Tarzan's Fight for Life (1958), the last of the cinematic adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs' jungle hero delivered by producer Sol Lesser, by and large betrays the familiarity that was established in the generation-long string of "B" efforts surrounding the character. Still, it's a good showcase for period Tarzan Gordon Scott, offers some muscular villainy from football great turned character player Woody Strode, and bears enough old-school Saturday matinee action to make it a pleasant diversion.

The story opens at an isolated jungle hospital maintained by the appropriately steadfast Dr. Sturdy (Carl Benton Reid), who's spent years in trying to isolate the cure for a particularly lethal strain of fever. The disease has recently claimed the life of the chieftain of the local Nigasso tribe, and the jealous, power-hungry tribal shaman Futa (James Edwards) has seized on the moment to convince his people to end their cooperation with Sturdy's efforts. The doctor's less stalwart daughter Anne (Jil Jarmyn) fears the worst is coming, and sets out to meet the safari of her returning fiancé, Ken Warwick (Harry Lauter), in order to convince him to turn around.

She encounters Ken's party just in time to be waylaid by Nigasso warriors lead by Futa's imposing henchman Ramo (Strode). The lord of the jungle, of course, swings to the rescue, and after ensuring their safe passage, agrees to try to mediate with the Nigasso so the hospital's ministrations to the tribe can continue. Futa is determined to undermine Tarzan's efforts, and to prove that his magic can succeed in curing the Nigasso's fever-stricken prince regent.

Tarzan, for his part, is also concerned for Jane (Eve Brent), whom the hospital doctors believe to be showing symptoms of appendicitis. When she falls ill, the ape man transports her as gently as possible on the treacherous trek back to the researchers. Futa, learning of her predicament, takes advantage of the opportunity to have his lackeys break into the hospital, steal the doctors' cure as a hedge for his treatment of the prince, and extract revenge on Tarzan at the same time.

The 6'3" ex-lifeguard Scott would don the loincloth a total of five times over the Eisenhower era, beginning with the Lesser production Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955); he would wind up marrying his leading lady, Vera Miles. After Tarzan and the Lost Safari (1957) and Tarzan's Fight for Life, he'd continue for producer Sy Weintraub in Tarzan's Greatest Adventure (1959) and Tarzan the Magnificent (1960). His jungle yell couldn't match Weissmuller's (who could?), but his strong and confident presence made him a more than serviceable Tarzan. He retired from movies in the mid-'60s after a succession of Italian sword-and-sandal sagas.

Producer: Sol Lesser
Director: H. Bruce Humberstone
Screenplay: Thomas Hal Phillips; Edgar Rice Burroughs (characters)
Cinematography: William E. Snyder
Art Direction: Ernst Fegte
Music: Ernest Gold
Film Editing: Aaron Stell
Cast: Gordon Scott (Tarzan), Eve Brent (Jane), Rickie Sorensen (Tartu, Tarzan's Adopted Son), Jil Jarmyn (Ann Sturdy), James Edwards (Futa), Carl Benton Reid (Dr. Sturdy), Harry Lauter (Dr. Ken Warwick), Woody Strode (Ramo).
C-86m.

by Jay S. Steinberg