Safari Drums [Bomba and the Safari Drums] ** (1953, Johnny Sheffield, Douglas Kennedy, Barbara Bestar) – Classic Movie Review 11,015

‘Man against monster!’

Director Ford Beebe’s routine 1953 jungle adventure Safari Drums [Bomba and the Safari Drums] is the ninth Bomba the Jungle Boy series entry. The Monogram Pictures studio nevertheless finds an excellent use for Johnny Sheffield, Tarzan’s original Boy, as Bomba, a sort of teeny Tarzan, in the film written by Beebe and based on Roy Rockwood’s story.

In a modest one of the long-running series of 12 adventures (1949–55), Bomba (Sheffield) sets out, with the help of his wildlife chums, to arrest a killer scout. Deputy Commissioner Andy Barnes (Leonard Mudie) has learnt that a member of a film crew brought to Africa by a millionaire is a murderer, who has robbed a local guide of his diamonds and killed him, and asks Bomba to find out which one.

As ever, Safari Drums is okay for old-fashioned kids and tolerant adults who do not object to cheap filming, cardboard-looking jungles and previously seen stock animal footage, though filming took place in Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California. Bomba wrestles with a panther and a lion, while there is a battle between a lion and a tiger.

Also in the cast are Douglas Kennedy, Barbara Bestar, Emory Parnell, Paul Marion, Russ Conway, Smoki Witfield, and Leonard Mudie.

Safari Drums is the first of the Bomba films to be released by Allied Artists, who had bought out of Monogram Pictures, and long-time Bomba writer and director Ford Beebe is the credited producer rather than series producer Walter Mirisch.

The now grown-up Johnny Sheffield is billed as John.

Johnny Sheffield is billed as John in Safari Drums.

Safari Drums is directed by Ford Beebe, runs 72 minutes, is made by Monogram Pictures, is released by Allied Artists Pictures (1953) (US) and Associated British-Pathé (1953) (UK), is written by Ford Beebe, is shot in black and white by Harry Neumann, is produced by Ford Beebe and Walter Mirisch (uncredited) and is scored by Marlin Skiles, with Art Direction by Dave Milton.

The 12 Bomba films, all directed by Ford Beebe, are: Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949), Bomba on Panther Island (1949), The Lost Volcano (1950), The Hidden City (1951), The Lion Hunters (1951), Elephant Stampede (1952), African Treasure (1952), Bomba and the Jungle Girl (1952), Safari Drums (1953), The Golden Idol (1954), Killer Leopard (1954) and Lord of the Jungle (1955).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,015

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