Tarzan and His Mate (1934)

Director:

Cedric Gibbons
(more)

Writers:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (characters)
Leon Gordon (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

20 April 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Johnny Weismuller is back again!

Plot:

The idyllic life of Tarzan and Jane is challenged by men on safari who come seeking ivory, and come seeking Jane as well.

Plot Keywords:

Tarzan | Ivory | Africa | Elephant | Rescue

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Johnny Weissmuller	...	Tarzan
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Jane Parker
Neil Hamilton	...	Harry Holt
Paul Cavanagh	...	Martin Arlington
Forrester Harvey	...	Beamish
Nathan Curry	...	Saidi
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Doris Lloyd	...	Mrs. Cutten (scenes deleted)
Everett Brown	...	Bearer (uncredited)
Ray Corrigan	...	Gorilla (uncredited)
Yola d'Avril	...	Madame Feronde (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi	...	Monsieur Feronde (uncredited)
Desmond Roberts	...	Henry Van Ness (uncredited)
William Stack	...	Tom Pierce (uncredited)

Directed by
Cedric Gibbons
Jack Conway		(co-director) (uncredited)
James C. McKay		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bud Barsky		story (uncredited)
Edgar Rice Burroughs		characters
Leon Gordon		adaptation
James Kevin McGuinness		screenplay
Howard Emmett Rogers		adaptation

Produced by
Bernard H. Hyman	....	producer

Cinematography by
Charles G. Clarke
Clyde De Vinna		(as Clyde DeVinna)

Film Editing by
Tom Held

Art Direction by
A. Arnold Gillespie		(as Arnold Gillespie)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nick Grinde	....	second unit director (uncredited)
James C. McKay	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Errol Taggart	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Errol Taggart	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
George E. Lee	....	on-set propman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
James Graham	....	sound effects (uncredited)
T.B. Hoffman	....	sound effects (uncredited)
C.S. Pratt	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Michael Steinore	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James Basevi	....	special effects director (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	art effects (uncredited)
Irving G. Ries	....	photographic effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Alfredo Codona	....	stunt double: Johnny Weissmuller
The Flying Codonas	....	stunt doubles: Johnny Weismuller/Maureen O'Sullivan
The Picchianis	....	stunt doubles: Johnny Weismuller/Maureen O'Sullivan
George Barrows	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ray Corrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ted Allen	....	still photographer (uncredited)
William Foxall	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ellsworth Fredericks	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ray Ramsey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bob Roberts	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Lester White	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
William Axt	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Ray Corrigan	....	double: Johnny Weissmuller (uncredited)
George Emerson	....	animal supervisor (uncredited)
George Emerson	....	double: Johnny Weissmuller (uncredited)
Louis Goebel	....	animal supervisor (uncredited)
Josephine McKim	....	double: Maureen O'Sullivan when swimming (uncredited)
Bert Nelson	....	animal supervisor (uncredited)
Bert Nelson	....	double: Johnny Weissmuller (uncredited)
Betty Roth	....	double: Maureen O'Sullivan in retakes (uncredited)
Louis Roth	....	animal supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Finland) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Eén (2009) (Belgium) (TV)
• IC International Classics (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Dunning Process Company  additional composite effects
• Williams Composite Laboratories  additional composite effects

Runtime:

104 min | Finland:96 min (1951) | 91 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 (1951) | Finland:K-16 (1934) | USA:Approved (PCA #1305-R) (26 August 1935 for re-release)

Filming Locations:

Big Tujunga Canyon, Sunland, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Cedric Gibbons was replaced as director due to other duties as the head of MGM's art department. He was officially replaced by Jack Conway. Maureen O'Sullivan recalled that the actual direction was carried out by James C. McKay (uncredited as director), who was only billed as the animal director. Betty Roth (wife of animal supervisor Louis Roth) doubled for O'Sullivan for some close-up lion scenes at the end of filming due to O'Sullivan's absence for an appendectomy.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the lioness appears in front of Jane, she screams to call Tarzan. Then Tarzan, who is swimming, gives his yell with the mouth uncovered/covered of water.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Beamish: I wouldn't trust meself in that jungle if it was me, sir.
Harry Holt: Well, I will.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tarzan: Silver Screen King of the Jungle (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Voo-Doo Dance

Tarzan, the GREATEST!

