Tarzan and the Great River

Tarzan and the Great River is a 1967 adventure film starring Mike Henry in his second of three film appearances as Tarzan.[1] The twenty-seventh and penultimate film of the Tarzan film series that began with 1932's Tarzan the Ape Man, the film was produced by Sy Weintraub and Steve Shagan, written by Bob Barbash (from a story by Barbash and Lewis Reed), and directed by Robert Day. Released on September 1, 1967,[2] it was followed by Tarzan and the Jungle Boy in 1968.

Tarzan and the Great River
Directed byRobert Day
Written byBob Barbash
story by Bob Barbash and Lewis Reed
Based onCharacters created
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Produced bySy Weintraub
Steve Shagan
StarringMike Henry
Jan Murray
Manuel Padilla Jr.
Rafer Johnson
Diana Millay
CinematographyIrving Lippman
Edited byAnthony Carras
Edward Mann
James Nelson
Music byWilliam Loose
Production
companies
Banner Productions
Allfin A.G.
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • September 1, 1967 (1967-09-01)
Running time
88 mins.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot edit

Tarzan is called to Brazil by an old friend, The Professor (Paulo Gracindo) to help stop the Jaguar Cult, led by Barcuma (Rafer Johnson), from destroying native villages and enslaving the survivors in his search for diamonds. Tarzan is assisted by Captain Sam Bishop (Jan Murray), a riverboat pilot, and Bishop's young ward, Pepe (Manuel Padilla Jr.), as well as Baron (a lion) and Cheeta (a chimpanzee). On their way they encounter Dr. Ann Philips (Diana Millay), who has witnessed the destruction of a village, and wants to continue fighting a plague by giving much-needed inoculations to natives who live along the Amazon River.

Cast edit

  • Mike Henry as Tarzan, the British Lord of Greystoke
  • Jan Murray as Captain Sam Bishop, an American crusty riverboat pilot, ally to Tarzan
  • Manuel Padilla, Jr. as Pepe, Sam Bishop's youthful native ward
  • Rafer Johnson as Barcuma, Afro-Brazilian leader of the Jaguar Cult
  • Diana Millay as Dr. Ann Philips, American physician attempting to inoculate Brazilian natives
  • Paulo Gracindo as The Professor, Tarzan's Brazilian old friend
  • Eliezer Gomes as Barcuma's Afro-Brazilian lieutenant (uncredited)[3]
  • Carlos Eduardo Dolabella as Agonizing tribesman in canoe (uncredited)[4]
  • Luz del Fuego as Tribeswoman (uncredited)[5]

Production notes edit

The movie was filmed entirely on location in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro Zoo, Parque Lage and Tijuca Forest).

Dinky, the chimp portraying Cheeta, bit Mike Henry on the jaw during filming, requiring twenty stitches. The chimpanzee was destroyed, and Henry later sued the producers for this accident and other unsafe working conditions on all three of his Tarzan films. The parties settled out of court.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ Fury, David (1994). Kings of the Jungle: An Illustrated Reference to Tarzan on Screen and Television. McFarland & Co. pp. 195–198. ISBN 0-89950-771-9. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  2. ^ "ERBzine 1962: Tarzan and the Great River".
  3. ^ "Tarzan and the Great River (1967) - IMDb".
  4. ^ "Tarzan and the Great River (1967) - IMDb".
  5. ^ "Tarzan and the Great River (1967) - IMDb".
  6. ^ Essoe, Gabe. Tarzan of The Movies, New York: Citadel Press,1968.

External links edit