Spikeopath Tarzan's Greatest Adventure is directed by John Guillermin who also co- adapts the screenplay with Berne Giler from a story written by Les Crutchfield. Based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs it stars Gordon Scott, Anthony Quayle, Sara Shane, Al Mulock, Sean Connery, Niall MacGinnis and Scilla Gabel. Music is by Douglas Gamley and cinematography by Ted Scaife.When a native village is robbed of explosives and a couple of men are killed, it soon becomes apparent that the gang was led by a man called Slade. The mere mention of this name is of great interest to jungle man Tarzan (Scott), who promptly sets off in pursuit to settle an old score...You can't reason with an idiot!There's no Jane and Cheetah is barely in it, but this Tarzan "adventure" is all the more better for it. With Sy Weintraub producing, he was determined to steer Tarzan in a new cinematic direction, with a bit more mud, blood and literacy, Tarzan became as much for the adults as it was for the kids.Actually the title, whilst true in the pantheon of Tarzan movies, still conjures up images of a kiddie friendly Tarzan, a more fitting title would have been Tarzan's Grudge! What unfolds in the story is a vengeful pursuit by Tarzan of a gang of diamond hunting crims led by a scarface Anthony Quayle. He uses his jungle whiles and hunting skills to pick them off if the opportunities arise, all the while accompanied by the foxy Angie (Shane) who literally dropped out of the sky and into the life of the loin cloth wearing one. Tarzan talks and isn't indestructible, but we still know there is savagery in the man, while on the boat up river the gang are an assortment of scallywags beginning to implode; which makes for rather good entertainment.Film is infused with all the formulaic perils of jungle dramas (and comedies actually) past and present, reference crocodiles, spider, snake, quicksand, booby traps et al, but here it is definitely more fun and thrilling than annoying and cornball. Yes there is still some cheapness, with back screen projections, interwoven animal film footage and you really don't think Scott would be wrestling with a real life crocodile do you? But there's an edge to the narrative and it's great to see. Also helps to have a decent cast of actors on patrol as well, with Quayle leading the way as a broody bastardo. While Scott, looking in great shape and not unlike Kerwin Matthews, seems to be relishing the chance to play a Tarzan with grit and gumption.The rope swings and famous yell are still here, but this is a much better and badder Tarzan and hooray to that. 7.5/10

lee-stamm This movie is a no nonsense, realistic action film, bolstered by a capable cast, a believable story and colorful location shooting. Gordon Scott showed here that he had some acting talent as well as the good physique. The rest of the actors in general, and Anthony Quayle in particular, are quality professionals whose performances keep things interesting. Unlike earlier films in the Tarzan genre, they actually went to Africa to shoot this one and the difference really shows. These items, along with generally good production values, fairly tight direction, and beautiful color photography move this film well above the norm. Definitely a welcome departure from earlier Tarzan films. Highly recommended.

silverscreen888 This film I suggest, after many decades of Tarzanophilia, came nearer to capturing the ideal Tarzan than has any other such effort. In the MGM B/W version, geared for mental twelve-year-olds as they admittedly were, Johnny Weissmuller was saddled from the outset with a civilization-bred wife, then a child, short-word speech patterns, a lack of mental training and a great difficulty at freeing himself long enough to become involved in interesting adventures or important ones. In "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure", Sy Weintraub's color attempt to create a new and more Burroughsian Tarzan, as Edgar Rice Burroughs had envisioned the "ape man" in his intelligent fantasy series of novels caused him to introduce many changes. In this film Tarzan, played by attractive Gordon Scott, speaks English, has a thoughtful and trained mind, and is respected and deferred to by the local British officials because of his jungle lore and standing with everyone in the area. When a bandit gang invades the territory and murders several men in order to steal dynamite for use in a diamond stealing scheme, Tarzan believes he alone can prevent further murders such as they have just done and that only he can and must stop Slade, a ruthless escaped convict and psychopathic murderer, from becoming a great danger to everyone in his realm. This is not altruism on his part; he knows the man and knows Slade can never rest while Tarzan is alive, and vice versa. He goes after him, and ends up saddled with a spoiled and lovely pilot, with whom he shares a romance and the dangers of a truly great adventure. As Slade's criminal gang quarrel among themselves and try to stay ahead of Tarzan, whom they nearly manage to kill, he is saved by the pilot and finally overcomes and kills the last of them, Slade. Then the pilot has to go back to her world and Tarzan to his. In the very fine small cast the director, John Guillermin, got good performances from such stalwarts as Anthony Quayle, Sean Connery, Niall MacGinnis, Al Mulock and Scilla Gabel. The credit for the very expensive-looking production go to the director, as well as to cinematographer Edward Scaife and art director-production designer Michael Stringer. Music was supplied by Douglas Gamley. The film to me has a jungle look about it that borders on being rather stylish; such exciting scenes as the raid staged by Slade's men, the scenes on the boat by which he and his group proceed upriver, the plane crash that brings the pilot into Tarzan's life, her theft from the group of medicine to help him, and the deaths of the criminals one-by-one are very-well photographed and staged. This is a very good film, with its only drawback the apparently needless introduction into its villain, Slade, of a psychological preference for adventitious killing over even crimes committed for a simple purpose of theft. But overall, this was a very successful adventure, unusually-bright, attractive and well-presented. Connery is charismatic as an annoying type, Gabel very good in a thankless part, and Quayle and MacGinnis powerful as career criminals. Sara Shane was attractive, and as Tarzan, Gordon Scott proved to be a first-rate athlete and a serviceable leading man. A worthy and imaginative recasting of the Tarzan image on film.

Utti After years of dismal adventures in the studio backlots, this time they took Tarzan to Africa to act in a Western. This little gem has everything the Budd Boetticher - Randolph Scott great Westerns had, only in a somewhat different location. The bad guys disguise themselves as blacks in order to raid a settlement for explosives - exactly like many a bandit would put on paint to look like an Indian in Western movies. Even Gordon Scott's Tarzan becomes a Westerner bent on avenging innocent deaths: like Randolph Scott, he does not speak too much, but lets his actions speak for themselves. I love the old Weissmuller pictures, too - but apart from them, this movie and its follow-up, "Tarzan the Magnificent", are among the best Tarzan movies ever made. Economically directed (John Guillermin), superbly photographed (Edward Scaife, Nicolas Roeg), neatly acted (Anthony Quayle, Sean Connery). Don't expect Cheetahs or cheap laughs: expect for a tight, action-packed revenge Western set in Africa.