Best movie of this year hands down!

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

'Tarzan and His Mate' is certainly better than the first film in the series, 'Tarzan the Ape Man' from two years earlier, bringing back Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan who are well cast and have good chemistry, adding more action, and (ahem) having O'Sullivan prance around in more revealing clothing (or lack thereof). How great is it that in the 1990s, the famous nude swimming scene, previously censored because of pressure from conservative religious groups, was found and restored – though O'Sullivan had a body double, Olympic athlete Josephine McKim. I have to say though, it is O'Sullivan's sex appeal that is the main reason to watch this film.There are still plenty of moments that will induce groans, including the racist treatment of the natives, two explorers in search of ivory and wanting to take Jane back to civilization bestowing on her gowns and perfumes, and various antics of Cheetah the chimp, including having a smoke. Tarzan saves Jane repeatedly from various wild animals, some of which works, really showing off Weissmuller's athleticism, but some of which is just filler. In one scene that made me smile, Tarzan is clearly aroused by her, sniffing and pawing at her in front of the two explorers, and then picking her up to take her off to presumably have his way with her, ending her night with them early. Get the picture? It's a mixed bag. If you find that the first half of the movie drags (despite some casual topless native woman in some early shots), I would say stick with it. There is enough here to make it worth watching, and the battle scene toward the end is pretty good.

In 1932 M.G.M's Tarzan, The Ape Man cost $652,675 to make, and took $2.54 million at the box office. Ideas for scenes in a follow up toyed with the idea of a fight with a huge mechanical crocodile, and a spectacular jungle fire. For the day it was to be complex, involving such devices as matte paintings, miniatures, split screens, and rear projection. The Hollywood Reporter announced that W. S. Van Dyke (director of the first Tarzan) was to co-direct with Art Director Cedric Gibbons. By July 1, 1933, Van Dyke was dropped from the project, and Gibbons was announced as the film's sole director. In September 1933 however, the Hollywood Reporter announced that Jack Conway was to take over the direction of one of Gibbons' units.Cedric Gibbons was the house Art Director at M.G.M, so, how did he come to be assigned the job of directing Tarzan & His Mate (and as you shall soon find out), end up not directing it, and yet still get credit? I've wondered if because his surname is Gibbons, they thought it would be a good gag. The 'Gibbon' is a lesser ape, and a great master of brachiation. This is the act of swinging from branch to branch for distances up to 15 metres at speeds of up to 56 km/h. They are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, non-flying mammals. Makes me think of Tarzan.Filming on Tarzan & His Mate began August 2nd, 1933. Joining Weissmuller for the sequel were Rod La Rocque (who had just appeared in S.O.S. Iceberg, co-starring Leni Riefenstahl), Murray Kinnell and Frank Reicher (one of 17 films he appeared in 1934!). Problems soon developed. After 3 ½ weeks of shooting, the first unit was shut down; Gibbons had shot a lot of excess footage, and costs were spiraling. When it resumed, Gibbons was no longer the director. In his place was Jack Conway as dialogue director with James C. McKay directing a number of animal sequences. In August the Hollywood Reporter announced that Rod La Rocque had been pulled from the cast, and replaced by Paul Cavanagh in the role of Martin Arlington, 'because of miscasting'. The roles of Tom Pierce and Van Ness were changed, and Frank Reicher and Murray Kinnell were replaced by Desmond Roberts and William Stack, respectively. M.G.M had spent $1,279,142 on the production. In early April 1934, after previews the film had fourteen-and-a-half minutes cut. Although a hit, it did not earn as much as the first Tarzan film in the United States. Internationally it was a huge success, despite the fact that it was banned in Germany by the NAZI's on the grounds that it showed a "Nordic man in brutal surroundings."Tarzan & His Mate is a direct sequel to Tarzan, The Ape Man (1932), with the film picking up a year after the events of the previous film. Jane is happily living in the jungle side by side with her "husband." The first film began with a safari arriving in Tarzan's jungle, and during the rest of that picture Jane learns about Tarzan. In the sequel a safari arrives in Tarzan's jungle, and during the rest of the picture we learn about Jane.Harry Holt from the first movie returns to Africa looking for ivory. His friend the cad Martin Arlington joins him. Holt's intention is to return Jane to "civilization," not that she's particularly interested. Arlington attempts to murder Tarzan when he refuses to help them find a fortune in ivory at the elephant's graveyard. They confront wild animals and the 'Men-Who-Eat- Lions' tribe. With the help of his jungle companions Tarzan protects his land from the evils of these greedy 'civilised' men.The film is remembered today largely because of O'Sullivan's revealing costumes; mainly a halter-top and loincloth that leave her thighs and hips exposed. As Jane is a 'lady' from England (not Baltimore as in the novel), her wearing such an outfit is particularly provocative, symbolising her casual sexuality. In this pre-Hayes Office film Jane sleeps in the nude, swims nude, at one point is stranded nude in the jungle, and she is seen nude in silhouette by other men when dressing in a well lit tent.The scene that caused all the commotion is the so-called 'underwater ballet' sequence. Tarzan and Jane swim after Tarzan pushes Jane in the water, her clothing being ripped from her by a tree branch as she falls leaving her completely nude. When she rises out of the water, Jane flashes a bare breast. Hypocritically though it was okay for dark skinned extras; witness the topless 'native' girls at the start of the film. The new Production Code Office blew its top. O'Sullivan's scant costume was too provocative. And the swimming scene had to go; interestingly Dolores del Rio, the wife of Cedric Gibbons, had a risqué nude swim in Bird Of Paradise (1932), a sequence that is said to have inspired this one.By April 24, 1934, all prints of Tarzan & His Mate were changed. The New York Censors also insisted that the scene involving Arlington lowering his body into a portable bathtub be eliminated as well!The trade papers of the day were full of stories of the long and complicate shoot; 'The Hollywood Reporter' declared the production schedule on Tarzan & His Mate (six months), was the longest in cinematic history! I think it was worth it; it may not be as important a document of the time as Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph Of The Will the following year, however I have rarely had as much fun re-watching a film as I had with Tarzan & His Mate.