The release of TARZAN THE APE MAN, in 1932, caused a sensation. It may be hard to believe, 70 years later, but the film had much of the same kind of impact as THE MATRIX, or THE LORD OF THE RINGS has achieved, at a time when movies and radio were the major sources of entertainment. Tarzan became an instant pop icon, the 'noble savage' that every woman fantasized about, and every man wished he could be. The only person unhappy about the situation was Edgar Rice Burroughs, who, while he'd agreed to MGM's creative liberties, and enjoyed his hefty royalty checks, felt the 'dumbed down' version of his character (with no plans to allow him to 'grow') was unfaithful to his vision (he would start a production company, and soon be making his own 'Tarzan' films). MGM, realizing the value of it's newest 'star', knew the sequel would have to be even more spectacular than the original...and TARZAN AND HIS MATE delivered!

The film had an interesting back story; Cedric Gibbons, MGM's legendary Art Director, had gotten a commitment from the studio to direct the sequel, prior to the release of TARZAN THE APE MAN, despite the fact that he'd NEVER directed before (the studio hadn't anticipated the film's impact, and didn't think a novice director would matter much on a 'novelty' film...and they wanted to keep their Oscar-winning department chief happy). Gibbons, a prodigiously talented and imaginative visual artist, loved the freedom of pre-Code Hollywood, and decided to have TARZAN AND HIS MATE 'push the envelope' to the limit...Tarzan and Jane would frolic in a nude swim, and Jane would appear TOPLESS through most of the film. Maureen O'Sullivan said in an interview shortly before her death, in 1998, that while a double was used for the swim, she trusted the studio, and did 'a couple of days' of filming sans top...but it became too much of a headache trying to strategically place plants and fruit to block her nipples, and the idea was abandoned (the film shot those days would be worth a fortune!) She did do a nude silhouette scene in a tent, flashed her breasts at the conclusion of her 'swim', and donned a revised 'jungle' costume that was extremely provocative, very thin, and open at the sides...and the resulting outcry would help 'create' the Hays Office, and the self-censorship that would soon engulf the entire industry.

MGM yanked Gibbons from the production (the 'official' reason given was his workload as Art Director), and veteran Jack Conway was listed as the new director, to appease the critics...although James C. McKay actually directed the film, as Conway was busy on 3 other projects, including VIVA VILLA!

The film incorporated the best elements of the original (safaris, murderous tribes, Tarzan fighting jungle beasts to the death to save Jane), and actually improved on the storytelling. Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton), from the first film, returns to Africa for ivory from the 'Elephants' Graveyard', and to try to seduce Jane into returning to England, with gifts of silk dresses, underwear, and perfume. He brings with him Martin Arlington (Paul Cavanagh), a crack shot and inveterate womanizer, who sneers at Holt's chivalrous pursuit of Jane, and stalks her as a potential 'conquest', to be had by any means (including killing Tarzan, if and when he can get away with it without being seen).

Tarzan barely tolerates the intrusion into his happy life with Jane, and puts his foot down, refusing to allow the hunters into the Graveyard. Arlington finds his opportunity, catching the Ape Man alone, and shoots him, then returns to the camp with a fabricated story of his demise. Now Jane has no reason to remain in the jungle, and she can direct them to the Graveyard, before her long voyage back to England, comforted by the oh-so-sympathetic Arlington. But a savage tribe and hideous torture await the group...can Tarzan, being nursed back to health by his ape 'family', recover in time to save Jane?

While stock footage is again used extensively, the racial stereotypes of the 30s are apparent, and the gorillas are obviously actors in ape suits, TARZAN AND HIS MATE achieves a level of sophistication unsurpassed in any other 'Tarzan' film, as well as a sexiness that even Bo Derek's blatantly erotic TARZAN, THE APE MAN couldn't touch. Johnny Weissmuller was in peak condition, physically, Maureen O'Sullivan was never more beautiful, and 'Africa' never looked more romantic, and dangerous.

TARZAN AND HIS MATE was a triumph (although it would be drastically edited for many years), and remains THE classic of the series, to this day!