User Reviews

Tarzan and Jane adopt a baby boy, the sole survivor of a plane crash. The boy's parents perished and so Tarzan and Jane adopt the little tyke. A few years later and he's a boy grown into the guise of Tarzan...complete with Tarzan's abilities to swing vines and talk to jungle animals. Only unknown to Tarzan and Jane, this "Boy" they made their son is actually a wealthy heir and his relatives have come to their jungle hideaway searching for him. Now Tarzan and Jane are faced with a most difficult choice..let "Boy" return to civilization and lose him forever or hold on to him themselves and have him remain in the jungle at all costs and despite the many dangers.

This one is powerful and moves the viewer through a wide range of emotions as the plight of Tarzan and Jane over Boy really puts one through the wringer. Suitable for family viewing for the most part although a scene or two may disturb more impressionable kids.

With Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) and Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) nicely settled into their treetop des-res (complete with all mod cons), it was only going to be a matter of time before we heard the pitter patter of little footsteps (other than Cheetah's, of course). However, with the Hays Code in full effect, and our arboreal lovebirds not actually wed, they sure weren't going to be permitted to have a child of their own via the normal method.

The writers of the Tarzan series get around this problem by having a child delivered from the sky by 'the great metal stork'—a plane that crashes in the jungle with a baby boy as the only survivor. Cheetah finds the wailing bundle of joy and whisks him off to Tarzan and Jane, who decide to adopt the lad, naming him Boy (Tarzan's second choice, after having Elephant rejected by Jane).

Five years of blissful family life later, and an expedition turns up at the escarpment searching for the plane and any possible survivors. But Tarzan and Jane have become rather attached to their little tyke, and aren't about to give him up, especially when they discover that two of the visitors only want Boy for his vast inheritance.

Aimed at the matinée crowd, this particular instalment features none of the graphic nastiness or raciness that can be found in the first two Tarzan films (the obligatory native killing at the end of the film—via a huge skull-cracking device—is brief and non-explicit); instead, we get mild peril as Boy is attacked by pipe-cleaner tarantulas and a back-projected rhino, comic relief courtesy of Cheetah the chimp, and a lot of fun interplay between Tarzan and his 'son', the best scene being an impressively shot moment of underwater horseplay.

6.5 out of 10, happily rounded up to 7 for the bit where Cheetah turns her lips inside-out to amuse the new arrival (which makes me laugh just thinking about it).

What is it about the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films that seem to be as entertaining today as they were when first released. In this installment a plane crashes in Africa and the only survivor is a baby which is rescued by a gang of Chimpanzees. Old Cheetah quickly gets control of the infant and swings back to Tarzan and Janes place and presents his find to the man of the treehouse. Tarzan and Jane adopt the child naming him simply "Boy" and quickly he is grown from baby to a five year old in the form of Johnny Sheffield complete with his own jungle yell. Outsiders from the civilized world who are boys blood relatives show up and that means trouble. Jane, Boy and his (evil) relatives wind up as captives of a hostile tribe and Tarzan with Cheetah and the help of most of Africas Elephant population arrive in time to save the day. This film is now sixty years old but doesn't seem dated or tired. Perhaps it's Weissmullers simple dialog and acting which did it. "Cheetah find" is his answer when Jane questions where the baby came from. "Food" is what he tells his guests who have lunch in the treehouse and asks him what the name of the fruit that they are enjoying is. When the baby won't stop crying Tarzan sticks an over sized (what looks to be) chicken leg in the infants face thinking maybe something to eat will do the trick. Perhaps it was Weissmullers swimming scenes which did it or the antics of Cheetah or maybe the classic Tarzan yell. Whatever it was the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan films seem to be the best and this is one of them.

