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 .

In his last outing as the ape man, jungle king Gordon Scott (as Tarzan) must escort murderous Jock Mahoney (as Coy Banton) through the African jungle because locals are afraid to take charge of the dangerous criminal. They encounter dancing natives, stock wildlife footage, and Mr. Mahoney's vengeful family. Papa John Carradine (as Abel) with brothers Gary Cockrell (as Johnny) and Al Mulock (as Martin) want Mahoney back before Mr. Scott delivers him to authorities. The married member of Scott's party, attractive Betta St. John (as Fay Ames), becomes attracted to the villain. Interestingly, Mahoney would become "Tarzan" in the next series film. This was the second in the more adult-like movie adventures, which was off to an excellent start in "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" (1959). This follow-up is comparatively routine, unfortunately. But Mahoney and Mr. Cockrell put up a good fight. ***** Tarzan the Magnificent (7/6/60) Robert Day ~ Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney, Gary Cockrell, John Carradine

As the last "Tarzan" movie starring Gordon Scott for producer Sy Weintraub, British director Robert Day's "Tarzan the Magnificent" with Jock Mahoney and John Carradine qualifies as one of the better series entries. Day helmed it after John Guillerman had made what is generally regarded as the best Tarzan outing, "Tarzan's Great Adventure," which co-starred a pre-James Bond Sean Connery. Later, Day called the shots on "Tarzan's Three Challenges" (1963) with Jock Mahoney, and "Tarzan and the Valley of Gold" (1966) as well as "Tarzan and the Great River" (1967) both with former football player Mike Henry. In this off-beat, unusual adventure, Tarzan tangles with bloodthirsty bank robbers who display few qualms about cold-blooded homicide. You know that you're watching a different kind of Tarzan tale when the action opens with a bank robbery and one of the hoods wields a submachine gun. This "Tarzan" explores dark themes and thrusts the characters into gritty predicaments. Moreover, Day and co-scenarist Berne Giler eschew the typical comic relief that earlier "Tarzan" films had featured. Tarzan entrusts Cheetah in the custody of a friend while he undertakes a dangerous mission. Not only have those amusing primate antics of Cheetah been eliminated, but also Tarzan doesn't cut loose with his distinctive yell. One source contends that Weintraub felt the trademark holler had been lampooned too often to have any atmospheric value. Nevertheless, juveniles will enjoy this out-of-doors escapade, but "Tarzan the Magnificent" is geared more to grown-ups with its psychological tensions and hardships. Tarzan captures a notorious felon who has murdered one of his friends. The authorities had posted a $5000 reward on the villain's head when a British policeman named Wyntors invaded the criminals' campsite and took the treacherous Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney) at knife point as a hostage. Unfortunately, Coy kills Wyntors before the policeman can get him out of the jungle. A resourceful Tarzan intervenes with his bow and arrows, kills one of Coy's brothers Ethan (Ron MacDonnell), and then decides to escort a handcuffed Banton through miles of jungle to Kairobi. You see, Tarzan knew Wyntors and plans to hand over the bounty money to Wyntors' widow. Meanwhile, Abel Banton (legendary horror icon John Carradine) and his two remaining sons, Johnny (Gary Cockrell of "Lolita") and Martin (Al Mulock of "Tarzan's Great Adventure"), threaten to kill anybody who helps Tarzan. These threats scare everybody off and it puts Tarzan in a kind of "High Noon" situation. The Bantons make intimidating foes. Indeed, Johnny shoots a doctor for not furnishing them with information about Tarzan's plans for Coy. Furthermore, Abel shoots the captain of a riverboat, force the passengers off and burn the boat. The passengers walk into town along the river. When they learn that Tarzan is escorting the villainous Coy, they decide to string along with him despite the natural hardship that traveling through the jungle means. This is a good, no-nonsense survival of the fittest epic lensed on location in Africa. There is far more psychological depth in this "Tarzan" than you typically see.

In 1959, producer Sy Weintraub took the series... He decided he had to get adults (particularly women), interested in Tarzan... So 'out' went Jane and with her the safaris and the fighting of crocodiles... Weintraub was convinced of the need of new ideas to improve Tarzan's image... Tarzan becomes a good shooter and also articulate, speaking, clearly and distinctly, in complete sentences, displaying few of the primitive characteristics of the Weismuller version..."Tarzan the Magnificent" chronicles Tarzan's treacherous journey through the jungle to the authorities with his prisoner, Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney). They took off on foot when the river boat they were going to take is blown up by Coy's father, Abel (John Carradine) and brothers, Martin (Al Mulock), Johnny (Gary Cockrell), and Ethan (Ron MacDonnell)... Five of the boat's passengers—Tate, a Black engineer (Earl Cameron), Ames (Lionel Jeffries), his wife Fay (Betta St. John), Conway (Charles Tingwell), and Laurie (Alexandra Stewart)—all had such good reasons to go with Tarzan that he couldn't refuse... Thus impeded, Tarzan set off the Bantons at his heels...As in "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure," Jane is left out and Tarzan had no romantic involvement... Happily, Cheetah's role is all but eliminated again...The most rare thing about "Tarzan the Magnificent," is the absence of the Tarzan famous yell for the first time since sound movies... Considering the widespread use of the ape-call for laughs—entertainment as giving in variety shows, the producer acted wisely...Gordon Scott, probably one of the best screen Tarzan, reappeared in Rome in a couple of Italian spectaculars, "Duel of the Titans," with Steve Reeves, and "Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World." Many others, like "Goliath and the Vampires," with Jack Sernas, followed...Becoming quite a sensation in Europe, he made a start on a second acting career there and was last seen in an Italian Western, "The Tramplers," with Joseph Cotten as the domineering father...Ironically, villain Jock Mahoney, would take over the lead role from Scott as the 13th Tarzan in MGM's "Tarzan Goes to India," in 1962...