In his tenth outing, jungle king Johnny Weissmuller (as Tarzan) leads the charge against a cult of leopard-emulating white folk. The story is exceptionally silly, but perfect for Saturday afternoons at the cinema. This is the point in the "Tarzan" series where you would have to say "Boy" sidekick Johnny Sheffield became a young man; he shows off his muscles and deeper voice proudly in a shower scene. Beautiful and leggy Brenda Joyce (as Jane) appears very comely in her micro mini-skirt. "Cheeta" the chimp is an excellent musician. Appearing as the titular "Leopard Woman" is curvy "Acquanetta" (as Lea). However, the main guest star is "Leopard Boy" Tommy Cook (as Kimba), who makes the most of the film's best-scripted role. Director Kurt Neumann and photographer Karl Struss set up most every scene for good visual appeal.****** Tarzan and the Leopard Woman (1/20/46) Kurt Neumann ~ Johnny Weissmuller, Johnny Sheffield, Brenda Joyce, Tommy Cook

Johnny Weissmuller made a name for himself as Tarzan at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio. However, and I am not sure why, Weissmuller and 'Boy' (Johnny Sheffield) jumped from this prestige studio to the less than stellar RKO--where the budgets shrank considerably as did the quality. The scripts got a lot more weird and the films became chock full of poorly integrated stock footage and animals that often weren't even African. Additionally, 'Jane' (Maureen O'Sullivan) remained at MGM and a new leading lady needed to be found. After having the character be 'off on vacation in England' or 'helping with the war effort' in a couple films, RKO decided to re-cast this character with Brenda Joyce--who bore little similarity to O'Sullivan.This film about a silly cult of the Leopard. Its followers don't want civilization to encroach on their part of the jungle and so they kill people in caravans who cross nearby. But to hide that people are responsible, they make it look like leopards did this. Now here is the funny part--these guys dress up like these big cats--complete with metal claws and silly leopard costumes. It's even sillier when they dance about back at their lair--as if it was choreographed by a monkey! Early on Tarzan tells everyone that it is NOT leopards that have been doing the killing. Despite this King of the Jungle ALWAYS being right in the past, he is quickly ignored and the idiots in charge just go out and shoot a lot of poor old leopards. Eventually, this leads to more attacks--including one where four hot school teachers are kidnapped. When they kidnap Tarzan, who's to save him?! Tune in and see the surprising answer (hint: it is neither Jane nor Boy).This is fun to watch (Cheeta is in rare form) but ultimately a pretty dumb outing for the series. While not nearly as lame as "Tarzan and the Mermaid" (by far the worst of the Weissmuller films for RKO), its plot is so silly that it can never be taken very seriously. Worth seeing for fans of the series, but if you are a novice to them DON'T start with this one--you'll assume the others are all equally silly--which they aren't.By the way, in the summary I say that this film signals that the series had 'jumped the shark'. In other words, it arrives AFTER the series has gone into serious decline and the writers are trying desperately to find some way to convince viewers to watch (such as the Leopard angle). Likewise, by this film RKO completely gave up on having extras that looked African in any way. There are no black extras and the leopard cult look as if they are from Central America. In fact, in the final film of this series just a couple years later, the movie was filmed in Mexico--with lots of Mexicans and even Aztec sets!!

Tarzan and the Leopard Woman is a Tarzan adventure from 1946.It's directed by Kurt Neumann.In the story Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan faces a tribe of leopard-worshippers.These people are dressed in leopard skins and they kill in the jungle using their fake claws.The tribe is led by Queen Lea, the high priestess (Acquanetta).Tarzan and his family live a rather peaceful life in their jungle home.But he knows the travellers killed near Zambezi were not killed by leopards.Then one day Queen Lea sends her brother Kimba, played by Tommy Cook, to Tarzan's place.Tarzan and Boy (Johnny Sheffield) do not trust this kid.But Jane, portrayed by Brenda Joyce, gets a bit too close to him.And she faces danger when she's alone in the house with him.One day Tarzan and a caravan of four teachers (Iris Flores, Lillian Molieri, Helen Gerald and Kay Solinas) get captured by the Leopard people.This is a very good Tarzan adventure.It offers plenty of great action.It's thrilling to watch Tarzan and those pretty teachers being chased around the jungle.Cheetah offers some comedy.This is a must-see for every Tarzan fan.

This is my favorite Tarzan film.There is more action and exotica than most of the RKO films contained.Johnny Weissmuller looked super in the film,He had dieted and toned up.His pecs are huge and his chest cavity has great definition.He also works real hard in this adventure having a nasty fight with the leopard men and facing torture from Lea.Brenda Joyce as Jane was a beautiful girl with a gorgeous figure.She worked very well with the two Johnnys.Young Johnny had also acquired a nice athletic build and has a fight with Kimba,the leopard woman's brother.Acquanetta as Lea had to be one of the sexiest actresses of the time-not only is she voluptuous but has a very sensual walk.As gl 259 noted-the scene where Lea prepares to scar Tarzan's chest with her claw is exremely chilling and erotic.Never fear,however,Tarzan-with Cheta's help defeats Lea and her evil tribe.All in all a top-notch Tarzan with plenty of action.glamour and excitement.