960's was basically the age of the dinosaur. This was also Producer Sy Weintraub's last association with the series. In "Tarzan and the Jungle Boy",Weintraub serves as Executive Producer,while Robert Day(who directed the previous "Tarzan" films starring Mike Henry,"Tarzan and the Valley of Gold",and "Tarzan and the Great River")served as producer while the directorial duties went to Robert Gordon.

In this final "Tarzan" installment,the lord of the jungle(Mike Henry) assists a pair of journalists(Ron Gans and Aliza Gur)in attempting to locate a missing boy(Steve Bond),lost in the jungle. Complicating matters is the volatility of a local tribe after its chief dies,leaving the sons(played by Olympic gold-medalist turned actor Rafer Johnson,who also starred opposite Mike Henry in "Tarzan and the Great River",the year before....and other was played by Rafer Johnson's brother Ed Johnson)to compete each other for the title of tribal chief. Along the way,Tarzan saves the other brother's life from a deadly fate during a tribal contest,not to mention tangles with one of Rafer's henceman faces a battle with a hungry lion,tosses two men over a cliff and gets trapped at the bottom of a underwater lagoon by a giant clam! All within it's running time of 99 minutes.

This movie upon its release,was very kid friendly,but be forewarned here. This was a movie that was explicitly violent not to mention scenes of native being speared to death,and the infamous borderline nudity scene between Tarzan and his young male co-star(including the scene where they're playing together half-naked in a lake)that made this film upon its theatrical release was giving a "G" rating by the Motion Picture Association of America. It should have been rated "PG" or "M" for that matter due to the MPAA's rating system that came out in 1968. As for actress Aliza Gur(whom in fact was Sy Weintraub's answer to Raquel Welch)she wasn't given all that to do is to just play with her camera and look pretty throughout the film. This was the final Tarzan theatrical feature,and it wouldn't be until 13 years later when Miles O'Keefe took over the role in the remake of "Tarzan,The Ape Man" in 1981,and in 1984 when Christopher Lambert play "Tarzan" in "Greystroke",that was produced by Hugh Hudson(of Chariots of Fire fame). The last actor to played "Tarzan" in the theatres was Casper Van Diem in "Tarzan and the Lost City" that came out in 1998. And there hasn't been a theatrical "Tarzan" movie since.

This is a formulaic Tarzan movie. You have your girl, natives, and even a jungle boy. You would think that it would be pretty lame, but it's not. If I had to guess, I would say that the people making this movie knew how formulaic it was and so they pulled no punches. It's a simple Tarzan story and that's the way it's presented.

First, the movie takes place in Africa. It doesn't try taking Tarzan to far off places. It's stays right in Tarzan's backyard.

Second, Mike Henry does a much better job in this one than any other one. It was like he finally figured out how he should play Tarzan.

Third, the boy, played by Steve Bond, does a really good job. He doesn't over act and is believable.

Fourth, the evil and good natives, who are brothers in real life and in the movie do a great job. They are fit and much like everyone else, they don't over do it.

Fifth, the girl, Aliza Gur, is very pretty and has your classic 60's look. Wearing the riding pants, boots, low cut top, long hair with the wide head band. She looks like she stepped off the set of the Beverly Hillbillies.

So if you want a simple Tarzan movie that you can get into, this one will definitely work.

Third Tarzan film with American football star Mike Henry

In terms of his impressive physique, Mike Henry (1936-2021), the former linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams, was the perfect Tarzan. With his broad shoulders, extremely well-developed muscles and lush chest hair, he embodied a male-animal wildness that was tailor-made for the portrayal of the jungle hero. In real life, Mike Henry probably wasn't particularly happy filming his three Tarzan films. He was bitten by the participating chimpanzee, suffered serious infections and bitterly reproached Tarzan producer Sy Weintraub (1923-2000) for endangering his health. After this film, which - although filmed in Brazil in autumn 1965 - was only released in May 1968, Mike Henry gave up the role of Tarzan.

Under the direction of Robert Gordon, Mike Henry flexes his huge muscles once again as a modernized (with clear borrowings from James Bond and Co.) Tarzan. In his search for a boy (Steve Bond) who grew up alone in the jungle after the death of his parents, Tarzan also has to deal with the fratricidal battle of a native tribe. The powerful Nagambi (Rafer Johnson, decathlon Olympic champion in Rome 1960) cannot get over the fact that his brother Buhara (Edward Johnson, also a brother of Rafer Johnson in real life) has been appointed chief of the tribe. Adding to the confusion is NationalGeographic reporter Myrna, played by Israeli actress Aliza Gur. Aliza Gur, born in 1944, is also known for her appearance in the second James Bond adventure "From With Love", in which she has an impressive fight with her rival, played by Martine Beswick, in a Sinti and Roma camp. This scene was very daring for the time and probably caused quite a bit of horror among the audience.