Mysterious air currents and mechanical failures cause a private plane to crash in Africa, with only a baby boy surviving. Tarzan's chimp "Cheeta" swings by and tosses the blanketed lad to jungle king Johnny Weissmuller (as Tarzan), who has arrived to investigate. Mr. Weissmuller brings the baby home to pretty Maureen O'Sullivan (as Jane). They adopt the baby by declaration and decide to call him "Boy" (an unimaginative name, but it fits). The baby quickly grows into cute preteen Johnny Sheffield. As young Sheffield learns the ropes from Weissmuller, an expedition of his surviving family members is investigating. Naturally, they will want to take the Lancing baby away from Tarzan and Jane...

Much has been made of the fact that "Tarzan Finds a Son!" has the jungle couple's son arriving by plane crash, instead of vaginally. This is due to moral guidelines set by the Hays production code being more rigorously enforced in 1934. This raises some questions, however. It has been generally accepted that Weissmuller's "Tarzan" and O'Sullivan's "Jane" never marry, and that they adopt "Boy" in this film. However, the script of this film suggests a legal marriage has taken place off-screen. Their on-screen "adoption ceremony" appears to be on much shakier ground. More obviously, plot potential favored Sheffield's arrival by plane. This entry's highlight is sparkling underwater photography.

****** Tarzan Finds a Son! (6/16/39) Richard Thorpe ~ Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield, Ian Hunter

Well unlike the previous movie, this one actually lived up to its title, which was actually quite unexpected. I thought it would be about Tarzan having a son, but instead it's just about him literally finding one and raising him. The plot's pretty basic, with a family having a plane crash into Tarzan's jungle and him finding their infant whom he and Jane raise. Five years later, people come to take the child back. I will admit that this wasn't as good as the other movies. I think it's because the Tarzan films are starting to become formulaic. This is still by no means a bad movie. There are some really good scenes in this.

My favorite is probably when Tarzan and the kid are swimming. It's just a long scene that has no dialogue but is so wonderfully shot. It probably helps that I've lived near the ocean for more than a decade of my life. I just love this imagery and how quaint it is. I think the movie got a bit weak when it did the same thing where the natives were the villains. But honestly, it was still handled pretty well. I especially like the final fight with them. It's not very long, but what it does show is quite entertaining. I guess I was getting a "Swiss Family Robinson" vibe from it. ***

TARZAN FINDS A SON (MGM, 1939), directed by Richard Thorpe, the fourth installment to the popular movie series based on the characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, marks a new beginning for Tarzan and Jane as they become parents and accepting the responsibility in raising a child. No, Jane did not have a blessed event in the traditional sense, nor did Tarzan start passing out bananas in place of cigars in the waiting room to other expectant African native fathers in the waiting room of a jungle cottage hospital, nor did Cheetah act as the midwife. Three years have passed since the last installment of TARZAN ESCAPES (1936), which provided enough time for the writers to come up with something original. While the plots and situations were starting to repeat themselves by this time, something new has been added, a son for Tarzan and Jane, with delivery not by way of stalk but by air delivery. Because no marriage ceremony was ever indicated since their union, the rulers of the production code couldn't permit Jane to become pregnant and bear forth a child of her own since Tarzan and Jane were obviously living together. So the writers have thought up a the solution to the problem:

A young British couple (Morton Lowery and Laraine Day), aboard a private airplane with their infant baby, learn that they are in danger when the plain acquires engine trouble. After the pilot (Gavin Muir) makes a crash landing, everyone perishes except for the child. He is later picked up by chimpanzee's before Cheetah takes the infant, offers it to Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller), who in turn vine swings himself back to the tree house where he presents the child to Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan). At first Tarzan becomes jealous of Jane's full attention towards the child, but in time becomes fond of him also, and being the "father," names him Boy. Five years pass. The introduction of Boy (John Sheffield in his movie debut) is shown in full swing as he hangs on to the vine, doing everything Tarzan does. He even learns the ape call like Tarzan, and uses it whenever in distress, such as one instance as he is caught and being covered by a big web and nearly getting attacked by a flock of large-size spiders. But outside of that, all seems to go well for the jungle family until a searching party, (Ian Hunter, Frieda Inescort, Henry Wilcoxson and Henry Stephenson), enters the scene. Revealed as relatives of Boy's deceased parents, they learn the truth of the boy and try to persuade Jane into deciding to giving up the youngster so they can take him back to England where he belongs (especially since he happens to be the heir to several million dollars). While Tarzan has already made up his mind in keeping Boy with them, the scheming relatives, with the exception of Sir Thomas (Stephenson), now being held captive, have other plans.

