... Or "The One Where Tarzan Kills James Bond!"
Blacked up to pass as natives, four Western criminals raid an African settlement to steal explosives and supplies, killing a couple of people in the process.
The only lead the authorities and Tarzan (Gordon Scott) have is the name 'Slade', but it's a name Tarzan knows well as he has history with this ruthless, thrill-seeking, big game hunter.
Following Slade's boat upriver, Tarzan rescues gobsmackingly-gorgeous aviatrix Angie (Sara Shane) when her light plane crashes in the jungle (admittedly she was showing off, trying to attract the Ape Man's attention!).
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| Sara Shane as Angie |
That is, as long as they don't kill each other before they get there.
And as long as they can evade Tarzan!
As well as actually being filmed in Africa (Kenya), Tarzan's Greatest Adventure is quite a grown-up take on the legend of Tarzan, sticking closer to the brutality of Edgar Rice Burroughs' original tales - even if Scott is still quite a well groomed and clean-shaven Lord of the Jungle.
The bulk of the movie focuses on Tarzan's manhunt for the murderous Westerners, as the villainous party is gradually whittled down ahead of the inevitable - but still rather impressive - climactic confrontation between Tarzan and Slade.
As usual with a Tarzan flick of this era, the film features a fair amount of stock wild animal footage, but the bulk of the film rests on the shoulders of its two male leads - Scott and Quayle - who deliver powerful performances.
Without any reference to Jane in the film, Sara Shane, who has a certain Gillian Anderson quality to her, is not only a beautiful companion for the Lord of the Jungle, but is also - in her last cinematic role - clearly able to hold her own.
However, when - at the denouement, even after some off-screen rumpy pumpy - Tarzan has to choose between the woman and his life in the jungle, guess which he chooses?
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| Gordon Scott & Sara Shane as Tarzan & Angie in Tarzan's Greatest Adventure |
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