Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952)

Great Film overall

Absolutely brilliant

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

A good Tarzan adventure film, another of the Lex Barker films that were made with decent budgets and not just cheap knock-offs. Barker does a great job as big hunk Tarzan (its definitely a role that requires more action than acting). First-class actress Dorothy Hart is lovely as Jane and does most of the real acting in this Tarzan household. She was a truly gifted actress who soon quit movies for roles in prestigious television productions and other activities that utilized her worthwhile abilities. There is also a little boy character well played by a lad named Tommy Carleton, although this character seems superfluous to me and was subsequently dropped from the Tarzan series. Former leading man Patrick Knowles does a great job as a vacuous baddie, a weak willed character whose actions are essential to the plot.The overall story of "Tarzan's Savage Fury" is wholly inconsequential but the movie is directed at a nice crisp pace. It is definitely above average for a b-movie adventure flick. I can recommend this film for the action and physicality that Barker brings to the Tarzan role, and for Dorothy Hart's luminous presence and fine acting.

"Tarzan's Savage Fury is my favorite Tarzan film...All performances are excellent...especially the new boy character...Joey Martin...played marvelously by Tommy Carlton...actually Tommy Acker...a kid acrobat in a family act...his only film role...such a shame...He was a splendid new film BOY character...Heavily muscled...he could well have been a jungle boy...a son of the jungle king Tarzan...I can't believe some producer did not make a contract offer to this kid's parents...Tommy could have done more Tarzan films...and then appeared in a "Bomba" like series...He was a potential Dean Stockwell type...Handsome,muscular,charming...Could act with conviction and emotion.

A cousin from the Greystoke family goes to visit jungle king Lex Barker (as Tarzan) in his African home, and is quickly killed by greedy uncut diamond-hunting Charles Korvin (as Rokov). Next, the Russian-accented villain arranges an impersonation and expedition to get Mr. Barker's help in obtaining a tribe's treasure. Meanwhile, Barker saves cute American orphan Tommy Carlton (as Joseph "Joey" Martin) from becoming alligator food, and adopts him as a new "Boy" companion. They get into the usual danger, along with pretty mate Dorothy Hart (as Jane) and pet "Cheeta" the chimpanzee.The previous entry in the series, "Tarzan's Peril" (1951), didn't really benefit from a modest increase in location footage. Conversely, this film wisely makes full use of RKO's studio jungle, with the direction and photography by Cy Endfield and Karl Struss most outstanding. The editing (Frank Sullivan) and "trick" photography are also improved. The rotating "Jane" looks the part again; fresh-faced but familiar, she's back in long hair and dressed to arouse. The plot incorporates some elements from writer Edgar Rice Burroughs' actual "Tarzan" stories and includes the film's popular "Boy" character.******* Tarzan's Savage Fury (3/14/52) Cyril Endfield ~ Lex Barker, Tommy Carlton, Dorothy Hart, Charles Korvin

Tarzan's Savage Fury was one of the only Tarzan films to make reference Tarzan's noble background. At least since the Johnny Weissmuller films started I don't recall another movie mentioning Tarzan being the Earl of Greystoke. But it's a false Greystoke played by Patric Knowles who with his guide Charles Korvin comes calling on Lex Barker and Dorothy Hart as Jane. What is family for, but to call on them for aid. The real Greystoke was killed at the beginning of the film and Knowles takes his place. The object is to get to a tribe which has a fortune in diamonds and uses them in their animist religious rites. Although it's never said, Korvin's accent is a broad hint that there is a foreign power behind these proceedings. The Cold War at last comes to the Tarzan series. With RKO under the control of Howard Hughes would you expect nothing less?The cast acquits themselves well and now it seemed that finally black people were playing the African natives in the series for good and all time now.