LORD OF THE JUNGLE

Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) relaxes in his tree

LORD OF THE JUNGLE (1955). Written, produced and directed by Ford Beebe.

"You're stubborn and spoiled but I like you anyway." -- Bomba to Mona

"For heaven's sake, Bomba, kiss the girl good-night so the rest of us can get some sleep." -- Andy to Bomba

Commissioner Andy Barnes (Leonard Mudie) receives a visit from his spoiled niece, Mona (Nancy Hale), just as a group of  elephants are going on the rampage and tearing through one village after another. Hunter Jeff Wood (Wayne Morris) wants to kill off all of the elephants, while Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) argues that all they need do is destroy the rogue elephant who is influencing the rest of the pack. This difference in opinion not only brings Bomba into conflict with Wood and other hunters, Paul (Paul Picerni of Mara Maru) and Kenny (William Phipps of The Boss), but also with Barnes. Lord of the Jungle is the final Bomba film, and it's one of the best of the series, with 24-year-old Sheffield continuing to charm as the jungle "boy." It is revealed that Bomba, whose last name is actually Hastings, inherited much of the land "from the Mogli river down to the Mangu" from his father. Bomba gets to kiss a woman in this film, but the gal is betrothed to another. Nancy Hale later joined the cast of Whirlybirds on TV. Others in the cast include Joel Fluellen as Molu and Juanita Moore as his wife, and Harry Lauter as the pilot who flies Mona into the African interior.  There's a nice score by Marlin Skiles. This was the last film Sheffield [Tarzan Finds a Son!] was to appear in.

Verdict: Farewell Bomba! **1/2.

ELEPHANT STAMPEDE

Johnny Sheffield as Bomba and Donna Martell as Lola

ELEPHANT STAMPEDE (1951). Writer/director: Ford Beebe.

"If I was thinking of myself, I wouldn't have come to Africa." -- Miss Banks

Some evil men have come to Africa to, naturally, get some ivory, and, also naturally, don't care who gets hurt as they take after some tusks. Bob Warren (John Kellogg) and Joe Collins (Myron Healey of Varan the Unbelievable) murder Deputy Commissioner Mark Phillips (Guy Kingsford), with Warren pretending to be the dead man so he can ingratiate himself with some villagers and their white teacher, Miss Banks (Edith Evanson of Life with Henry). The villagers know of a secret cache of ivory that can pay for their continued schooling, but the bad guys have other plans. Enter the almost mythical Bomba (Johnny Sheffield), who routs the villains, saves the ivory, and breaks the heart of pretty little native girl, Lola (Donna Martell of Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff), who teachers Bomba how to read but gets swimming lessons in return instead of kisses. Dumb Bomba! Leonard Mudie is back as the official, Andy Barnes, and Martin Wilkins plays Chief Nagala. The elephants create a minor ruckus at the end of the film,. but it can't really be called a "stampede" -- the budget for this Monogram cheapie was too low. The film has a kind of bittersweet coda involving the non-lovers.

Verdict: Sheffield and Martell make an appealing almost-couple. **1/2.

SAFARI DRUMS

SAFARI DRUMS (1953). Writer/producer/director: Ford Beebe.

A movie company has invaded Bomba's (Johnny Sheffield) turf and hope to get him to help them get some real animal action for the cameras. The director, Larry Conrad (Emory Parnell), wants some real "dramatic footage" from his cameraman, Steve (Paul Marion of The Lost Tribe). Peg (Barbara Bestar) is the secretary for the company, and they've hired a guide named Brad (Douglas Kennedy of The Amazing Transparent Man). When a geologist in the area is robbed of a map that may lead to diamonds, and murdered, Bomba realizes that one of those three men must have been the killer -- but which one? At least this is one jungle movie that admits there are no wild tigers in Africa, so Conrad brings a tiger with him so he can film an exciting scene pitting tiger against lion. Leonard Mudie and Smoki Whitfield appear, respectively, as Andy and Eli.

Verdict: This is an acceptable Bomba adventure, mostly for fans. **1/2.

BOMBA AND THE JUNGLE GIRL

BOMBA AND THE JUNGLE GIRL (1952). Writer/director: Ford Beebe.

"Every animal in the jungle has a mother and father but me. I don't even know who I am."

Bomba (Johnny Sheffield) begins to wonder who "his people" are when he realizes that he has no true identity. He was raised by an older man who died, and has been living on his own ever since. Now he gets a clue from Linda Ward (Karen Sharpe) and from a tribe who remember the native nurse, Linasi (Amanda Randolph), who took care of him years before. Chief Gamboso (Martin Wilkins) and his wicked daughter, Princess Baru (Suzette Harbin), tell Bomba that Linasi is dead, but a young man named Kokoli (Morris Buchanan) tells Bomba otherwise. Bomba discovers the evil plot engineered by Gamboso and the fate of his parents, the Hastings. With a better story than usual, Bomba and the Jungle Girl emerges as one of the more interesting Bomba movies. The picture features two strong female characters in Linda, who is an intrepid, brave and fairly tough heroine, and the princess, who is equally tough if completely amoral. The climax features a jungle fire, a cat fight in a cave, and has a nice score by Raoul Kraushaar. The acting is generally good, with the best performance provided by Suzette Harbin. Andy (Leonard Mudie) and Kimbbo the chimp also appear. There are more black actors with roles and dialogue than usual.

Verdict: Good conflicts and story make this a more than decent Bomba adventure. ***.

AFRICAN TREASURE

AFRICAN TREASURE (1952). Writer/director: Ford Beebe.

Johnny Sheffield and Ford Beebe are back with another Bomba adventure, this time with the Jungle Boy and associates coming afoul of diamond smugglers and a convict named Gilroy (the ever-dull Lyle Talbot). Lita Sebastian (Laurette Luez of Prehistoric Women) is on a search for her father, and Andy Barnes (Leonard Mudie of The Scarlet Clue) tries to help round up the bad guys, including Greg (Arthur Space of Panther Girl of the Kongo). Manly and maturing, Sheffield could easily have played Tarzan now that he'd outgrown "Boy," but it was not to be, and when the Bomba series wrapped up his movie career was over. There are cliffs and tunnels, an underwater battle, and it all adds up to an acceptable action flick if you're not too demanding. Although Bomba seems to keep referring to his pet chimp as "Akimba," he was played not by Cheeta, but by a rival named Kimbbo.

Verdict: Not enough action between Lita and Bomba. **1/2.