The Adventures of Tarzan (1921) is a 15 chapter movie serial which features the third and final appearance of Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan. The serial was produced by Louis Weiss, written by Robert F. Hill and Lillian Valentine (partially based on the novels The Return of Tarzan and Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs), and directed by Robert F. Hill and Scott Sidney. The first chapter was released on December 1, 1921.
Contents
Plot
The serial's prologue features Edgar Rice Burroughs himself.
Tarzan rescues Jane from Arab slave traders after they become marooned in Africa. They return to the cabin where his parents lived before their deaths. Jane is captured by Queen La of Opar, taken to that hidden city, and is to be made a sacrifice. Tarzan rescues her and they escape. Nikolas Rokoff and William Cecil Clayton, the usurper to Tarzan's title of Lord Greystoke, learn that Jane has a map to the city (which contains fabulous riches in exotic jewels), tattooed onto her back. They kidnap her and attempt to loot the city. Tarzan braves many perils, finally rescues Jane, defeats the villains and escapes La's amorous clutches.
Cast
Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan
Louise Lorraine as Jane Porter
Scott Pembroke as William Cecil Clayton, Cousin of Tarzan, Usurper to Title of Lord Greystoke
Frank Whitson as Nikolas Rokoff, A Villain
Lillian Worth as Queen La of Opar, A Villainess In Love With Tarzan
Charles Inslee as Professor Porter, Jane's Father
Zip Monberg as Monsieur Gernot (credited as George Monberg)
Charles Gay as Sheik Ben Ali
Maceo Bruce Sheffield as Chief of Wazini
Fifi R. Lachoy
Frank Merrill as Arab Guard
George B. French
Gordon Griffith
Thomas Jefferson
Production
The success of the serial The Son of Tarzan inspired Great Western Producing Company to approach Tarzan's creator Edgar Rice Burroughs about making another Tarzan serial. However, the rights for another Tarzan film were still retained by the Weiss brothers' Numa Pictures Corporation, the makers of the feature film The Revenge of Tarzan. When Numa discovered that Great Western had Elmo Lincoln, the first screen Tarzan, signed to play the lead, they agreed to a deal in which Great Western would produce the film, while Numa would handle distribution. The story was based partially on two of the Tarzan novels, The Return of Tarzan and Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, with the addition of some new material. The desert scenes were filmed in Arizona.
Casting
This serial marked Elmo Lincoln's return to the part of Tarzan, whom he was the first to play, but it was also Lincoln's last time as the character. The serial was advertised as "Censor-proof." Nevertheless, censorship forced the previously bare-chested Lincoln to cover up and wear an over-the-shoulder-styled costume for this production. Louise Lorraine celebrated her sixteenth birthday during production. As advertised, "Joe Martin, famous screen ape, plays a leading part."
Production started January 1 and finished August 13, 1921.
Stunts
Frank Merrill began doubling Lincoln about halfway through the serial. Lincoln was insured for $150,000, and the insurers were not happy with him doing his own stunts. Seven years later, Merrill was cast as the apeman in Tarzan the Mighty.
Release
For marketing purposes, The Adventures of Tarzan Serial Sales Corporation was formed in New York. The serial sold in half of all available markets without the use of a road man. Within three months of the completion date, it had sold out in most countries world wide. Despite rumours circulated that the serial was not new material, but just a rehash of footage from previous Tarzan films, The Adventures of Tarzan was a successful film and one of the top four attractions of the year. The film was reedited and released with sound effects twice—first in 1928, and a second time in 1935.
Critical reception
The Exhibitors Herald wrote, "Elmo Lincoln as Tarzan is too well known to theater-goers to need further introduction. His red-blooded fights, staged in each episode, will evoke applause from the serial audience." Film Fun Magazine wrote, "There are enough wild animals introduced in each episode to keep the younger generation, which has shown a predilection for the serial form of entertainment, whooping her up."
Influence
The success of the serial inspired a Broadway show, Tarzan of the Apes, but critics attacked it as fit only for film and unsuitable for the stage.
Survival status
The complete fifteen-chapter version has not survived. The version available on DVD is the 1928 ten-chapter rerelease. The ten-chapter version can also be viewed at the Internet Archive. The first thirteen chapters survive in 16mm film at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Archive. The UCLA Film and Television Archive has restored chapter 11: "The Hidden Foe". Silent Era claims that the archive also has prints of the film and 1928 rerelease.
The Library of Congress possesses a window card for the film.
Original book chapter titles
Jungle Romance
The City of Gold
The Sun Death
Stalking Death
Flames of Hate
The Ivory Tomb
The Jungle Trap
The Tornado
Fangs of the Lion
The Simoon
The Hidden Foe
Dynamite Trail
The Jungle's Fury
Flaming Arrows
The Last Adventure
1937 film chapter titles
Tarzan the Boy
Tarzan's Revenge
Tarzan to the Rescue
Tarzan the Fearless
Tarzan's Hide-Out
Tarzan's Enemies
Tarzan Vanishes
Tarzan Conquers
Tarzan Faces Death
Fighting Tarzan
Cyclone Tarzan
Fangs vs. Tarzan
Message from Tarzan
Novel
Originally written as a 15-part serial for newspapers in 1921, it was collected and published as a trade paperback (ISBN 978-1-4357-4973-3) by ERBville Press in January 2006. The book became available as a hardcover via Lulu.com in 2008.
Chapters
Jungle Romance
The City of Gold
The Sun Death
Stalking Death
Flames of Hate
The Ivory Tomb
The Jungle Trap
The Tornado
Fangs of the Lion
The Simoon
The Slave Market
Dynamite Trail
The Jungle's Prey
The Flaming Arrow
The Last Adventure