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Issue 0593
Presents


TARZAN THE TIGER (1929)
Serial: October 5, 1929 to March 6, 1930 ~ Released in both Silent and Talkie versions

Final Chapter - 15 of 15 - Jewels of Opar
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01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
 
Following the success of Tarzan the Mighty, Merrill and Kingston reprised their roles (although she was now correctly referred to as Jane). Al Ferguson, who had played Black John returned as another villain, this time an explorer who kidnapped Jane and sold her into white slavery. Tarzan lost his memory in chapter three of the serial struggled to overcome his amnesia through most of the serial with its endless cliffhangers. 

The success of "the talkies" prompted Universal to add music and sound effects to this silent serial and audiences were able to hear the Merrill's version of the apeman's ape cry for the first time. The serial was a success despite its untimely release which coincided with the October 1929 stock market crash. 

Universal bowed out of the serial market, however, and the next Tarzan project would be by MGM where the apeman's vocabulary would be suddenly relegated to one of monosyllabic grunts and pidgeon English. The end of the silent era would spell the end of some of filmdom's most faithful adaptations of the Tarzan novels.
 



CREDITS

Director: Henry MacRae as Henry McRae
Producer: Carl Laemmle
Writers: Edgar Rice Burroughs (novel: Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar) ~ 
Ian McClosky Heath ~ William Lord Wright
Frank Merrill: Tarzan
Natalie Kingston: Jane
Al Ferguson: Albert Werper
Sheldon Lewis: Achmet Zek
Kithnou: Queen La of Opar
Paul Panzer: Mohammed Bey

Cinematography: Wilfred M. Cline
Original Music: Guy Bevier ~ Sam Perry ~ Heinz Roemheld
Film Editing: Malcolm Dewar
Art Direction: David S. Garber ~ Charles D. Hall
Sound Department: C. Roy Hunter ~ David Broekman ~ Bert Fiske
Release Date: October 5, 1929 and ran as a serial to March 6, 1930.
Black and White, 35mm, spherical film in 1.33: 1 ratio
Production Companies: Adventure Pictures [UK] ~ Universal Pictures [US]
Distributors: MCA/Universal Pictures ~ Grapevine Video ~ Liberty Home Video ~ Stokey Video


TRIVIA
  • Tarzan the Tiger was a transitional film with one version released as a silent and the other with a parial soundtrack with music, jungle and background noise, and Tarzan's yell for the first time.
  • For many years the film was thought lost but a version, with soundtrack, was discovered in recent times.
  • Some sources claim that he part of "Queen La of Opar" was played by Kithnou (aka Mlle. Kithnou) a Hindu actress, and not by Lillian Worth as stated on the video cover and in Buck Rainey's book "Serials and Series: A World Filmography, 1912-1956." Most sources, however, believe that Kithnou was a stage name used by Worth for the film.
  • Frank Merrill, covered in animal skins, headband and slippers is probably one of the most fully-clothed of the Tarzans.

  • Merrill invented the vine-swinging techniques used in all later Tarzan films
  • Despite the curious costume and yell Merrill is one of the most visually appealing and physically capable of the Tarzans.
  • Natalie Kingston, as Jane, is spectacularly sexy and desirable ~ especially in her topless swimming scene.
  • This movie was released in both silent and "sound" versions. The sound consisted of a crude musical score, sound effects and a few lip-synched lines on a record.
  • The record contains the very first Tarzan yell, invented by Merrill ~ a weird "Nee-yah"
  • The Merrill interpretation of the famous Tarzan yell is one of the most humourous of the yells.
  • "Tarzan the Terrible" was planned but the studio decided Merrill's voice wasn't right for talkies and the film was scrapped.
  • Frank Merrill had doubled for Lincoln in many of the action scenes in Adventures of Tarzan
  • The serial is silent, except for dubbed in music and some sound effects. There is no voice except for the pathetic Tarzan yell throughout the serial.
  • Universal had considered adapting Tarzan the Terrible but Merrill's voice was thought unsuitable for talkies, so he retired from movies to work with children, as Park Commissioner and recreation director for the city of Los Angeles.
  • On retirement in 1963, following a serious operation, Merrill donated his services to the YMCA as a gym instructor.
  • Frank Merrill was born, Arthur Poll, March 21, 1893 in Newark, New Jersey. He died in Los Angeles, CA on February 12, 1966


  • LOBBY DISPLAY

    Natalie Kingston

    Rejoicing over the retrun of the Treasure of Opar

    As Lord Greystoke


    Stuntman Melvin Koontz


    LA GALLERY

    Natalie Kingston ~ Frank Merrill ~ Kithnou

    THE STORY

    CHAPTER ONE ~ Call of the Jungle
    "The jungle -- mysterious -- menacing -- its one Law, the Survival of the Fittest."
    OPENING SCENE:  On a plantation, near the edge of the jungle.

