Tarzan's Revenge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tarzan's Revenge (1938) is an adventure film starring Glenn Morris in his only outing as Tarzan. Eleanor Holm, a popular swimming star, co-starred as Eleanor Reed. The movie was produced by Sol Lesser, written by R. Lee Johnson and Jay Vann (based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs) and directed by D. Ross Lederman. It was released on January 7, 1938. [1]

[edit] Plot summary

Eleanor Reed accompanies her parents, Roger and Penny, and Nevil Potter, her fiance, on an expedition to Africa to capture wild animals to sell to a zoo. Ben Alleu Bey spots Eleanor and wishes her to become the one hundredth wife in his harem. When she refuses, he follows their safari.

Both groups are followed closely by Tarzan, who releases the animals and woos Eleanor away from both Nevin and Bey. When Nevin discovers that Eleanor plans to remain behind with Tarzan, he attempts to kill him, but only grazes his shoulder with a round fired at close range. Tarzan attacks Nevin, but releases him at Eleanor's behest. As the Reeds' ship sails down the river, Tarzan and Eleanor go for a swim.

[edit] Selected Cast

• Glenn Morris as Tarzan
• Eleanor Holm as Eleanor Reed, pseudo-Jane
• George Meeker as Nevin Potter, Eleanor's fiance, wannabe big-game hunter
• Hedda Hopper as Penny Reed, Eleanor's mother
• George Barbier as Roger Reed, Eleanor's father
• C. Henry Gordon as Ben Alleu Bey, villainous suitor

[edit] Production Notes

Producer Sol Lesser originally considered casting baseball great Lou Gehrig as Tarzan, but was unimpressed with the musculature of Gehrig's legs.

Lesser refused to call the lead female character Jane -- according to him, Eleanor Holm was so famous for her swimming exploits that audiences would not accept her portraying anyone other than someone named Eleanor.

[edit] References

Essoe, Gabe. Tarzan of The Movies, 1968, published by The Citadel Press.