All in all, a solid Tarzan film with lots of fight scenes and impressive animal shots, which lives above all from its admirable leading actor. After his departure, no more Tarzan films were made until the 1980s.

Rafer Johnson (1934-2020) died on December 2, 2020 in Los Angeles.

RIP

Mike Henry (1936-2021) died on January 8, 2021 in Burbank, California.

RIP.

Tarzan and the Jungle Boy (1968)

** (out of 4)

A geologist and his newborn son go into the jungle and come up missing. Years later evidence turns up that the boy, now age 6, survived and is living in a dangerous territory so Tarzan (Mike Henry) is asked to go in and get him. While this is going on a couple brothers (Rafer and Edward Johnson) are battling to take over their tribe but one of them has a crooked heart. Many people consider this film to be the final entry in the long-running series that started back at MGM with TARZAN, THE APE MAN. This final entry certainly isn't very memorable but there are a couple interesting aspects that will make fans of the series wan to check out. What we've basically got is a remake of TARZAN FINDS A SON, which was one of the better MGM entries. This version here has Tarzan and the boy becoming friends while a wide range of events are going on around them. I can't say I bought into their relationship as it was pretty hard to care about either of them. Tarzan, as in the previous two entries, isn't all that entertaining and the boy himself is someone we never really get to know. It also doesn't help that Henry and the boy (Steve Bond) have zero chemistry together. Of course, Henry was so bland in the part of Tarzan perhaps they did have something going but it just didn't come across on the screen. Once again Henry just doesn't work as Tarzan as he doesn't bring any life, passion or energy to the role. Apparently he was somewhat sick at the time this film shot so perhaps this has something to do with it. His three stints as Tarzan were all filmed together so he might have just really given up before anything started. Bond doesn't get too much to do as the boy either. The Johnson clan are the most interesting aspects in the film as Rafer was a Decathalon champion and it should come as no shock that the producers tried to exploit this by throwing in a rather long sequence where the two brothers do battle to see which one is the strongest and will get to lead their clan. The Brazil footage (filling in for Africa) looks very good and the cinematography is another major plus. Overall this is a decent entry in the series but there's still not enough here to make it worth viewing unless, like me, you want to see all of the original movies.

The jungle boy Eric gives this Tarzan movie a kid friendly appearance, but that's deceptive. Be forewarned, it is quite violent with natives being speared to death and tossed off cliffs. We also see villages burnt to the ground. True the film is rated G but that only means there is no sex of foul language. Their is, however some borderline nudity as the loincloths worn by Tarzan and his young male costar are prone to wardrobe malfunctions.

I liked the interaction between Tarzan and Eric which seemed quite natural, but it also seemed incredibly rushed. We all expect that, given time, Eric is going to come to accept Tarzan as his surrogate father or big brother, but it all happens so fast. Here we have a kid who has been living alone in a savage environment for years. You'd think he would have a difficult time understanding affection. As a feral child you would think that Eric would not know how to give or accept love. You'd think that Tarzan would have to slowly win the boy's trust and perhaps even "tame" him and establish his position as the alpha male.

But no. Within minutes of first meeting man and boy are happily laughing and playing together in a lake. It's as if they have known each other for years. Eric is completely comfortable being held in Tarzan mighty arms. Keep in mind both man and boy are practically naked. After climbing out of the lake Eric admits that he has been lonely and wishes he had someone to talk with at night. He asks Tarzan to stay with him and keep him company. Geez this kid is probably safer in the jungle then he would be in any big city. Someone seriously needs to sit this kid down and explain to him that he needs to be careful around strange men dressed in loincloths.

So what did movie goers back in 1968 make of this as they munched on their fifteen cent hot dogs and ten cent soft drinks? I imagine to them intergenerational male bonding was all quite innocent. After all what kid wouldn't be drawn to Tarzan? We see things a bit differently today. If you love all things Tarzan then you'll enjoy this movie. If you are a Steve Bond fan (as an adult he modeled full frontal nude for Playgirl Magazine) then you'll enjoy seeing him in his first acting role as Eric. But if you don't fall into those two categories, well this is one movie you could probably skip.

Mike Henry in his last appearance as Tarzan assists a pair of journalists (Gur and Gans) in attempting to locate a boy (Bond), missing in the jungles for several years. Complicating matters is the volatility of a local tribe after its chief dies, leaving the sons (Ed and Rafer Johnson) to battle for succession.

Strictly formula Tarzan fare with all the usual motifs (pet leopard, a pair of chimps et al) blends some nice scenery with watchable action scenes. Henry is not as relaxed in his role as Ron Ely (the TV Tarzan), but does the business well enough to be convincing. Lacks intensity (the scene where Gur & Gans are attacked by the megalomaniacal brother Ngambi ends rather abruptly), although enough of the cast end up skewered on spears that it's perhaps too violent for the pre-adolescents.

If you're into Tarzan, and especially if you grew up on Ely's TV rendition, then this instalment should satisfy a Sunday afternoon.