''Tarzan's Three Challenges'' is a 1963 British-American adventure film filmed in

Metrocolor Metrocolor is the trade name used by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for films processed at their laboratory. Virtually all of these films were shot on Kodak's Eastmancolor film. Although MGM used Kodak film products, MGM did not use all of Kodak's proc ...

. It is a follow-up to 1962's '' Tarzan Goes to India''. The film was

Jock Mahoney Jacques Joseph O'Mahoney (February 7, 1919 – December 14, 1989), known professionally as Jock Mahoney, was an American actor and stuntman. He starred in two Action/Adventure television series, ''The Range Rider'' and ''Yancy Derringer''. He ...

's second and final turn as the apeman, was produced by Sy Weintraub, written by Robert Day and Berne Giler, and directed by Robert Day.''

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), ...

'' film review; July 3, 1963. The film was released in June 1963.

Plot

Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...

, of Africa, is summoned to an unnamed Asian country to protect Kashi (Ricky Der), the youthful heir to the throne, from his evil uncle, Gishi Khan, played by Tarzan veteran

Woody Strode Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first Black American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. Aft ...

. Arriving by parachute from a light airplane and armed with a Spanish bolo hunting knife, Tarzan dons monk's robes and travels by boat to a monastery. The first set of three challenges are for Tarzan to prove he is worthy to be accepted into Kashi's service. First is an archery contest to test his skill. Then Tarzan stands between two tall posts, grasps handles which are attached to two ropes which run over the top of each post and are attached to buffalo. When the buffalo are driven apart, Tarzan is lifted into the air and stretched to test his strength. He passes the test by not letting go of either handle. Third, he is asked to answer a question designed to test his wisdom. The second set of three challenges are for the young new leader, Kashi. First he must choose the correct diamond out of three. Second he must choose an empty goblet out of three. Last, he must choose one urn of ashes of the deceased previous leader out of five. After passing all three tests, Khan then comes forward and demands that Kashi take the fourth test of three challenges of life or death combat events called "The Challenge Of Might" which haven't been invoked in a thousand years. The boy chooses Tarzan as his defender, which Tarzan accepts. Tarzan and Khan battle each other in two of the challenge events of the fourth test which concludes with the third and final challenge event with each man fighting with swords on a wide mesh net suspended above large vats of boiling oil in which Khan dies by falling through the net into one of the boiling vats.

Cast

as Tarzan *

as Khan / Dying Leader * Tsu Kobayashi as Cho San, Prince's Nursemaid *

Earl Cameron Earlston Jewitt Cameron, CBE (8 August 19173 July 2020), known as Earl Cameron, was a Bermudian actor who lived and worked in the United Kingdom. After appearing on London's West End stage, he became one of the first black stars in the Briti ...

as Mang * Jimmy Jamal * Salah Jamal as Hani * Anthony Chinn as Tor * Robert Hu as Nari * Christopher Carlos as Sechung * Ricky Der as Kashi

Production notes

The film was filmed near

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

, Thailand and in the jungle near the

Chiang Mai Province Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province (''changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lam ...

. Some scenes were shot in the Temple of Buddha's Footprint, the first film ever granted permission to shoot at this holy site. Crew members and cast removed their shoes and shot in almost total silence. Midway through the film, Mahoney contracted

dysentery Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...

, dengue fever and finally

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

. His weight plummeted from to . Some critics, noting how thin and weary he appeared in some action scenes, said it undermined the film’s credibility. English Stuntman Ray Austin made the dive for Mahoney at Begor Bridge. Forty-four years and four months old when the film was released, Jock Mahoney became the oldest actor to portray the apeman, a record that still stands.

References

Notes

Bibliography

*Essoe, Gabe. ''Tarzan of the Movies'', 1968, The Citadel Press.

External links

* * *
ERBzine Silver Screen: ''Tarzan's Three Challenges''
{{Robert Day 1963 films 1960s fantasy adventure films American fantasy adventure films American sequel films British fantasy adventure films British sequel films Films directed by Robert Day Films set in Asia Films shot in Thailand Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Tarzan films Films produced by Sy Weintraub 1960s English-language films 1960s American films 1960s British films