Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure *** (1959, Gordon Scott, Anthony Quayle, Sara Shane, Sean Connery) – Classic Movie Review 8050

Director John Guillermin’s 1959 British jungle adventure Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure stars Gordon Scott as Tarzan, who is tracking down the four men who are ready to murder to get at a diamond mine.

Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure is one of the best of the later Tarzan films thanks to lots of spectacular action and colourful scenery, a better-than-expected cast including Anthony Quayle as Slade and Sean Connery (who as a former bodybuilder would have made a good Tarzan himself) as O’Bannion, and effective direction. This one was actually made in Africa. Location filming took place in Kikuyu, Kenya.

Also in the cast are Sara Shane, Niall MacGinnis, Scilla Gabel and Al Mulock.

Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure is directed by John Guillermin, runs 89 minutes, is made by Solar Film Productions, is released by Paramount, is written by John Guillermin and Berne Giler, based on a story by Les Crutchfield and characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, is shot in Eastmancolor by Edward [Ted] Scaife, is produced by Sy Weintraub, is scored by Douglas Gamley and designed by Michael Stringer.

It is producer Sy Weintraub’s first film, taking over the Tarzan franchise from Sol Lesser, and he went on to make many Tarzan adventures throughout the Sixties, starting with Tarzan the Magnificent (1960).

Sean Connery entered the Mr Universe contest in 1953, finishing third in the tall man’s division. At 6′ 2.4″, he is the tallest actor to have played James Bond. His first major movie role was in No Road Back (1957), followed by Hell Drivers (1957), Another Time, Another Place (1958), Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959), The Frightened City (1961) and The Longest Day (1962).

Connery was happy to be paid $5,600 for Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure and pleased to be asked to be in the next Tarzan movie, Tarzan the Magnificent (1960). But he said unfortunately he could not because ‘two fellows took an option on me for some spy picture [Dr No] and are exercising it. But I’ll be in your next.’

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8050

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