A airplane carrying two policemen escorting a pair of criminals awaiting trial, crash lands over a remote region of the African jungle. Upon landing, the planes passengers are confronted by hostile natives whom seriously wound one of the policemen. In the nick of time comes along Ticoora, a white women whom the hostile native fear, and she drives them off. Years ago, Ticoora was flying over Africa with her Father when the plane she was on also crash landed in the jungle. Ticoora, her father and the pilot live nearby at a friendly native village. We soon learn Ticoora is an heiress, but nobody has found away out of the jungle so she can go back and spend her loot. The pilot has gone stir crazy and will give anything to get out of the jungle. So one of the gangsters plots with him to get out of the jungle and get back to civilization and steal the fortune Ticoora has waiting for her back in the states.
DAUGHTER OF THE JUNGLE is a ludicrous but lively low budget jungle adventure. Ticoora is something like a female Tarzan; she swings from vines and even gives a Tarzan like yell. However, unlike Tarzan, her yell doesn't seem able to summon up herds of elephants to the rescue when she is in trouble. Like Tarzan, Ticoora is actually pretty tough, she wrestles a crocodile and takes care of a savage gorilla that attacks her village. Although this film is set in Africa, most of the natives are played by caucasians or actors of some other ethnic type (like Al Kikume). Frank Lackteen, who often played American Indian chiefs in westerns, plays the evil witch doctor of the hostile tribe. Apparently, when Frank was handed his script, he wasn't told he was supposed to be playing an African witch doctor. The "voodoo" ritual he performs looks more like an American Indian war dance from a western. Its a hoot to watch and one of the films highlights.
Most of the cast consists of unknowns, and the performances are only at best adequate. Then again, in a film of this nature, I suppose adequate is the best one can hope for. However, Sheldon Leonard plays one of the gangsters. Sheldon Leonard never gave a bad performance when he was playing a mobster, and his performance here is no exception.
DAUGHTER OF THE JUNGLE is one of those films that is actually very entertaining when viewed in the right frame of mind. If your looking for a ludicrous but lively low budget Jungle movie, DAUGHTER OF THE JUNGLE is recommended.
