Tarzan’s Three Challenges *** (1963, Jock Mahoney, Woody Strode, Ricky Der, Earl Cameron, Tsu Kobayashi) – Classic Movie Review 8073

Director Robert Day’s 1963 Tarzan’s Three Challenges is set in Thailand, with the change of locale refreshing the franchise.

Jock Mahoney stars as a globe-trotting, trouble-shooting Tarzan, travelling by plane rather than vine, on a mission to South-east Asia to rescue a boy king Kashi (Ricky Der) whose life is threatened. African American star Woody Strode is the equally muscular villain, the country’s dying leader’s evil brother Khan, who is plotting to prevent the young heir Kashi from inheriting.

Robert Day directs it all on unfamiliar locations and co-writes the inventive screenplay with Berne Giler. The film was shot near Bangkok and in the jungle near the Chiang Mai province, and the Thailand setting provides plenty of excitement. Shooting also took place in the Temple of Buddha’s Footprint, where cast and crew removed their shoes and shot in near silence.

Mahoney battled on with dysentery, dengue fever and pneumonia, though he is visibly ill as his weight crashed from 220 lb to 175 lb. He became the oldest actor to portray the Ape Man aged 44 years and four months on release in June 1963.

Tarzan’s Three Challenges is above average for the Tarzan franchise, plus there also is a particularly impressive forest fire.

Also in the cast are Tsu Kobayashi, Christopher Carlos, Jimmy Jamal, Salah Jamal, Robert Hu and Anthony Chinn. There is no Jane and no Cheetah.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8073

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