Tarzán el justiciero

For a Tarzan movie, this is about as good as you're going to get. Gordon Scott does an excellent job in this film, as he did in the previous "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure". Unlike previous Tarzan actors, Scott's version of the Ape Man speaks good English and is quite intelligent. The story in "Tarzan the Magnificent" is well-written and mature. Again, for this type of genre, "Tarzan the Magnficicent" and "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" are as good as you're going to get.

Entertaining and colorful Tarzan/Scott movie , though dubiously faithful to Edgar Rice Borroughs story . Bad guys brothers and a nasty father wish they hadn't messed with Tarzan . Tarzan (Scott) must escort a prisoner wanted for reward : 5000 dollars , Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney) , out of the jungle to the authorities . As Tarzan gets into trouble with his prisoner who attempts to flee . Furthermore , Tarzan offers himself to protect five more of the boat's unfortunate passengers through the jungle , pursued by a delinquent family led by a baddie father (John Carradine) and hostile natives . Tarzan takes some dangerous ways throughout quicksands and swamps in order to escape the pursuers .

It contains noisy action , sensational adventures , many angry natives , nasty white hunters , hungry lions and marvelous outdoors , though mostly shot in Kenya and Shepperton studios . Exotic location in Kenya are a decided plus in this routine hero/adventure/Tarzan story . This time an extremely nasty father and his sons are the villains of the multiple action scenes . Well starred by Gordon Scott , here Tarzan/Scott rescues five occupants , and Gordon brings wit and style to the classic character and he looks good in his loincloth . Gordon starred 5 Tarzan movies : ¨Tarzan's fights for life¨ by H. Bruce Humberstone , ¨Tarzan and the lost Safari¨ by Humberstone , ¨Tarzan and the trappers¨ by Sandy Howard and Charles Haas , ¨Tarzan's greatest adventure¨ produced by Sy Weintraub , directed by John Guillermin and this ¨Tarzan the magnificent¨ by Robert Day . Although Gordon Scott also played all kinds of genres as Spaghetti : ¨Tramplers¨, Euro-spy : ¨Death ray¨ , Pirate movie : ¨Marauder¨ , and especially Peplum : ¨Hercules and the princess of Troy¨, ¨Coriolanus¨, ¨Conquest of Mycene¨, ¨Gladiator of Rome¨, ¨Hero of Rome¨, ¨Samson and the 7 miracles of the world¨. It is finely co-starred by Jock Mahoney who was a noted stunt man , doubling for Errol Flynn, John Wayne , and Gregory Peck. He tested to replace Johnny Weissmuller , as Tarzan but lost out to Lex Barker. In 1960, he played the heavy in this film and his part there led Sy Weintraub to hire him as Scott's replacement. In his two Tarzan movies , he did all his own stunts . He played ¨Tarzan's 3 challenges¨ and ¨Tarzan goes to India¨ and he continued working in spite of dysentery , dengue fever and pneumonia . By this time, Weintraub was looking for a younger Tarzan , envisioning a future TV series. By mutual agreement, his contract with Mahoney was dissolved. After a couple of years regaining his strength and weight , Jock returned to making action films . Support cast is acceptable , such as : Betta St John who previously played in ¨Tarzan and the lost Safari¨ , Lionel Jeffries , Alexandra Stewart , Charles Tingwell , Al Mulock , Gary Cockrell , Harry Baird , all of them give nice interpretations and here stands out the nasty Hollywood veteran John Carradine . As usual , sets and production design are visually appealing , though there are the obvious uses of stock footage and shot on location . The motion picture was well produced by Sy Weintraub and decently directed by Robert Day . Hard-core Tarzan fans should see it .

