''Jungle Jim'' is a 1948 American

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, an ...

directed by

William Berke William A. Berke (born October 3, 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – died February 15, 1958 in Los Angeles, California) was an American film director, producer, actor and screenwriter. He wrote, directed, and/or produced some 200 films over a ...

and starring

Johnny Weissmuller Johnny Weissmuller (born Johann Peter Weißmüller; June 2, 1904 – January 20, 1984) was an American Olympic swimmer, water polo player and actor. He was known for having one of the best competitive swimming records of the 20th century. H ...

. It is based on

Alex Raymond Alexander Gillespie Raymond Jr. (October 2, 1909 – September 6, 1956) was an American cartoonist who was best known for creating the '' Flash Gordon'' comic strip for King Features Syndicate in 1934. The strip was subsequently adapted into m ...

's ''

Jungle Jim Jungle Jim is the fictional hero of a series of jungle adventures in various media. The series began on January 7, 1934, as an American newspaper comic strip chronicling the adventures of Asia-based hunter Jim Bradley, who was nicknamed Jungle ...

comic strip A comic strip is a sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions. Traditionally, throughout the 20th and into the 21st ...

and was distributed by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

. It is the first picture in the ''Jungle Jim'' series that consists of 16 films originally released between 1948 and 1955. In 1954, Columbia turned over its ''Jungle Jim'' rights to its television subsidiary, and in the last three films of the motion picture series Weissmuller's character was referred to as "Johnny Weissmuller" instead of Jungle Jim (but they are still regarded by fans as part of the "Jungle Jim" film series). ''

Devil Goddess ''Devil Goddess'' (1955) is the sixteenth and final Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his third and last performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller (a character previously called "Ju ...

'' (1955) was the last entry in the series, as well as being Weissmuller's last feature film, after which he starred in the ''Jungle Jim'' TV series.

Plot

After attempting in vain to save a man from being mauled to death by a leopard, Jungle Jim discovers a vial containing an unknown potion. He takes it to district commissioner Marsden, who identifies it as being from the hidden temple of Zimbalu and brings in Dr. Hilary Parker to head up an expedition with Jim as her guide. An opportunistic photographer, Bruce Edwards, follows as Dr. Parker seeks what she believes could be a miraculous breakthrough in medicine. Jim is more concerned that witch doctors use what's in the vial as a deadly poison. His trusty ally Kolu comes along and saves Jim when he is pushed off a cliff by Edwards. The favor is returned when Jim rescues Kolu from an attacking lion. Accidents befall the expedition along the way, as Edwards ingratiates himself with the "devil doctors", only to later incur their wrath. The potion isn't the polio vaccine Hilary hoped it would be, but she expresses a willingness to work again with Jim in future adventures in the jungle.

Cast

as Jungle Jim *

Virginia Grey Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 – July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s. Biography Grey was born on March 22, 1917, in Edendale, Calif ...

as Dr. Hilary Parker *

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952–1958). His death at age 45 from a g ...

as Bruce Edwards *

Lita Baron Lita Baron (born Isabel Castro; August 11, 1923 – December 16, 2015) was a Spanish-born American actress and singer who appeared in movies and television shows for over 30 years. Early life Baron was born Isabel Castro in Almería, Spain ...

as Zia *

Rick Vallin Rick Vallin (born Eric Efron; September 24, 1919 – August 31, 1977) was an actor who appeared in more than 150 films between 1938 and 1966. Early years Born in Feodosia, in the Crimea, Russia, Vallin came to the United States at age there ...

as Kolu – Chief of the Masai *

Holmes Herbert Holmes Herbert (born Horace Edward Jenner; 30 July 1882 – 26 December 1956) was an English character actor who appeared in Hollywood films from 1915 to 1952, often as a British gentleman. Early life Born Horace Edward Jenner, (some sou ...

as Commissioner Geoffrey Marsden

Production

The ''

'' comics had already been turned into a

radio series A radio program, radio programme, or radio show is a segment of content intended for broadcast on radio. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series. A single program in a series is called an episode. Radio networ ...

in 1935 and a

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

two years later. Weissmuller had appeared in

Tarzan movies Tarzan, a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1912 novel ''Tarzan of the Apes'', and then in twenty-four sequels by Burroughs and numerous more by other authors. The character proved immensely popular and qu ...

since 1932 but in the late 1940s his contract with producer

Sol Lesser Sol Lesser (February 17, 1890 – September 19, 1980) was an American film producer. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1961. Biography In 1913, while living in San F ...

was about to expire. In February 1948 producer

Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. Ea ...

had signed a five-year deal with Johnny Weissmuller to make "jungle movies" starting with two films a year for two years where the budgets would be at least $350,000.

