JUNGLE GIRL

Acuff, Gifford, Neal

JUNGLE GIRL (15 chapter Republic serial/1941). Directed by William Witney and John English. 

Nyoka (Frances Gifford) lives in the jungle with her father, Dr. John Meredith (Trevor Bardette). Nyoka has never been told that her faher has an evil twin brother, Bradley, who shamed the family with his criminal actions and jail time. With the help of an associate, Latimer (Gerald Mohr of The Catman of Paris), Bradley traps his brother, murders him, and takes his place. The two men are after diamonds that belong to John and are hidden in caves guarded by natives. Then there's the problem of the wicked witch doctor, Shamba (Frank Lackteen), who wants to get rid of Nyoka and her pals -- including pilot Jack Stanton (Tom Neal) and his buddy Curly (Eddie Acuff) -- so he can be the most powerful man in the place. For this reason he also covets a sacred lion amulet.

Trevor Bardette and Gerald Mohr

Jungle Girl is an excellent serial that particularly percolates in the second half when the stakes are raised and the good guys -- and gal -- seem in increasingly frightening danger.  While one certainly can't rave about Ms. Gifford's acting skills, the character she plays is admirably strong, brave, and resourceful; the same can be said of little Kimbu, (Tommy Cook), the jungle boy who comes to everyone's assistance on several occasions, along with his adorable monkey. The other cast members are all satisfactory, and Gerald Mohr as the slimy Latimer easily takes the acting honors. In addition to some exciting cliffhangers, there are other thrilling moments throughout the serial. 

Don't buy a used car from this man: Frank Lackteen

Nyoka and her buddies wind up trapped in a pit with a hungry lion; on a rope bridge overhanging a stream full of gators; dealing with an outraged and very strong gorilla, and caught in a fire-spear trap, among others. The best sequences have to do with Nyoka trying to pull Jack out of quicksand while natives lob arrows at Curly; a scene when the trio are trapped inside a stone chamber as the floor slides into the wall to reveal a very deep and deadly drop; and especially a classic bit when Jack is placed on a conveyor belt with his body being pulled towards a huge, crushing block of stone that may crash down on top of him at any moment. The climax features Jack hanging to the bottom of his plane as Latimer takes off, but one of them comes to a pretty grim ending. 

Little Kimbu (Tommy Cook) and his pet monkey

Ken Terrell [Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman] who appeared in many of these serials, has a larger part than usual as the native, Mananga. Things get confusing at times because Mananga seems to switch sides in each chapter, and more than one extra looks an awful lot like the actor, as if he put his relatives to work. Little Tommy Cook, who gives a boyishly earnest performance, grew up to appear in such films as Missile to the Moon. The African natives are all played by Caucasian actors. Briskly edited and directed, Jungle Girl is one of the best serials ever made by Republic or any other studio. 

Verdict: How do you think Indiana Jones and James Bond got up to their own stunts? ***1/2.