    CHARACTERS:  Earl of Greystoke, alias Tarzan, Lady Jane, Albert Werper (a soldier of fortune pretending to be a scientist). The Earl, Lady Jane and Werper are all sitting in the living area of the manor discussing Tarzan's last jungle adventure at the lost city of Opar.

    FLASHBACK: La, who is the Princess of the Sun Worshippers, is the leader of the Oparians who sacrifice victims to the sun god.  Lady Jane is brought in and tied to a stone altar where La is about to kill her with a sacrificial knife.  La is in love with Tarzan and wants to remove her rival Jane.  She vows to have no other mate but Tarzan. Meanwhile, Tarzan yells for Tantor, his elephant friend, and sets out to rescue her.  As the apeman shows up at Opar he enters the ceremonial cave just as La is about to bring down the knife to sacrifice Jane.  He grabs the knife away from La, unties his mate, fights off a hoard of Opar beastmen, and leads Jane back to the plantation.  As the flashback draws to a close, La vows to have Tarzan for her own.

    SCENE: The three discuss Tarzan's proposed trip to the Temple of Opar.  Greystoke is anxious to go but Lady Jane, who sees Tarzan's knife fall from his gear hanging on the wall -- a bad omen -- begs him not to go. About this time, Werper, who feigns tiredness, heads for his sleeping quarters but really hides behind a curtain listening to the conversation between Tarzan and Jane.  Tarzan says that he needs to get the gold from the temple to prevent the sale of his estate back in England but Jane fears for his life or that he will be captured by La. Greystoke says that he will begin his journey to the temple tomorrow night.  The scene ends with Tarzan rounding up his loincloth and knife in preparation for the next day's trip.

    SCENE:  A slave market a few hours north of the plantation. Achmet Zek, a nomad chief, and enemy of Tarzan, watches as slave women are being sold at the square.  He visualizes Lady Jane as a potential slave.  The  phony scientist, Werper, approaches Zek and tells him that Tarzan is heading to the city of Opar tonight to get the gold.  Zek tells Werper to follow Tarzan while he visits Jane at the plantation. Tarzan begins his journey to Opar but senses the approach of his old enemy, Numa the Lion. Back at the plantation, people are starting to disappear, as Zek makes his way with a couple of his cronies to locate Jane's room. Jane, upon hearing a commotion outside, turns out the lights but Zek and his henchmen enter and take her off to Zek's camp.

    Meanwhile, on the jungle trail, Tarzan fights an attacking lion while Werper looks on. 


    CHAPTER 2 ~ The Road To Opar
    On the Jungle Trail to the Temple of Opar -- where treasure beyond price lies buried!

    Werper watches Tarzan wrestle with the lion, and sees him pull the knife out of Numa's belly and stand with one foot on the dead beast's body.  Tarzan gives a series of "terrifying" victory yells.

    The next day at Zek's camp where Lady Jane is held captive, he directs his slave girls to bring Jane from her tent.  Tarzan's defiant mate orders Zek to return her to Tarzan but she is unsuccessful.  He decides to bring in a sand specialist - Abdullah, the Sand Diviner, who will show her the fate he has planned for Tarzan.  Abdullah prepares the sand and then draws some pictures showing the death of Tarzan by two Arabs.

    Meanwhile, two natives with spears spot Tarzan swinging from his vine between trees.  One native brings Tarzan down with a spear to the chest.

    Back at Zek's camp, he tells Lady Jane that she will become one of his wives or be sold on the auction block. Jane is then escorted back to her tent.

    The scene now changes to a wild ceremony at Temple of Opar where La prays to the Flame god to deliver Tarzan to her.

    Meanwhile a sand storm is brewing outside as Werper follows a miraculously recovered Tarzan who is taking a secret entrance into the treasure chambers of Opar. Tarzan goes to the center of the chamber where he uncovers a stash of gold bars -- apparently a legacy of the people of ancient Atlantis.

    Back at Zek's camp, Jane is brought in to respond to his ultimatum but the sand storm becomes worse and tears apart the tents. As Zek runs from the tent, Jane makes her way back to her tent.

    At the temple, La asks for a sacrifice for the gods to calm the storm.

    Tarzan prepares to take away six bars of gold.  Werper hears some lions running around the cave and dashes out of the chamber.  Werper then stumbles into La's chamber of worship and she orders her people to seize him for the sacrifice.  As the storm rages on, the huge pillars at the temple entrance crash down and the cave ceiling collapses and buries Tarzan with his gold stash.


