TARZAN’S FIGHT FOR LIFE (1958)
Article 4384 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 12-4-2013
Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone
Featuring Gordon Scott, Eve Brent, Rickie Sorensen
Country: USA
What it is: Tarzan jungle antics

Tarzan gets caught up in a conflict between a benevolent doctor trying to maintain a hospital in the jungle and a witch doctor who sees him as competition.

One of my sources sees fit to include practically every Tarzan movie ever made, even though for the most part, they can only be considered marginal fantasies at best. I’ve covered quite a few of them at this point, and when a series is that long lasting, it becomes difficult to find fresh, new situations for the characters. This one in particular feels tired, and the usual padding that fills up the movies (Tarzan and Jane swimming, Cheta engaged in antics, stock footage, etc.) becomes extremely noticeable. It’s also very studio bound, and when you show the studio jungle right next to authentic location stock footage and scenes culled from other Tarzan movies that were shot on location, the contrast becomes almost embarrassing at times; the scene where Tarzan talks and shares food with some friendly tribesmen is particularly bad in this regard. Gordon Scott makes for a muscular Tarzan, and Woody Strode has great presence as a warrior named Ramo, and they are the best things about this one; the rest is jungle business as usual.