Four British smugglers raid a colony settlement for sticks of dynamite for use in a diamond mine. They massacre many of the inhabitants and guardsmen of the settlement, leading to the seemingly unstoppable force of nature Tarzan being set on their tail. Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure was a late-period attempt to play off the Tarzan character for a more mature audience, and the gamble paid off well artistically if not financially. The film is adult, often shockingly violent, and even sexy in a way that the King of the Apes pictures hadn’t been since Tarzan and His Mate. Instead of the monosyllable-talking jungle grunter of ole, this Tarzan is an articulate and intelligent survivalist, electing to live among nature instead of civilization. The villains of the piece steal the show, including Anthony Quayle, a young and impossibly handsome Sean Connery, and Niall MacGinnis. Its shocking to see the later playing such a weasel, given the gravitas and force he brought in Night of the Demon. The two women in the film, one of them a villain and the other Tarzan’s (ultimately unrequited) love interest, are shown to be capable, resourceful, and intelligent. At ninety minutes, the film moves at a lightning quip, laying on the shootouts and action at a breathless pace. This is the most satisfying Tarzan flick I’ve seen along with Tarzan and His Mate. Gordon Scott is merely adequate in the title role, but hey, was Johnny Weissmuller ever a great actor anyways?
Teenage Frankenstein: Cinematic Journeys, Personal Obsessions 