Jane, Tarzan, Cheetah and Boy take Manhattan.

Tarzan’s New York Adventure was the 6th entry in the successful MGM franchise. It would be the final appearance of Maureen O’Sullivan as Jane. She had attempted to leave the role two movies earlier but audience outrage was so great at a test screening where Jane died in Tarzan Finds a Son that the ending was reshot and O’Sullivan was talked into staying on in her most iconic role. In 1942, a full decade after the first movie was released, O’Sullivan finally called it quits.

Johnny Weissmuller, who was by this time becoming a little thicker around the middle and a bit more worn of face, would continue as Tarzan, making 6 additional movies before hanging up his jungle vine for good in 1948.

This time around Boy gets kidnapped and taken to Brooklyn to perform in a circus. Tarzan and Jane are in hot pursuit. They follow his trail all the way to the concrete jungles of New York City where Tarzan puts his athletic abilities to good use, climbing over rooftops and such. The main conceit of this entry in the series was the chance for audiences to see Weissmuller’s jungle swinger wearing a suit.

In one scene Tarzan and Jane go to a smoke filled Club Moonbeam. Tarzan says, “Smell like a Swahili swamp. Why people stay?” Jane answers, “It's what they call having a good time.” Paul Hogan’s Crocodile Dundee would borrow many ideas from this movie more than 40 years later.

Tarzan and Jane wind up in a courtroom custody hearing for Boy where Tarzan becomes violent and is jailed. He soon escapes and makes a daring jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. The climax of this 70 minute adventure involves Tarzan and several circus elephants making a classic rescue. The final scene is Tarzan, Jane and Boy swimming happily ever after together back in their beloved jungle, while Cheetah looks on.
 

Did you enjoy Patrick's review? +9 -0