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Customer Reviews of Tarzan the Fearless

Buster Crabbe in one-third of a 1933 Tarzan serial
As is the case with several Tarzan films from the 1930s, "Tarzan the Fearless" was originally released as a 12-part serial. The interesting historical footnote is that theater were given the option of showing the first four chapters edited together as a feature film to get kids interested in the serial and apparently many theaters showed the "film" without ever airing the rest of the serial (or even the trailer for the next exciting episode). Apparently all that is left is the "film," which explains why "Tarzan the Fearless" is a prime candidate for the bottom of the heap of Tarzan movies. Tarzan is played by Buster Crabbe, who won the gold medal in the 400-meter free-style at the 1932 Olympics, one of three formers Olympians to play the Lord of the Jungle that decade.

The story (or the first third of it since the rest of the serial is apparently long gone) begins with Dr. Brooks (E. Allyn Warren), studying ancient tribes in darkest African when he is captured by the people of Zar, the god of the Emerald Fingers. Tarzan aids the doctor's daughter, Mary (Jacqueline Wells) in trying to find and rescue her father, along with everybody else who has fallen captive to Eltar, the High Priest of Zar (Mischa Auer). However, "Tarzan the Fearless" pretty much ends before it gets interesting after about 85 minutes, which is a blessing.

Keep in mind that this is a 1933 film, which means pre-code and explains the reason Tarzan's loin cloth is the skimpest you have ever seen (hopefully). Crabbe, whose previous film role was Kaspa the Lion Man in the Tarzan ripoff "Lord of the Jungle," is given little to do and is also in the running for the least articulate Tarzan of all time. So if it was not for purient interests, there would probably be no interest in this particular Tarzan movie at all.