First Tarzan/Johhny Weissmuller was ¨Tarzan , the ape man¨ (1932) by W.S. Van Dyke , this one being the definitive Tarzan movie , the original of the long series . Followed by ¨Tarzan and his mate¨ (1934) by Jack Conway . Richard Thorpe continued the following sequels : ¨Tarzan escapes¨(1936) , ¨Tarzan finds a son¨ (1939) with the addition of the five-year-old Johnny Sheffield as Boy , ¨Tarzan's secret Treasure¨ (1941) , and ¨Tarzan's New York adventure¨ (1942) where Boy is abducted by an evil circus owner , then Tarzan goes to rescue him and he meets N.Y. big city , being Maureen O'Sullivan's final appearance and in which Elmo Lincoln's , the screen's first Tarzan, had a cameo . These stories were lavishly produced by M.G.M. and R.K.O. Subsequently , to be appeared other Tarzans produced by independent producers as Sol Lesser ; the latter being replaced by Sy Weintraub , these movies were interpreted by Lex Barker and Gordon Scott : ¨Tarzan the Magnificent¨ and ¨The greatest adventure¨ directed by John Guillermin . Furthermore , Mike Henry starred as Tarzan in ¨Tarzan and the jungle boy ¨ , ¨ Tarzan and the great river¨ , and ¨Tarzan 66¨ directed by Robert Day . Besides , two performed by Jock Mahoney : ¨Three challenges¨ and ¨Tarzan goes to India¨ directed by John Guillermin , among others . Plus , other TV Tarzan as Ron Ely , Wolf Larsen , Joe Lara .

The last couple of movie such as "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" and "Tarzan the magnificent" were the best Tarzan's pictures of all time, Gordon Scott surpassed all previous Tarzan and after to coming, he has a smart talking, more strong and has suitable skills from previous ones here including Weissmuller who had a dumb conversation, the great Sy Weintraub wisely put together a perfect ape man and delivery all this on a clever screenplay through the jungle, swamps, quicksands with a diversfied kind of persons, to deliver a cold killer with father's gang at his neck, finest casting as Jock Mahoney, Betta St John and John Carradine, fantastic adventure which l'd watched in the theatre with nine years old, just unforgetable!!

Resume:

First watch: 1973 / How many ; 6 / Source: Theatre-TV-DVD / Rating: 9

Along with 'Tarzan's Greatest Adventure', I rate this one as the best Tarzan movie of all times. Both of them are quite an improvement over the black&whites from the 30's and 40's (yes, Johnny Weissmuller was a hell of a Tarzan himself, no doubt, and did great movies, but times have changed quite a bit). Tarzan is an adult character now, aiming adult audiences, in these last two Gordon Scott's appearances. He is articulate, and as straight as he can be. No Janes, no Boys, no funny chimps around. This is a bloody, violent, dark, adult movie. This is a violent, dark new Tarzan. I only regret this wonderful new bias - and the mighty, definitive, impressive Tarzan Gordon Scott was - had no continuity. Later on, we were back to the tired lightweight Tarzans, oh-hum adventures, and here are our good friends, the chimps, goofing around again. Pity.

I'm writing this a few days after Gordon Scott's life has come to an end, so this review is a tribute to his life and career , especially his characterization as Tarzan, which many consider the best ever brought to the screen. Gordon Scott had a great screen presence as well as underrated acting abilities, and we really need more of his films released on DVD.

"Tarzan the Magnificent" is his last Tarzan film, I think, and it was released in 1960, right after "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" which I consider the best Tarzan film ever made. This film is not as good as that one, though it comes close, therefore coming in as the second best Tarzan film ever made. In any case, Gordon Scott again does a fantastic job portraying the ape man. I think he was the only one who convinced me that physically he could take on lions and crocodiles as well as Sean Connery.

The plot of this movie is basically the same as "Greatest Adventure." Tarzan pursues and battles a gang of jungle crooks. (What the hell are backwoods moonshiners doing in Africa anyway?) Here there is a psychological angle as well as slam bang action. The location photography is great too. The ending is a little too similar to the last outing, but hard hitting just the same.

Gordon, wherever you are, thanks for the great entertainment!