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

reported that these would be an adaptation of the ''Jungle Jim'' or ''King of the Jungle'' comic strips.

would direct the films. Initially it was thought there was still a chance Weissmuller might continue as Tarzan as well, but by April 1948

Lex Barker Alexander Crichlow Barker Jr. (May 8, 1919 – May 11, 1973), known as Lex Barker, was an American actor. He was known for playing Tarzan for RKO Pictures between 1949 and 1953, and portraying leading characters from Karl May's novels, notably as ...

had signed to take over that role and Katzman announced Weissmuller would make ''Jungle Jim''. Weissmuller dropped out of Tarzan in part because he had been putting on too much weight. Katzman had a penalty clause in his contract with the actor that insisted Weissmuller had to weigh in at 190 pounds or less, or be penalised $5,000 a pound up to ten pounds, or $50,000. The actor's fee was $75,000. "If he can't take it off by exercise he takes it off by worry", said Katzman. Filming started on August 3 on the first "Jungle Jim" movie. Weissmuller would make two films a year for five years. Virginia Grey was cast as female lead shortly before filming commenced.

Reception

The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' called it "pretty much formula stuff but most kids and some grownups will like it." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' said Weissmuller played "a fat, but physically fearless, and miraculously clever jungle guide... foiling witch doctors and white villains much as he's done of old" but added "it's not quite the same old Johnny. And that perceptible rubber tire which shows around his middle when he goes in swimming is not the only evidence of age. A heavy accretion of boredom is in his attitude... maybe it's too much dialogue." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said "while filling its purpose satisfactorily for the kiddie field producers might have attracted a broader market had they given it more adult intent."

The 16 ''Jungle Jim'' Feature Films

#''Jungle Jim'' (1948) co-starring

#'' The Lost Tribe'' (1949) co-starring Elena Verdugo #''

Mark of the Gorilla ''Mark of the Gorilla'' is 1950 Jungle Jim film starring Johnny Weissmuller. It was the third in the series. Plot Gorilla attacks on humans come as a surprise to Jungle Jim, since the creatures are not known to exist in this part of Africa. On hi ...

'' (1950) co-starring Onslow Stevens #''

Captive Girl ''Captive Girl'' is the fourth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by William Berke and starred Johnny Weissmuller as the title character. It was also Weissmuller's second teaming with his fellow former Tarzan and Olympi ...

'' (1950) co-starring Buster Crabbe & John Dehner #''

Pygmy Island ''Pygmy Island'' is a 1950 Jungle Jim film starring Johnny Weissmuller as the title character. It was movie number five in the series. Production Filming started 19 June 1950. Katzman hired several midget actors to play pygmies. The film was shot ...

'' (1950) co-starring Billy Curtis #''

Fury of the Congo ''Fury of the Congo'' (1951) is the sixth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his sixth performance as the protagonist adventurer Jungle Jim. The film was directed by William Berke and written by Carrol ...

'' (1951) co-starring Lyle Talbot & John Hart #''

Jungle Manhunt ''Jungle Manhunt'' is a 1951 adventure film written by Samuel Newman and directed by Lew Landers. It was the seventh entry in the "Jungle Jim" series of films starring Johnny Weissmuller as the title character. Based on the comic strip "Jungle ...

'' (1951) co-starring Lyle Talbot #'' Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land'' (1952) co-starring John Hart #''

Voodoo Tiger ''Voodoo Tiger'' is a 1952 American adventure film directed by Spencer G. Bennet and starring Johnny Weissmuller in his ninth performance as the protagonist adventurer Jungle Jim. It was written by Samuel Newman and produced by Columbia Pictures. ...

'' (1952) #''

Savage Mutiny ''Savage Mutiny'' is a 1953 Jungle Jim film starring Johnny Weissmuller. It was the tenth entry in the series. Plot Cast References External links''Savage Mutiny''at IMDb''Savage Mutiny''at TCMDB Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an Ameri ...

'' (1953) #''

Valley of the Head Hunters ''Valley of the Head Hunters'' (reissued as ''Valley of Head Hunters'') is a 1953 adventure film directed by William Berke and starring Johnny Weissmuller in his eleventh appearance as Jungle Jim. Plot The District Commissioner sends out his rep ...

'' (1953) #'' Killer Ape'' (1953) #''

Jungle Man-Eaters ''Jungle Man-Eaters'' is a 1954 American adventure film directed by Lee Sholem starring Johnny Weissmuller, Karin Booth and Richard Stapley. It was the last official Jungle Jim movie after Screen Gems bought the rights to make a TV series based on ...

'' (1954) co-starring Bernie Hamilton #''

Cannibal Attack ''Cannibal Attack'' is a 1954 American adventure film, the fourteenth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. The film features Johnny Weissmuller in his inaugural performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller, a character p ...

'' (1954) co-starring David Bruce #''

Jungle Moon Men ''Jungle Moon Men'' (1955) is the fifteenth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his second performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller. The film was directed by Charles S. Gould and wri ...

'' (1955) co-starring Myron Healy #''

'' (1955)

References

External links

* * *
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Jungle Jim (Film) 1948 films 1948 adventure films 1940s English-language films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by William A. Berke Jungle Jim films Films set in Africa American adventure films American black-and-white films 1940s American films