TARZAN FINDS A SON is a grand scale production and the only one in the series set in a time frame of more than the standard months or weeks, in this instance, five years, although the movie itself gives the impression of taking place solely in 1939 instead of from 1934 to the present, especially since Maureen O'Sullivan's 1940s hairstyle is evident throughout, but otherwise, makes little difference to the plot since it's the story and action the viewers come to see. As credited in the opening titles, underwater swimming scenes were filmed in Silver Springs, Florida. What a pity it wasn't done in Technicolor to take advantage of the fine location scenery. But with its usual dose of elephant stampedes, Cheetah's comedy relief and Tarzan's race to the rescue and a one man fight against hundreds of African natives, is enough adventure and excitement during its 81 minute time frame not to be a disappointment.

TARZAN FINDS A SON, along with the other MGM entries, have become available on either the VHS or DVD format, and formerly shown on the American Movie Classics cable channel from 1997 to 2000. It later shifted over to Turner Classic Movies where its premiered June 4, 2004, Bob Dorian, former AMC host, once profiled this chapter as being the one in which Maureen O'Sullivan, who wanted out of the series, to have her Jane character killed off, but preview audiences objected and a new ending was substituted. It's also been mentioned that is was Weissmuller who personally selected little John Sheffield, out of hundreds of candidates, for the role of Boy. He must have made a great impression since he would reprise his role seven more times until he outgrew the part by 1947. Next chapter: TARZAN'S SECRET TREASURE (1941). (***1/2)

This was another interesting, fast-moving Tarzan film with plenty of action and even a little more humor than normal.

The action scenes are hokey (shots of wild animals on a screen in back of the live actors) and even the background scenery is obviously painted but, hey, it's an old film. That I can put up with, but not the vast amount of "darlings" uttered by "Jane" (Maureen O'Sullivan). That gets really annoying

However, the rest of the film is very entertaining, very good and even very clever at times. The story is about Tarzan and Jane acquired "boy" (Johnny Sheffield) when the latter was five years old.

Overall: entertaining and one of the better Johnny Weissmuller-Tarzan entries.

Most people I talk to about Tarzan films, always seem to remember this one best - it certainly was aimed at the Saturday Afternoon Matinée Audiences of the 1930"s, and from their points of view, it probably did not disappoint. It really is a kids movie, but provides escapist entertainment, and the introduction of their "son" creates new interest to a somewhat tired storyline - there are only so many elephant stampedes you can have! The acting of the principals is the same as always, with Johnny W. having a very limited script to worry about. Jane (Maureen O'S.) looks good, while Johnny Sheffield is an appealing "Boy" who became a real pain in sequels! Henry Stephenson and Freda Inescort were good support for Ian Hunter, and in a very small bit part was Laraine Day, presumably in her debut movie. I must say the Metro Tarzan movies had more class than those that followed from lesser studios.

When a young couple (MORTON LOWRY and LARAINE DAY) are killed in a plane crash over the jungle, only their infant son survives. Cheetah rescues the baby from the plane and brings it to the jungle hideout of Tarzan and Jane (JOHNNY WEISSMULLER and MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN). Sullivan decides the boy's name will be simply "Boy" because that's what Tarzan wants.

So begins this formulaic fourth in the series from MGM, given a bigger budget than usual but still lacking Technicolor for all of the great location photography and underwater scenes. It's good looking in B&W thanks to the glossy MGM photography and Richard Thorpe manages to keep things moving busily enough despite his reputation for being a slow paced director.