Well, as Tarzan is one of the most prolific movie characters ever created, everyone would want to know what the best Tarzan movie of them all is. Many people claim it's this movie and while I haven't seen all of them, I agree. This is the best Tarzan movie ever made! This was notable in being the first film to feature partial nudity. Actually, I need to tell you a little history about that. In 1930, Hollywood created the Hays Code which was a way of censoring films. In 1968, the code was finally destroyed allowing the creation of film ratings. This film went beyond censorship rules at the time and good for it! This film isn't afraid to shy away from violence either as we get some pretty bloody scenes. It's so weird to see that in a 1934 film! Of course, it's not just that which makes this film so great. This is the best representation of what Tarzan is all about. It's a direct continuation of 1932's "Tarzan, The Ape Man" with our beloved Johnny Weismuller. This was one of the first film series in history! The action is great and it never lets up for a minute. The pacing is wonderful and we get such gorgeous scenery with all these awesome animals. This really was a landmark film for Tarzan lovers and film lovers alike! ***1/2

Released in 1934, "Tarzan and His Mate" stars Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan in the eponymous roles. Two "great white hunters" (Neil Hamilton & Paul Cavanagh) come to Tarzan's territory, one a former romantic interest of Jane's intent on talking her into coming back to England. Jane catches the fancy of the partner as well. The hunters are desperate and intent on taking ivory from the secret elephant burial grounds, which Tarzan opposes.Weissmuller did twelve Tarzan movies and "Tarzan and His Mate" was the sequel to his first one, 1932's "Tarzan the Ape Man." The Weissmuller films deviate from Burroughs' intelligent character and offer a more dim-witted character who speaks in monosyllables. While this is a turn-off if you're a fan of the books, like me, it's an acceptable movie interpretation of the character and it worked at the time seeing as how Weissmuller's Tarzan is by far the most popular. Besides, Weissmuller is just so likable in the role. He exudes goodness, nobility and innocence with a child-like edge. This is balanced out, of course, by his athletic jungle skills.Although "Tarzan and His Mate" is old as dirt and shot in B&W, this is easily one of the best Tarzan flicks, filled with action, adventure and African animals. The elephants, by the way, are Asian, but they're decorated with fake African Elephant ears, which almost works. In any case, this was pre-code era Hollywood and cutie Maureen O'Sullivan surprisingly appears in her birthday suit. No kidding. Moreover, her jungle outfit was one of the most revealing costumes in screen history at the time: a halter-top and a loincloth that leave her thighs and hips exposed. No wonder men flocked to the movie in droves.While there were plans to film in Africa, they were scrapped in favor of several locations around Los Angeles, including Sherwood Forest, Lake Sherwood, Whittier, Big Tugunga and China Flats. You wouldn't think Southern California would work as a substitute for Africa, but it does. The locations are excellent and the black & white photography obscures the fact that it's Southern California.The uncut version runs 104 minutes, which is the only version I've seen.GRADE: A