I haven't seen this movie for a while, but it's the Tarzan film that I remember with the most affection. "TGA" was the first Tarzan movie to be produced by Sy Weintraub (who took over the franchise from Sol Lesser), and the new producer wanted to take the character in a new direction. He succeeded admirably. After "Tarzan and His Mate" (with its notorious nude scene) in 1934, the series had been geared mostly towards younger viewers.
Weintraub wisely sought to reclaim a more mature audience. "TGA" is the first Tarzan film since the 1930s to have the apeman speak in complete sentences, and Gordon Scott relaxes into the role more than he had in his earlier, less articulate efforts. It's a credit to Scott's acting that he was able to make the transition so well from the "ooga-ooga" Tarzan to "TGA's" more thoughtful, more cunning interpretation of the character. The film even hints at a sexual relationship between Tarzan and Angie (Sara Shane), who is more feisty and more fun to watch than any Jane. (In fact, a kissing scene between Tarzan and Angie was left on the cutting-room floor).
But most important of all "TGA" still stands up as both an adventure movie and a character study. While not quite as polished as a prestigious A-picture, the story and the action scenes still grip the viewer. The psychological deterioration and in-fighting between the bad guys is very believable. Anthony Quayle brings as much seriousness and credibility to the role of the ringleader as he brings to his Shakespeare work, and even though his time on the screen is relatively brief, a young Sean Connery still shows early glimmers of the brilliant charisma that would make him one of the world's most enduring stars. "TGA" makes good use of its cast, and the movie strikes an exciting equilibrium between its dialogue scenes and its action scenes. You can imagine this film working as an adventure drama even if Tarzan weren't in it. And perhaps to signal the series' more adult-oriented emphasis, Tarzan's yodeling ape call is voiced only once: at the very end of the film. There's only one thing regrettable about this movie: it got so many of its adventure elements right that the rest of the films in Weintraub's Tarzan series had a hard time living up to it.
Striking a good balance between action and drama--and boasting a very watchable cast--"Tarzan's Greatest
