In a story with which most people are familiar, Jane goes to the Dark Continent, meets the legendary jungle swinger, faces numerous threats, is rescued multiple times, and falls in love with Man at his most primitive. The movie is not the first celluloid adaptation of E.R. Burroughs's famous story, but is likely the best known and, although conflicting with current sensibilities (e.g. shooting pesky animals, heroic ivory hunters, dwarfs in black-face playing villainous pygmies), remains a classic 'pre-code' adventure film and predecessor to multiple sequels, series, and TV shows. Considering the film is based on what was essentially a boy's adventure book, it is very sensual (almost soft-erotic) at times. Jane spends much of the middle part of story soaking wet in a clingy (but opaque), strategically disintegrating, outfit as she and the Lord of the Jungle engage in a long bout of 'getting to know you' flirting. Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, the titular Ape-man, is perfect as the very fit, very European looking, Lord of the African jungle, as is Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane Parker, the lovely British girl destined to be his mate. C. Aubrey Smith plays Jane's father, James, an old 'African hand' and Neil Hamilton (familiar to boomers as Commissioner Gordon in the '60s campy "Batman" series) is Harry Holt who, as a 'civilized' gentleman, is no match for Tarzan when it comes to attracting Jane's affections. The movie is an excellent blend of location footage and 'Hollywood Africa', and if some of the great apes look like costumed stuntmen and the elephants have prosthetic ears - that just adds to the charm. There are some incredible interactions between the actors and the animals (or seamless switches to wranglers, I couldn't tell) and chimp-star 'Cheeta' has some of the best scenes, both with the humans and when being chased by lions while carrying the news of Jane's current peril to Tarzan. Followed by sequel ("Tarzan and his Mate", 1934) in which Jane wears even less (and sometimes nothing at all) before the Hay's Code clamp down on cinematic naughtiness forced Maureen O'Sullivan to don a (relatively speaking) frumpy jungle skirt for the rest of the series. Great fun from another era.

The One that Started the Long Running Series that Became Favorites of Fans of All Ages. It was a Sweet and Adventurous Formula that Started Out in Quite an Adult Fashion with the First Two Films. Edgar Rice Burrough's Literary Character was Literally Dumbed Down, but Audiences Didn't Seem to Mind.The Sound Debut for Tarzan, Featuring Olympic Swimming Star Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O' Sullivan as Jane, was Filled with Fantastic Footage of Jungle Wild Life Interacting with Humans, Diabolical Dwarf Natives, and a Pre-Code Romance Consummating in a Tree-House.There is a bit of a Clunk in the Opening with Stock Footage from Trader Horn (1931) Backscreened, but the Shots Still are Impressive as Such Things were Not All That Common in 1932 and Audiences were in Awe. But Once the Safari gets Under Way on a Search for the Elephant Burial Ground, the Ivory Hunters Encounter Life Threatening Situations and Tarzan, the Fun Never Stops.The Climax is a Brutal and Violent War Among Giant Killer Apes, Dangerous Dwarfs, and Stampeding Elephants that is Still Exciting and Impressive Today. Ultra-Violent and Visceral it is a Scary and Nightmarish Highlight. Despite a Few Time-Stamped Flaws, and a Lack of Musical Score, there is So Much Here to Enjoy that the Shortcomings can be Ignored. Eclipsed by Tarzan and His Mate (1934), the Sequel is Considered the Best of All Tarzan Movies to This Day.

I must say I was especially surprised at how much I loved this picture! Lavishly produced by MGM with some spectacular sets and dazzling adventure sequences, "Tarzan the Ape Man" certainly won me over big time. Johnny Weismuller would be forever typecast and appear in numerous Tarzan films, as the mostly mute, but impressively built Ape Man, who could communicate with animals in the African jungle, wrestle and defeat the likes of lions and tigers, swing from trees with ease, and swim incredibly fast (this skill needed when giant crocodiles are coming after you!) when needing to. Maureen O'Sullivan, a stunning petite beauty, would portray British daughter of an ivory hunter (played by C Aubrey Smith) Jane Parker in several Tarzan movies after this one. I thought some of her playful scenes with Weissbuller were quite erotic, such as when she falls into his arms while they are swimming (or up in a tree) or is whisked off her feet by Tarzan to be taken to safety. Neil Hamilton is her other more "suitable" potential love interest (a fellow hunter and colleague of Smith's James Parker), Harry Holt, who expresses his strong feelings for her before Tarzan comes on the scene. You get all kinds of jungle animals in this production, such as zebra and rhinos, with that always-present threat of lions and tigers roaming about looking to attack and eat their prey. I was stunned at how realistic Tarzan's battles with tigers (and a lion) were. The elephant charge at the end when Tarzan calls on them for help when the Parkers and Harry are held hostage by a menacing group of African dwarfs, dropping members of their party in a pit with an enraged gorilla, rampaging through the village is awesome. That one scene where Cheetah the orangutan is fleeing from the pursuit of a determined tiger is all kinds of suspenseful, done with no musical accompaniment (we know that if Cheetah is caught and killed that Tarzan will not know that his beloved Jane has been taken prisoner by the dwarfs, adding extra tension to the scene). Perhaps a bit long in the tooth, but the filmmakers get in all the essentials fans would come to expect from the Tarzan series. Weissmuller is quite a hunk and O'Sullivan is definitely his equal in regards to attractiveness—I can see why the pair was in such demand to make more of these movies. O'Sullivan must be given credit for having to carry Weissmuller in their many scenes together because of the Tarzan character's inability to communicate with her through spoken language. Plenty of harrowing escapes such as one instance where Parkers crew are attempting to paddle their rafts across a river as rhinos draw closer to them (and one raft is tipped over, with one African slave becoming croc din-din).

English explorer C. Aubrey Smith (as James Parker) leads an expedition into Africa's jungles, to find ivory in a legendary elephant graveyard. Spunky daughter Maureen O'Sullivan (as Jane) insists on going along, despite the danger; she is looking for a more savage lifestyle. Handsome Neil Hamilton (as Harry Holt), Mr. Smith's partner, falls in love with Ms. O'Sullivan, but finds unexpected competition from likewise handsome, but loin-clothed, Johnny Weissmuller (as Tarzan). Raised by monkeys, Mr. Weissmuller gets the urge to mate, when he sees O'Sullivan.This was the first "Tarzan" film starring Weissmuller, O'Sullivan, and "Cheetah" the chimpanzee; and, by the time the movie ends, they are obviously "going places" (in the Tarzan film series). A handsome and muscular swimming star, Weissmuller makes a perfect Tarzan. While showing less skin, O'Sullivan give the film its considerable sex appeal; especially when she tears her dress to mop Weissmuller's brow, goes swimming, and has Tarzan tickle her feet.Edgar Rice Burroughs' story of survival is downplayed in favor of the novel's sexual fantasy. And, it works like a charm. "Tarzan the Ape man" was not only a great Tarzan film, but also an excellent early "talkie". Of course, there is some silliness included (this was 1932). Director W.S. Van Dyke, film editors Ben Lewis and Tom Held, and photographers Harold Rosson and Clyde De Vinna excel. The film is briskly directed, tightly edited, and nicely photographed.******** Tarzan the Ape Man (3/25/32) W.S. Van Dyke ~ Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Neil Hamilton, C. Aubrey Smith