This film is presented as a documentary but is mostly fake. The white heroes parachute in to a Borneo town. An urban, English-speaking Indonesian dresses up as a Dayak tribesman and they pretend they have discovered him in the jungle by pure coincidence. Filling time for the camera, they pointlessly lecture the locals about how to build a raft. A bunch of simians from all across the country are captured and collected on a set, which is purported to be a jungle scene. It's all quite silly until we get to the orangutan hunt which occupies the second half of the film and appears to be sadly real. The orangutan is claimed to have been terrorizing the local village, which is ridiculous. They simply wanted an orangutan to sell to a Western zoo and we see him heroically evade capture for three days until they inevitably pin him in.
3 Reviews
The monkeys are adorable, but I'll pass on the bird's nest soup.
mark.waltz17 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
It's pretty obvious what Martin and Osa Johnson's desired goal is in this exploration of the wilds of Borneo, going after a rare orangutan and coming across various species of monkey, minor ape species, flying snakes, rare birds and tree climbing fish in the process. The Johnsons also come across a seemingly tribe of head hunters, seemingly hospitable but rumored to be quickly dangerous if the mood changes.
The last film for Martin Johnson who died after a plane crash before this was released, it's interesting but poor in condition. The commentary goes from mildly interesting through Lowell Thomas and ridiculously corny when Lew Lehr takes over, particularly when describing the big nosed monkey and other weird cases of nature. But when the visuals just speak for themselves, it's much more interesting. Definitely a film dated in its ideals, some elements really eye rolling.
The last film for Martin Johnson who died after a plane crash before this was released, it's interesting but poor in condition. The commentary goes from mildly interesting through Lowell Thomas and ridiculously corny when Lew Lehr takes over, particularly when describing the big nosed monkey and other weird cases of nature. But when the visuals just speak for themselves, it's much more interesting. Definitely a film dated in its ideals, some elements really eye rolling.
humorous and disturbing
pgregorjones11 January 2005
Warning: Spoilers
A very good depression-era propaganda film disguised as an anthropological and natural study which lies somewhere between King Kong and a Margaret Mead journal. As Mr & Mrs. Johnson travel upland and upriver they encounter flying snakes, various simians and apes, climbing fish, tree oysters and indolent natives. A scientist with a fake German accent gives explanations. Assumed to be filmed on location, the natives converse in rehearsed, broken English and are dressed according to Christian decency. Lowell Thomas' narration is quite humorous at first until the real reason for their expedition is divulged. The film culminates in the American management of the capture of a 300lb. orang-utan (literally meaning the "wild-man of the jungle") who will live the rest of his life in "some American city zoo lazily eating bananas". The scene is powerful and disturbing.
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