A search party looking for the boy is headed by HENRY STEPHENSON, HENRY WILCOXON, IAN HUNTER and FRIEDA INESCORT, their mission being to find the boy and profit from his having inherited quite a bit of wealth. It's up to Tarzan and Jane to decide whether to hand over the boy or not. Things get a bit complicated from that point on, but the predictable happy ending is never too far out of sight--even though it was changed to have Maureen O'Sullivan survive her wounds when the original ending met with a platoon of negative protests. And incidentally, she looks lovelier than ever.

It's a well-produced jungle film with all the familiar ingredients tacked together neatly enough to please Tarzan's fans. The water sport playfulness between father and son is nicely filmed in a series of underwater segments.

Only drawback: Boy's laughter seems artificial and forced every time he thinks a situation is hilariously funny.

While watching Tarzan Finds A Son today it occurred to me that both this film and Tarzan's New York Adventure were about the same thing, custodial interference. The only difference is in the setting where the question is raised. In this film the issue is decided on Tarzan's home turf in the jungle. And as such he's got a definite home field advantage.

The film begins with Morton Lowry, Laraine Day and pilot Gavin Muir going down in a light plane crash in the jungle. The chimpanzees find their infant son who survived and bring him to Tarzan where Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan raise the boy and name him such.

Five years later guide Henry Wilcoxon lead the Lancings, Henry Stephenson, Ian Hunter, and Frieda Inescourt into the jungle looking for a trace of their relatives. That leads O'Sullivan into a conflict with Weissmuller.

Much as she loves life with the Lord of the Jungle, O'Sullivan does see certain advantages to civilization that their 'son' now played by young Johnny Sheffield might have. Of course all the relatives motives aren't pure which leads to the inevitable conflict.

In the jungle Tarzan who's on a first name basis with every animal can call on both apes and elephants for assistance. That he does in a nice slam bang climax where both simian and pachyderm power are brought to bear.

Louis B. Mayer must have always thanked God that the shooting of Trader Horn in Africa left him with so much background jungle footage to use and not too many times over. The footage is well integrated into this story.

Tarzan Finds A Son has aged well and remains watchable.

Johnny Sheffield makes his debut as Boy, the foundling son of Tarzan, who gets endless hours of amusement out of stirring up the local wildlife. Not much plot until the halfway mark, but plenty of stock footage of jungle creatures. Cheetah gets to milk an okapi and is stressed out by a box of tissues.

I first seen Tarzan Finds a Son when I was quite young and have seen it several times since. It is one of the best Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies.

An aeroplane crashes in the jungle and the only surviver seems to be a baby boy. The rest of the party look like they were taken away by headhunters, including his parents. Tarzan brings the baby to his tree house and shows it to Jane and they call it simply "Boy" and raise him as their own. The movie then goes on a few years and we see Boy swinging through the trees and swimming. A search party then comes looking for the plane and then discover Boy is the young couple's son. Jane reluctantly agrees to give him to his relations but they get kidnapped by headhunters but Boy runs to get Tarzan who brings with him a heard of elephants and the headhunters' village is trampled by these. Jane recovers from a wound after a spear went into her and everyone is OK at the end and Boy stays with Tarzan and Jane.

As well as Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan and Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane, the cast also features Johnny Sheffeld in his first role as Boy, British actor Ian Hunter and Henry Stephenson.

Watching Tarzan Finds a Son is a great way to spend an hour and 20 minutes one afternoon. Excellent.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

During my early teenage years l used to did watch Tarzan's movies on TV or even at theatre occasionally, it was funny but mostly of them silly, because of Johnny Weissmuller's dumb behavior, however put into practice revisiting movies, this one watch carefully surprise me deeply, it's was so well produced, in several places without repeat as usually done, the restoration process was so great bring brightness in a black & white movie, so then l've changing my vote to a new level!!

Resume:

First watch: 1976 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7