Jungle Man (1941) with Buster Crabbe -- The Music of Flash Gordon

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Date Posted: 13:42:24 01/23/13 Wed
Author: Tim
Subject: Jungle Man (1941) with Buster Crabbe

Jungle Man (1941) aka Drums of Africa

Directed by Harry Fraser

Starring Buster Crabbe, Charles Middleton, Sheila Darcy, Vince Barnett, Weldon Heyburn, Robert Carson, Paul Scott, Hal Price and Floyd Shackelforth

Most sources identify this PRC oldie as Jungle Man (1941) but in the opening credits the title is shown as Drums of Africa.

An American group sets out on an expedition to Africa in search of a lost civilization called the City of the Dead. The party includes Bruce Kellogg (Weldon Heyburn), his fiance Betty Graham (Sheila Darcy) and Betty's father William Graham (Paul Scott).

Dr Robert Hammond (Buster Crabbe) has already been in Africa for five years, searching for the cure for a deadly jungle fever. The natives know Dr Hammond as Junga. Also present there is Hammond's friend, Father Jim Graham (Charles Middleton), who is also Betty Graham's uncle.

The explorers arrive in an Africa and rendezvous with Dr Hammond/Junga and Father Jim, as well as Father Jim's pet tiger, "Satan". Eventually the men of the group head out in search of the City of the Dead, while Betty remains behind with Dr Hammond and Father Jim.

Along the way there are plenty of jungle animals, jungle adventures, and some comic relief provided by the group's guide, "Buck" Buckthorn (Vince Barnett). In a more serious scene Buckthorn is nearly killed in the clutches of a huge snake. Inevitably Junga and Betty find a mutual attraction for one another.

The film obviously has a very low-budget, and uses a lot of stock footage. Over time Buster Crabbe grew weary of PRC because of their budgetary restraints, and finally parted company with the studio after the western Outlaw of the Plains in 1946. PRC (Producers Releasing Corporation) had picked up Buster after his Universal contract expired, and his PRC contract likewise expired in 1946.

Despite the budget limitations, it is a fairly entertaining feature. Certainly not up to the level of the Flash Gordon serials from Universal, but the cast gives it their all. One aspect I found amusing was, early in the picture, seeing Buster Crabbe and Charles Middleton sitting together and chatting amicably, with Father Jim (Middleton) even referring to Junga (Crabbe) as "my son". Crabbe and Middleton both do a nice job with their roles, and Buster gets to show off his swimming skills late in the picture.

Captain Tim

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[> Re: Jungle Man (1941) with Buster Crabbe -- Officer Torch, 18:17:46 01/24/13 Thu [1]

Just viewed this hour or so long film on U Tube. Captain Tim's account of it is pretty much on the money. I chuckled a bit, and was surprised near the beginning to see Buster (as Dr.Hammond)and Middleton as "Father Jim? MING! MING? sitting next to one another in some friendly chat. I guess Ming apparently lightened up somewhat..seemed he smiled often, (no "heh hehs") He seemed sociable and friendly. Gotta give Middleton credit, though he often played unlikeable guys, he could also play a good guy.

Interestingly, Buster Crabbe, as Dr. Hammond, aka Flash Gordon went one-on-one bare hands some with...well, not a tigron, or tiger but a lion attacting Betty. (She should've listened to Buster and leave the cub...the family tracked the cub down post haste.) The attacting lion though ran off. Buster was just bruised a tad. He may have had some interaction with the shark, can't say for sure, but he was ok, while swimming (nicely) for the bag with meds to save lives from the jungle fever, including Betty who apparently got it near the end of the film, but Buster, ie Dr. Hammond's administration of the med by the shot worked...and the whole while, her lipstick was still neat.

The movie was definitely low budget and a bit slow for me, but for fans of FG and Tarzan perhaps, its certainly worth a look. Thanks Capt. Tim for the info. I never saw "Ming" like that before.

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