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What did you rate 'Tarzan's New York Adventure' (1942)?

posted 17 years ago by J. Spurlin
21 replies | jump to latest

I rated this a five. What did you rate it? And what do you think of it?

Boy is kidnapped from the jungle by circus owners; Tarzan and Jane must travel to New York to find him.

The last, and by far the silliest of the Johnny Weissmuller-Maureen O'Sullivan Tarzan movies, is part hilarious, part groan-inducing, with excessive antics from Cheetah the Chimp. Best part is the climax where Tarzan climbs buildings and swings on ropes, as if he were still in the jungle, in his search for Boy. As always, the lack of a music score is very effective.

... Justin

[–] caraeas 16 years ago

For better or worse,I still love the same things I loved when I was 8 years old(with the exception of 8 year old girls,thank goodness!)Therefor I love TNYA.I never missed an airing on TV,and now I have the dvd.Of course my favorite part is when Tarzan runs rings around the NYPD.O'Sullivan is beyond gorgeous as always.I guess it is the different location,being so different than the other films,that make it's appeal unique.

[–] J. Spurlin 16 years ago

I wish I had seen this series as a kid. I know I would have loved it. I love it now, but I'm sure I would have identified with Boy and joined him in my imagination on his adventures.

And I suspect this entry, which I now find the weakest, would have been my favorite.

... Justin

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] J. Spurlin 16 years ago

It's a very funny movie.

... Justin

[–] Isis38 16 years ago

It's a 5 star rating out of 5 stars for me!

I did watch this film along with all the JW/Tarzan films on TV when I was growing up.

It's interesting that this was Maureen O'Sullivan's last Tarzan film. I read that she had nightmares about accidents happening on the set that troubled her so much that she finally had to stop doing the films.

I always thought the casting for the Tarzan films was just so good. Of course JW was a natural Tarzan, but I thought Maureen O'Sullivan was so perfect as Jane. Her traind British acting abilities lifted the film's status to make it a better film and helped to make JW look better, as well.

In Ester Williams (film star, Olumpic swimmer) book she mentioned that she ran into Maureen O'Sullivan at a party and asked MO if JW ever flashed her while working together. (JW was known to be so proud of himself that he was known to flash his leading ladies). When MO replied, "Yes," Ester asked, "well, what did you do?" MO replied, "I looked."

The entertaing thing for me in this film was watching Tarzan make his tranaition from jungle to the big apple!

[–] J. Spurlin 16 years ago

I loved that story about Weissmuller flashing Jane. Thanks for replying.

... Justin

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mr_McLaurel 15 years ago

I give it an 8/10. Yeah, it's silly, but the silliness is pretty damn entertaining. I also enjoyed the change of setting - nice to see Tarzan outside of the jungle for once.

What's the Spanish for drunken bum?

[–] caraeas 13 years ago

Wonder if the size of his rudder affected Johnny's swimming?

[–] bradford-1 13 years ago

The great Mantan Moreland (uncredited, of course) has a wonderful, if non-PC moment during the phone conversation with Cheetah(!), but I was struck by the fact that Tarzan and Jane obviously shared a hotel suite. In what film were they legally married? Cause if they weren't actually hitched, the Tarzan flicks managed to skirt the Production Code. And when Tarzan is asked his full name, he keeps saying "Tarzan." I thought he was supposed to be Lord Greystoke, or did the Weismuller series choose to ignore that aspect?
"We're fighting for this woman's honor, which is more than she ever did."

[–] junkmail32055 13 years ago

JQ's Tarzan did not really go into who he really was. I think one time the closest he got to it was he visted a hut in the side of a clift that was said his father lived in or something like that.

[–] Enrique-8 13 years ago

Just saw it again on TCM after mannnnnny years...and this is still one of the BEST Tarzan movies...definitely a 5/5 or in IMDB terms 10/10!

It put a joyful smile on my face and a laugh or two as I watch Johnny W rescue Boy from the bad guys. It doesn't get better than this...and that final scene in the jungle almost brought a tear to my eye.

Just wonderful!

Enrique Sanchez

[–] fujiwan08 13 years ago

I watched this great Tarzan movie today as well. It is by far, the best Tarzan movie during that era. Or any era for that matter.

[–] Enrique-8 13 years ago

hehehe...I am so glad you agree FUJIWAN!

Enrique Sanchez

[–] holbrookp 13 years ago

I loved these Weissmuller Tarzan films as a kid and am recording now to show my grandkids.

One thing I noticed now that didn't bother me much in the past is Jane's disdain for the plight people face in civilization. On the plane over New York, Tarzan asks what people do with the time they're striving to save. She answers "Dahling, you're asking me a question even the great sages have been unable to answer!" No, Jane, people aren't like you in your jungle Eden, where you have all the time you need to spend with your loved ones and follow your own pursuits. They have a lot of responsibilities. It's rather an insult to suggest that people in civilization are wasting their lives.

In TARZAN'S SECRET TREASURE, Jane takes the gold Boy found in the river and makes snide comments about how foolish people in civilization put a great value on gold and then tosses the nugget in the water. Too bad she doesn't have more sympathy for people in civilization: she could see that by mining that gold, she and Tarzan could provide millions of needed dollars to charities around the world and other people might have lives approaching the happiness she enjoys in the jungle.

Anyway, in TARZAN'S NEW YORK ADVENTURE, I've always been amused at how Tarzan breaks the law several times and gets away scot-free. Such as his losing control in the courtroom and tossing lawyer Charles Lane into the jury box. How could he get out of that one! That attorney would have sued him for sure! I know: it's just a movie...but still. He gets suspended sentences in consideration of why he did it. Really, judge? What was the real reason? You reveal it yourself when he makes it clear he wants to come to the jungle and enjoy the superb fishing you mentioned earlier!

"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

[–] Princerd 13 years ago

Modern day dribble about a care free adventure movie...sad. Get out of the house and do some good rather than spending time here complaining.

[–] holbrookp 13 years ago

Dribble? Complaining? I thought I was making some comments about aspects of the film that I'd missed as a kid and that other fans might enjoy reading. Hmmm. Guess I was wrong. I guess, too, that I misunderstood what the forum is all about. I thought it was for fans to post their comments, good and bad, for others to read. Sorry mine violated that and irked you enough to have to point it out to me.

Now please go ahead and correct the thousands of posters of other similar remarks about care-free films. It's the only fair thing to do.

"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

[–] Sproketer 13 years ago

Rated it a 7/10, mainly because it was entertaining, amusing, and has some production value, and the action is fair.

[–] browncis 13 years ago

This is my favorite Tarzan movie by far. The famous Brooklyn Bridge scene is one of the best scenes of all time.

Just watched Tarzan and His Mate, and would rank it at #2. It was an amazingly good film. If you haven't seen it, it's a definite "must see".

[–] red_rackham_77 13 years ago

On a scale of 1 to 12 I'd give this an even of 6.

[–] kwestmo (4114) a year ago

This film is the Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein of Tarzan movies, which means it is one of the best in the series (if not the best.