Tarzan and the Green Goddess (1938)

Very Cool!!!

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Tarzan holds a gypsy-themed party at his Greystoke estate after returning from an expedition. He gets an old Gypsy fortune teller to narrate the story of his latest adventure. Along with Major Martling, Tarzan tried to retrieve the Green Goddess, an ancient Mayan relic that is being used as an idol by a small clan of worshippers in the Dead City in Guatemala. An unscrupulous explorer has stolen the statue in the hope that he can use an ancient secret formula hidden in it to manufacture a super-explosive that has the potential to change warfare forever. Tarzan & his companions get into various situations in order to stop the formula from getting into the wrong hands.Tarzan and the Green Goddess was a feature-length (at only 72 minutes long) reedit of some episodes of the old serial The New Adventures of Tarzan. It featured a good performance by Bruce Bennett, who plays Tarzan in a rather unique fashion – this is the only time on film that you see a Tarzan who speaks English articulately & appears to be well-educated (although his Tarzan yell sounds like a stoned coyote). As far as the rest of the feature is concerned, the original serial was far better. It omits the spectacular theft of the idol & instead has plenty of cheap theatrics & cheaper action scenes. Although the scene where Tarzan faces off with a lion was slightly exciting, the rest of the film was one-dimensional & the idea of the hero going to all the trouble to obtain the secret formula only to have his female companion burn it in the end was kind of stupid. The worst aspect was the villain, played by Ashton Dearholt, who made a pathetic & often-put-upon villain.

OK, I knew going into this viewing that "Tarzan and the Green Goddess" was another compilation of the series that was also used for the earlier film, "The New Adventures of Tarzan." I expected—and, sure enough noticed—that this film might be a bit choppy; after all, serials are known to end each chapter with a cliffhanger that is somewhat different in the opening of the subsequent episode where the hero/heroine escapes the certain calamity. I have no problem understanding that would make the conversion into a full movie a bit out of sync. But . . . I do not like it when the "escape" part is totally missing!An earlier reviewer noted that the movie version she viewed began with Tarzan at a garden party reminiscing about this trip to Guatemala with its accompanying adventure. That "party" opening was not in the copy I viewed; although the ending did contain that garden party scene (where the characters were dressed in gypsy costumes?). The version I watched began with a voice-over reading of an on-screen card where the narrator was saying: "Guatemala, a strange and beautiful country many thousands of miles away, a country with lofty, snow-crested mountains, mighty rivers and deep lakes, quaint little villages and picturesque natives. This is Guatemala on the surface, what a tourist might see if a tourist could ever get there...."So now that I am aware of the different versions that exist of this film, I am certain my copy—which came from TCM—is missing at least two segments. But . . . as I was telling my wife when we watched this, it looked like Tarzan and his companions would all drown with the ship that appeared would sink in a massive storm. Then, suddenly, they are all at the garden party, smiling and wrapping up the story (in those gypsy costumes?), apparently back in England! What happened with the ship?Oh, well . . . what can I say? It IS a Tarzan movie, after all. And we still have 22 more to view since we decided to revisit all the old Tarzan films in chronological order by their release dates. (Some folks just have strange ways to spend their advanced years. We figure these would make the time drag on—thereby making us feel as if we're living that much longer.)Onward to "Tarzan Escapes," 1938!

This is the second of two feature-length films re-edited from the original 12-chapter serial titled "The New Adventures of Tarzan" (1935). Neither film is technically edited well, but they do tell individual stories. Muscularly handsome Herman Brix, later known professionally as Bruce Bennett, is an appropriately athletic Tarzan. Our hero is much more cultured than he appears in the MGM Johnny Weissmuller films; he has discovered his noble British identity, and occasionally returns to the jungle for new adventures.This "sequel" begins with the group attending a costume party (dressed as gypsies) at Tarzan's estate.Previously, "Tarzan" and his friends concluded their search for an ancient relic known as "The Green Goddess" (among other things). Herein, we learn how this relic was then stolen, by dastardly Don Castello (as Raglan). He had been interested in the relic from the previous feature - for nefarious reasons, of course; the statue came with a secret formula (worth millions). "Don Castello" is a pseudonym for the serial's producer, Ashton Dearholt. Lewis Sargent (as George) has the most notable supporting role.*** Tarzan and the Green Goddess (2/27/38) Edward Kull ~ Bruce Bennett, Ula Holt, Ashton Dearholt, Lewis Sargent

I couldn't believe that rhinos, wildebeests, chimps and giraffes had invaded Guatemala. Couldn't they get South American stock footage! The other silly thing was Tarzan's yell...aaaaaahmazeeeee or something like that; it sounded more like Ma Kettle calling the kids to supper. I did like Herman Brix/Bruce Bennett as Tarzan but his loin cloth had belt loops and a belt. He was wearing pants in one scene so that may explain it. He definitely resurrected his career later with some really good roles like "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", etc. The acting was equal to the Weissmuller films, meaning pretty good but I think it was the producer and director who were at fault here. Watch the battle scene where the natives (wearing pants & shirts) carry swords but don't use them. I guess for its time and for kids it was an OK film, but nobody can "hold a candle" to the Weissmuller Tarzan films!