Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writers:

Edgar Rice Burroughs (characters)
Cyril Hume (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 June 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

Super Story of a Super Man ! The Titan of all Tarzans . . . Giant of all jungle thrills . . . worth the years it took to make !

Plot:

Tarzan's jungle home, and his family, Jane and Boy, are threatened by men greedy for gold.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Loincloth | Sequel | Africa | Airplane Accident

Cast

Johnny Weissmuller	...	Tarzan
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	Jane Parker
Johnny Sheffield	...	Boy (as John Sheffield)
Ian Hunter	...	Mr. Austin Lancing
Henry Stephenson	...	Sir Thomas Lancing
Frieda Inescort	...	Mrs. Lancing
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Mr. 'Sandee' Sande
Laraine Day	...	Mrs. Richard Lancing
Morton Lowry	...	Mr. Richard Lancing
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cheeta	...	Cheeta (uncredited)
Gavin Muir	...	Pilot (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Thorpe

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edgar Rice Burroughs		characters
Cyril Hume		screenplay

Produced by
Sam Zimbalist	....	producer

Original Music by
William Axt		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Leonard Smith		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Gene Ruggiero
Frank Sullivan

Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dolph Zimmer	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Urie McCleary	....	associate art director
Glen Barnes	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director

Stunts
Harry Monty	....	stunt double: Johnny Sheffield (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
Sol Levy	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Delos Jewkes	....	voice double: Tarzan's yell (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (as Loew's Inc.)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Loew's
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Nothing's New Video (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus  elephants for stampede provided by (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Tarzan in Exile (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #5299) | Norway:7 (1959)

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Tarzan had to "find" a son, because censors would not allow Jane to become pregnant because she and Tarzan were not legally married.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mr. Richard Lancing: Wildebeest again.
Mrs. Richard Lancing: I think we've seen about a million today.

Movie Connections:

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

Good Fare for the Old Matinée Shows

Most people I talk to about Tarzan films, always seem to remember this one best - it certainly was aimed at the Saturday Afternoon Matinée Audiences of the 1930"s, and from their points of view, it probably did not disappoint. It really is a kids movie, but provides escapist entertainment, and the introduction of their "son" creates new interest to a somewhat tired storyline - there are only so many elephant stampedes you can have! The acting of the principals is the same as always, with Johnny W. having a very limited script to worry about. Jane (Maureen O'S.) looks good, while Johnny Sheffield is an appealing "Boy" who became a real pain in sequels! Henry Stephenson and Freda Inescort were good support for Ian Hunter, and in a very small bit part was Laraine Day, presumably in her debut movie. I must say the Metro Tarzan movies had more class than those that followed from lesser studios.