Laikals The greatest movie ever made..!

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Jemima It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Spikeopath Johnny Weissmuller once again dons the loin cloth in this fun and breezy adventure for Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous creation. Directed by Richard Thorpe, story has Tarzan fending of the nefarious intentions of an expedition group who plan to take Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan)) back to civilisation, and Tarzan into side-show captivity.Weissmuller flexes his muscles and gets help from his wildlife pals, while Jane wonderfully looks like she's auditioning for the porn movie version of the plot. Action is brisk, the dialogue not clunky, and the all round sense of adventurous fun never once leaves the scene. The wildlife footage is impressive for the time and Leonard Smith's photography is very slick.There's some holes in the plot, but it matters not in the grand scheme of 30s Tarzan movies, it's the sort of film you watched as a kid and adored, and now as adults we go back to find it has thankfully lost none of its charm. Now, where is Jane's telephone number? 7/10

MartinHafer This installment of the Tarzan series starring Johnny Weissmuller is very similar to one of these movies made just a few years later, "Tarzan Finds a Son!". Both have family members who come to retrieve one of Tarzan's family to take them back to civilization to retrieve a large inheritance and in both cases, it turns out that some of these 'nice people' aren't so nice after all.The episode begins with Jane's family arriving at the Tarzan residence. They inform Jane that she's an heiress to the family fortune and that she should come back with them to claim it. None of them realize that the Captain, however, is unconcerned about this and has evil plans of his own. But, when this jerk tries to make a pact with a local tribe of nasties, the nasties turn out to be even bigger jerks and it looks like all the white folks are about to breath their last.There are a few nice things about this film. E.E. Clive plays a very nice part as a guy who really seems taken with Tarzan and his lovely consort. Additionally, the film is very, very romantic--almost as much as "Tarzan and His Mate". However, the film also features very, very vague motivations for the Captain and you really never have any idea why he does what he does. There are also a few odd inconsistencies--such as Cheeta being called a 'she' despite featuring very large male anatomy! Also there is that stupid looking bird-like thing that made me laugh--and which was also in a bit scene in "Tarzan's Secret Treasure". And, like all the early Weissmuller Tarzan films it features Asian elephants with weird fake prosthetic ears! All in all, a decent but not particularly inspired entry but it's a darn shame that it's practically the same major plot ideas as are found in "Tarxan Finds a Son". Oh, and by the way, look for Tarzan to inexplicably use the word 'escarpment'!

James Christian If I was to summarize my feelings about "Tarzan Escapes" in one sentence, this is what I would write: I *loved* the first two Tarzan films, and I *like* the third film."Tarzan Escapes" isn't a bad film, but it's clear that the writers had used up a lot of their imagination on the first two installments. The basic premise is that Jane's cousins Rita and Eric go into the jungle to find Jane. Once again, they head to the Mutia Escarpment (the elephant graveyard), and they commission Captain Fry, along with his comedic friend Rawlins, to lead them there.The first half of this film is basically kiddie fare. The Rawlins character attempts (but never quite succeeds) at providing comic relief, and the animal scenes are less perilous and more comedic. However, about halfway through the movie, a sudden twist occurs, and the story takes on a much more serious tone. It's not too strong for kids, so they should still enjoy it all. And adults, if they can overlook the bad comedy in the first half, should find the overall film very satisfying.Tarzan has broadened his vocabulary a bit since the first two films, and his and and Jane's relationship is still sparkling. Cheeta has more of a role in this movie, and they've spiffed up their jungle décor considerably. (Only the castaways on Gilligan's Island have a more deluxe setup without electricity.)Several of the animal scenes are lifted from "Tarzan and His Mate", so some of the excitement and freshness are lost. But there is still plenty to get excited about. I did notice that the sound quality is much improved. (I had to watch parts of the first two films with subtitles just to understand what they were saying. The sound is much clearer in the third movie.)Overall, it's a rousing adventure film. It's nice to say hi to our jungle friends once again, and there are enough new elements to be more than just a rehash of the previous stories.

preppy-3 Third film in the Johnny Weissmuller--Maureen O'Sullivan Tarzan series. Two of Jane's cousins come to the jungle to persuade her to return to civilization. With them is safari hunter Captain Fry (John Buckler) who secretly has plans to capture Tarzan and bring him back to civilization as a sideshow attraction. And then there is the vicious native tribe near by...Not as good as the first two (which were great) but still very enjoyable. This film was a disaster--it took 2 years to make and went through multiple rewrites, reshoots, cutting, editing and was overhauled completely when a test audience hated it. The film is pretty violent (for 1936) but the original was even more so with a vampire bat sequence that got completely cut out! The sex has been toned down too--Jane is dressed VERY modestly this time around and she's fully clothed during the underwater swimming sequence (she was totally nude in "Tarzan and his Mate". Still, this film isn't really for kids. The violence IS pretty strong. Also Tarzan and Jane's tree house is quite elaborate this time around. And there are shots of Cheetah laughing that are hysterical.The acting varies--Weissmuller is very good as Tarzan--his emotions show clearly through his face (but he does look a little old in a few sequences); O'Hara is still bad as Jane and everybody else is TERRIBLE--especially Buckler and Herbert Munder (stuck with the thankless "comic" relief role).Still this is fast-moving with plenty of action. Worth catching.