Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

JUNGLE JIM IN THE FORBIDDEN LAND

Johnny Weissmuller and Angela Greene
JUNGLE JIM IN THE FORBIDDEN LAND (1952). Director: Law Landers.

"Greed feeds on itself and destroys itself."

De. Linda Roberts (Angela Greene) is an anthropologist who hopes that Jungle Jim (Johnny Weissmuller) will guide her to the land of the "giant people." These supposed giants live near a passage that is blocking certain elephants from making their way to safety. Meanwhile a lady named Denise (Jean Willes of Desire Under the Elms) and her boyfriend Doc Edwards (William Tannen) only hope to slaughter said elephants for their ivory, and have no qualms about murdering people as well to achieve their goal. They even manage to frame Jungle Jim for murder. The "big" problem with this poor JJ adventure is that the allegedly "giant" people are just very tall actors in fright masks -- they resemble the wolfman with out-sized incisors. On her way to find Jungle Jim at his home on Ingabi lake, Dr. Roberts' boat is sunk by hippos and natives are killed, a fact she doesn't even find important enough to relay to Jim with appropriate dismay when he pulls her out of the water some time later. Tamba (formerly Timba) the chimp is on hand and is, as usual, adorable. Jean Willes is typically saucy as the ill-fated Denise.

Verdict: Not one of the better JJ adventures. **.

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