By the end of the 1960's jungle films
were finally beginning to lose their appeal in America after a countless
number of them from the 1930s through the 50s with Tarzan, Jungle Jim, Bomba,
Liane the Jungle Goddess, the Jungle Girl serial, the Jungle Princess with
Dorothy Lamour, the Jungle Queen serial and so many others. But they were
moving to a new stage in Italy where jungle exploitation films were becoming
a genre - the cannibal films as well as ones that just saw an opportunity
for nudity in nature. This is an equal opportunity topless film. The native
tribe's women, the main dancing attraction on Saturday nights, the white
woman and of course Tarzana. All smiling as they proudly display their charms
like someone who has won the Spelling Bee Contest. This is basically Tarzan
with a female slant on it.
Sir Donovan is informed that a plane that
crashed in Africa nearly 20 years previously has been found with the bodies
of his son and daughter-in-law in it. But there is no sign of the baby girl.
Assuming perhaps that she was brought up by apes as is typical in the jungle,
he has a female relation named Doris put together a safari to go look for
her. She (Franca Polesello) hires the Great White Hunter to lead it - played
by Ken Clark who usually was a spy in many Euro-films and looks embarrassed
to be in this for much of the time. Maybe he was upset that he had to keep
his shirt on. They run into natives that try and kill them till a wail heard
through the trees scares them away. They stop at a village where all the
women are conveniently topless and the star attraction (Beryl Cunningham)
does a wild topless dance that gets the men in a sweat. So was my TV. Maybe
Doris too because she needs to take a shower - with the window open so that
a peeper can have his jollies.
But you ain't seen nothing yet. Tarzana
played by Femi Benussi is topless with a string bikini bottom and great eye-shadow
(even in the jungle you want to look your best for Cheeta) for the entire
film. She is spectacular. Her posture that is. Great posture. At one point
she puts on a shirt from one of the safari members and Cheeta gives her a
thumbs down and claps when she takes it off. Not sure I really want to know
what is going on there. Tons of obvious stock footage - this was probably
filmed in Safari World - but she is in the same frame with Cheeta, an elephant
(that she can call like Tarzan) and an adorable baby lion that she nestles.
In the end Doris convinces Tarzana that they are friends by taking off her
shirt - a custom that I am in favor of.
