Ivory hunters James Parker (C. Aubrey Smith) and Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton) are in Africa searching for a mythical elephant burial ground when Parker's daughter Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) arrives unexpectedly. Despite her father's objections, Jane insists on accompanying them on their expedition. During their journey they are shocked when they see a half-naked white man (Johnny Weissmuller) living among the apes. The ape man kidnaps Jane and takes her to his home in the treetops, where she learns that his name is Tarzan.Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan is one of the most-filmed characters in movie history. Live action or animation, there have been tons of adaptations and they continue to this day. Well, for my money, none beats the Johnny Weissmuller series at MGM (and later RKO). They were exceptional adventure stories, sheer fun for young and old alike. Like most film series, the earlier movies in the Tarzan series are the better ones, starting with this first film. Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller does a fantastic job as Tarzan. He was obviously cast for his looks and athleticism but he brings a sensitivity to the part that's unexpected. He plays him as a laconic man-child, innocent and peaceful until the things he cares about are threatened. That famous yell of Tarzan's is unforgettable. Maureen O'Sullivan is charming and easy to fall in love with. Her performance is so effortless and real for this period in film. She elevates every scene and makes whoever's acting opposite her give more relaxed performances, as well. She has playful and at times sizzling sexual chemistry with Weissmuller. She also has a nice familial chemistry with C. Aubrey Smith. Their scenes have an authenticity about them that is rare to see but is appreciated. The success of the early Tarzan series owes as much to Maureen's Jane as it does to Johnny's Tarzan. Neil Hamilton, an actor most will remember as Commissioner Gordon from the '60s Batman TV show, does fine playing the part of the guy in love with Jane but can't compete with the rugged but kind Tarzan.Let's not forget this is a Pre-Code movie. Maureen appears scantily clad and even wearing a soaking wet thin dress in one scene. And, of course, Weissmuller wears nothing but a loincloth throughout. Being that it was filmed in 1932, there is some inevitable creakiness, an overuse of stock footage, and some spotty rear projection effects. But these things are minor negatives. The action scenes are great. Tarzan wrestling with an obviously stuffed leopard may seem hokey to many modern viewers, but it holds a certain quaint appeal for me. The animals are fun. Who doesn't love Cheeta? The matte painting backdrops are also nice. It's exciting romantic escapism with a good cast and solid direction from Woody 'One Take' Van Dyke. Followed by many sequels, the first of which is even better than this classic.

In 1932, Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller donned loincloth (and precious little else) to swing into action for the very first time as Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary jungle dweller, Tarzan, The Ape Man. Co-starring the gorgeous Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane Parker, the object of Tarzan's affection (or should that be 'lust'), this classic adventure might be lacking somewhat in the technical department, but is unbeatable in terms of sheer entertainment, offering plenty of delightfully un-PC action, a little risqué pre-Hays code sexuality, and a large dose of surprisingly nasty violence.In a bid to deliver as much gratuitous animal killing, native whipping, savage pygmy action and, of course, tantalising glimpses of a partially clothed O'Sullivan as he possibly can in 100 minutes, director W.S. Van Dyke avoids explaining the origins of his title character, opting instead to open the film as Jane arrives in Africa to join her father, who is leading an expedition in search of a legendary 'elephant graveyard'. This journey into the most treacherous, untamed parts of the dark continent inevitably leads to an encounter with the athletic ape man, who naturally takes a shine to the pretty Ms. Parker and whisks her off to his treetop hideout, where she is introduced to his extended family (a few genuine apes, and lots of blokes in bad chimp costumes).After some initial kicking and screaming, Jane calms down and realises that the wild man and his simian pals mean her no harm; unfortunately, big white hunter Harry Holt, hotheaded member of Parker's expedition and aspiring suitor to Jane, isn't so sure: when he tracks down and rescues the missing girl, he does so with guns a-blazing, killing one of Tarzan's hairy pals in the process.A now furious ape-man seeks revenge, killing a few dispensable luggage bearers before being wounded by the trigger-happy Holt (and then attacked by a few big jungle cats). Fortunately, brave Cheetah the chimp goes for help and Jane is soon at Tarzan's side, nursing him back to health by tearing strips from her dress and gently patting his head. Once her patient is fighting fit, Jane wishes to return to her father, and so our honourable vine swinging hero reluctantly returns her to the expedition, before loping back into the undergrowth.But when the expedition runs into trouble with a tribe of bloodthirsty munchkins, Tarzan is soon at Jane's side once again, kicking dwarf ass and leading a stampede of thundering pachyderms into the tiny terrors' village.Weissmuller, whose entire subsequent movie career would consist of similar adventure films, puts in a superb performance—strong, heroic and fearless, yet tender and compassionate when needed; likewise, O'Sullivan is impressive as the gutsy heroine who captures the heart of Tarzan (and the attention of most of her male viewers, I should think). These strong central performances, combined with Van Dyke's spirited direction, some impressive matte paintings, and lots of stock animal footage all add up to one hell of a fun time. At times, the action might get a little too scary for younger viewers—the sight of natives being thrown into a pit with a killer gorilla (another man in a suit—but a damn freaky suit!) is disturbing—but for older fans of jungle action, the fierce and frightening moments will only add to the excitement (I consider the Tarzan films to be precursors to the gory Italian cannibal films that were popular in the 70s).More fun can also be derived from Tarzan The Ape Man's less than perfect moments, which are full of unintentionally humorous elements that only add to the film's overall charm: the Indian elephants doctored with fake ears; Tarzan's trapeze swings thinly disguised as vines; the aforementioned shabby ape suits; and some terrible back projection that attempts to convince the audience that the studio-bound actors are actually in the wilds of Africa.Throw in more scary native dwarfs than you could chuck a spear at, an exciting hippopotamus attack (plus a few crocs for good measure), Tarzan wrestling a lion, and Weissmuller's trademark yodel, and you have one helluva rollicking flick.

