Tarzan the Magnificent (1960)

The Worst Film Ever

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

RELEASED IN 1960 and directed by Robert Day, "Tarzan the Magnificent" covers events in Africa when Tarzan has no recourse but to escort a formidable prisoner, Coy Banton (Jock Mahoney), through the jungle to the authorities in Kairobi. Along for the trek are five passengers of a river boat destroyed by Coy's ruthless father (John Carradine) & cutthroat brothers. The latter pursue Tarzan & the group to save Coy.Despite his short hair, Gordon Scott was one of the better Tarzans; and this was his last of six Tarzan flicks in six years. Most critics cite Scott's previous movie "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure" (1959) as one of the best Tarzan movies (which I've never seen) with this one running not far behind. The tone is believable, akin to "Sands of the Kalahari" (1965), with Tarzan's exploits thankfully being kept within the realm of realism. Speaking of his feats, there's a lot of jungle action, including a knockdown-drag-out fight at the climax. The way Coy uses psychology to disrupt the group and gain the allegiance of one of them is reminiscent of "The Naked Spur" (1953).Unfortunately, I found the members of the group and their interactions rather dull, including Tarzan. The script needed another rewrite to flush out the human interest. Moreover, the two women, Betta St. John & Alexandra Stewart, are serviceable, but the movie called for at least one woman of the caliber of Julie Adams, which can be observed in "Creature from the Black Lagoon" (1954), if you need to get my drift. For these two reasons "Tarzan the Magnificent" doesn't arise to the greatness of "Sands of the Kalahari." Yet it's not bad and is certainly a worthwhile austere jungle thriller. You can't beat the authentic African locations in living color (each of which 1934's heralded "Tarzan and His Mate" lacked).Interestingly, the main villain here, Jock Mahoney, went on to play the next Tarzan in two movies.THE FILM RUNS 82 minutes and was shot in Kenya with interiors done at Shepperton Studios, England. WRITERS: Berne Giler & Robert Day.GRADE: B-

Other reviewers have ably discussed where this movie fits in within the corpus of Tarzan movies and have pinpointed the epic fistfight battle of Jock Mahoney and Gordon Scott.Before Scott's Tarzan character tangled with Mahoney as Coy Banton, however, there is a scene where the youngest of the Banton family attempts to take on Tarzan and defeat him.The Banton family is a bunch of robbers and killers and, as they follow Tarzan who is conducting Coy Banton to the authorities, accompanied by the survivors of a steamboat accident, there are opportunities to attack this group and rescue Coy.Johnny, supposedly in his early twenties, played by then newcomer Gary Cockrell, whose career seemingly fizzled out in the 1970s, is making a daring attempt to go after this group without the support of his father or older brother and perhaps molest one of the women.Johnny comes across one of the women and chases her to a pool or stream some distance from the village where they have stopped. Johnny proceeds to grope and attack her, when Tarzan shows up as a result of her screams.At first, Johnny goes for his rifle and the two tussle. The rifle is thrown away and Johnny, his shirt now in shreds, is pushed on to the ground. He stands and goes for his knife. His muscular, lean, sinewy chest is revealed and he seems a plausible opponent for Tarzan at the moment. But the knife fight does not last for long. Johnny wants his rifle, thinking only that will save him. When he at last spots and holds it, the fight is maneuvered into the nearby water and the rifle's barrel is now pointing under Johnny's chin. The rifle goes off in the scuffle and Johnny is killed. He falls back, the shreds of his shirt parted on each side so that his chest is fully revealed as he floats upon the water.Tarzan smashes the rifle, for he knows that Johnny's death will invite more trouble from the rest of the Banton gang. Johnny's youthful, daring gamble has failed. The youngest of the Bantons is now dead.

This is probably the best of all Tarzan films to date, and the closest to the original character created by Burroughs. Grim, violent, and threatening, it has Tarzan as the silent and determined hero, just reeking with machsimo with no silly Jane and Cheetah antics. This exciting adventure also boasts one of the greatest on-screen fist-fights ever filmed (between Scott and Mahoney, himself a future Tarzan) rivaled only by the one between John Wayne and Randolph Scott in "The Spoilers".

Along with 'Tarzan's Greatest Adventure', I rate this one as the best Tarzan movie of all times. Both of them are quite an improvement over the black&whites from the 30's and 40's (yes, Johnny Weissmuller was a hell of a Tarzan himself, no doubt, and did great movies, but times have changed quite a bit). Tarzan is an adult character now, aiming adult audiences, in these last two Gordon Scott's appearances. He is articulate, and as straight as he can be. No Janes, no Boys, no funny chimps around. This is a bloody, violent, dark, adult movie. This is a violent, dark new Tarzan. I only regret this wonderful new bias - and the mighty, definitive, impressive Tarzan Gordon Scott was - had no continuity. Later on, we were back to the tired lightweight Tarzans, oh-hum adventures, and here are our good friends, the chimps, goofing around again. Pity.