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

Thursday, January 20, 2011

TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY


TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY (1943). Director: William Thiele.

In this very entertaining Cheeta vehicle -- oh, yes, Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) and Boy (Johnny Sheffield) are along for the ride -- an absent Jane asks Tarzan to go to a certain jungle to obtain plants that can be used in a serum. But before he and Boy can get there, they have an adventure in the desert involving Prince Selim ( Robert Lowery), a young lady magician named Connie (Nancy Kelly), and bad guys played winningly by Otto Kruger and Joe Sawyer. In the aforementioned jungle Tarzan and company encounter some big lizards [courtesy of stock footage], carnivorous plants, and a giant spider that sets its sights on Boy trapped in its web. All this is lots of fun, but the highlight is when that wonderful chimp Cheeta puts on a show for the natives in the arab city.

Verdict: Cheeta [aka Cheetah] steals the show! ***.

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