I'm sure I saw bits and pieces of "Tarzan, the Ape Man" on television when I was a kid, but I never really paid much attention to it. I just recently checked out the DVD from my local library, and I was amazed to discover what I had been missing all these years.This movie made me feel like a young boy, craving excitement and adventure. This first installment in the MGM Tarzan movies delivers big time. Yes, the special effects and interweaving of the stock footage looks a bit dated, but remember that this film was only made three years after the first "talkie" (i.e. a sound picture, not a silent movie). There are certain techniques that obviously stem from the silent movie days. But to me, this just adds to the charm.The animal footage is excellent. For the first time in a long time, I was actually on the edge of my seat during a movie. The CGI effects today are amazing, but they're so overdone (most of the time). The thrills and suspense in "Tarzan" are heightened, because you know everything you see is physically tangible, not an actor reacting to a green screen.I still don't know how they did some of those scenes without anyone getting hurt. Swinging from the treetops, wrestling with lions, wrestling with leopards, being chased by wild animals--all of these things make for great entertainment and adventure.I should also mention that the relationship between Tarzan and Jane is one of the most captivating I've ever seen in a movie. It's very understated, yet very sexy. Today, they would ruin the story by making the couple have sex after five minutes. But because the sexual chemistry is only hinted at, the entire relationship is one of Jane flirting and Tarzan pursuing. It just builds and builds. This romance actually has excitement to it. Definitely one of the best screen romances of all time.Despite a few minor shortcomings in the special effects of the time, this is a thrilling movie. Great adventure, great excitement, great entertainment. Don't miss it!

061: Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) - released 3/25/1932; viewed 6/04/06.Gandhi is arrested by the British again. The 1932 Winter Olympics go down in Lake Placid, New York. The first daytime soap, Clara, Lu, and Em debuts on the radio. Six million unemployed in Germany. Japan and China fight over Manchuria. The son of Charles Lindbergh is kidnapped and a media circus ensues. Hattie W. Caraway becomes the first woman elected to the United States Senate.BIRTHS: Dabney Coleman, Piper Laurie, Francois Truffaut, John Williams, Milos Forman, Ted Kennedy, Majel Barrett, Johnny Cash, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Shalit. DEATHS: Edgar Wallace, John Philip Sousa, George Eastman.DOUG: As 1932 gets underway, MGM unleashes the first of a long series of films starring Edgar Rice Burroughs' titular hero in Tarzan the Ape Man, starring Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane and Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan. Big John looks good as Tarzan. He doesn't have to do much acting, just look wide-eyed, pose shirtless for the camera, and don't be afraid to touch Ms. Sullivan anywhere (I do love the moment when Tarzan grabs Jane's foot right out from under her). The scenes where he swings through the jungle are pretty cool, though they're clearly trapezes (did he do any of his own stunts?). Maureen O'Sullivan plays Jane. She gets to shoot a shotgun (and quite well at that), which surely made her a powerful female character in her day, but she's still a damsel in distress to me since she fills her luggage with her entire fall wardrobe, and for most of the movie she WON'T STOP SCREAMING! The best scenes are between Tarzan and Jane, particularly in the scene in the pond where she amuses herself with the fact that he can't understand her, while he looks over her with such childlike curiosity while touching her rather inappropriately and repeating every last word she says. There is some good action here, such as Tarzan battling a pair of lions (they look like real lions), but some of the effects look fake, especially at the beginning, when the Parkers walk in front of the row of natives, and it's clearly a processed screen; it looks so fake it's bizarre. The film is very uneven, switching between jungle scenes shot on set and choppy stock footage, with unconvincing effects and gorillas that are obviously guys in suits. I wasn't very satisfied with this, the first installment in Weissmuller's 12-film Tarzan series. I would like to check out the second film, Tarzan and his Mate, which I've read is the best.KEVIN: Olympic gold-medalist swimmer Johnny Weissmuller makes his debut as Edgar Rice Burroughs' titular hero in MGM's Tarzan the Ape Man. I doubt this is the best installment of the Tarzan movie series, but it's a cool adventure nonetheless. Some of the special effects are laughable, such as a scene at the beginning when Jane and her father admire a local tribe that is obviously a composite screen. Most of the apes look like guys in suits. Tarzan swings through the jungle on conveniently placed trapezes. But we do see Tarzan duking it out real live lions and tigers in between intimate scenes with Maureen O'Sullivan's Jane Parker. The character of Jane felt uneven to me. She's comfortable shooting a rifle and being outdoors, yet she brings along the entire east wing of Bloomingdale's with her on safari. The climax could've been better, (and easier to see), plus it's no fun watching the black guys get killed first. I look forward to the next adventure, Tarzan and His Mate. I'm sure the Production Code cracked down on the sexuality and the cruelty to animals in later films. Until then, welcome to the jungle, baby! Last film viewed: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931). Last film chronologically: One Hour With You (1932). Next film: Scarface (1932).