    CHAPTER 3 ~ The Altar of the Flaming God
    In the path of a Simoon -- the ancient Temple of Opar, where Lord Greystoke, known to the jungle as Tarzan the Tiger, has gone for hidden treasure known only to him.

    As the dust clears from the cave-in, Tarzan regains consciousness but is suffering from amnesia. He wanders into another room and finds a big chest that he struggles to open.  He finally opens the lid and discovers the lost jewels of Opar.  He begins playing with them but considers them only "pretty pebbles".  He stuffs a few into a cloth bag. He then makes his way to the Chamber of Flaming God in time to grab La's sacrificial knife before it strikes Werper on the ceremonial altar. Tarzan does not recognize the love-sick La but rescues the pleading Werper after vanquishing the men of Opar.

    Meanwhile, Achmet Zek's men are trying to clean up the damage caused by the windstorm. Jane wraps herself in an old animal hide, lifts the back flap of the tent and escapes into the jungle. Soon after, Achmet enters the tent and discovers that her cot is empty. In a fury he sends his guards out to find her, threatening to put them to the lash if they are unsuccessful.

    Tarzan has led Werper to the safety of the jungle but comes down with an unbearable headache just as they prepare to camp for the night.

    Jane is also making her way through the jungle in her attempts to elude Achmet.

    Taglat, the Ape, an old enemy of Tarzan, attacks Werper by the campfire but Tarzan leaps from the trees above and scares off the beast. Unfortunately Taglat later spots Jane and follows her, seeking revenge on Tarzan. Back at the campfire, Tarzan examines the bag of "pebbles" he had taken from Opar.  Crafty Werper notices that they are diamonds and pretends to go to sleep while Tarzan buries the bag of pebbles.  When Tarzan falls asleep Werper digs up the treasure and raises his dagger to kill the sleeping apeman.  Jane races through the jungle to escape Taglat but she stumbles and is soon in the clutches of the ape.


    CHAPTER 4: The Vengeance of La

    When Taglet, the ape, captures Jane, she lets out a horrified scream which stops Werper from plunging his knife into the sleeping Tarzan.  Tarzan leaps to a tree to locate the source of the sceam and sees Taglet running through the woods with Jane slung over his back.  Tarzan gives his ape cry, Taglet drops the unconscious Jane and climbs up to wrestle Tarzan in the trees. Tarzan defeats the ape by throwing him to the ground and climbs down to comfort Jane.  She tells him that Achet's people told her that he was dead but although he seems to recognize her voice, the bewildered amnesiac Tarzan asks how she knows his name as he does not know her. Meanwhile, La has followed Tarzan into the jungle and has watched the reunion between Jane and Tarzan.  Her band from Opar overcome and capture the Greystokes

    SCENE: Next day at the Greystoke plantation. Achmet makes an unsuccessful search of every room in his attempt to recapture Jane. Werper shows up and tells Achmet about the treasure vaults of Opar and that Tarzan has lost his memory. He later indicates that he things that the scream he had heard the previous night probably came from Jane.  Werper tells Achmet that he will stay behind to get some rest and meet up with him later at his camp.  Achmet agrees but doesn't trust him and orders his men to keep an eye on him. Werper goes upstairs to examine the jewels he stole from Tarzan.  Achmet enters the room just as Werper is putting away the bag. Werper draws his revolver but Achmet beats a hasty retreat.

    Meanwhile, back at the jungle camp, La catches Jane trying to untie the captured Tarzan. La decides to set him free so that she can force him to choose between Jane and herself.  She asks him to return with her to the temple so they can rule together.  Both women plead their case for Tarzan's affection but, even though he thinks he recognizes their voices,  he shoves them both aside. He says he has no wife and desires no mate, rather he chooses a life in the jungle. A spurned La orders the Oparians to prepare for a double sacrifice. They tie Tarzan to a tree and one of them throws a spear at the apeman's chest.


    CHAPTER 5 ~ Condemned to Die

    The Oparian's spear slams into the tree next to Tarzan's head just as Achmet and his gang arrive on horses.  As Achmet's men engage the Oparians, one of the horsemen captures and rides off with Jane. Tarzan breaks free and joins in the battle places La up in a tree out of harms way.  The horsemen ride off and La again tries to charm Tarzan into accompanying her as King of Opar. She puts a necklace around his neck but this suddenly reminds him of the jewels that he buried back in the jungle.  He returns the necklace to La and says that he must first find the 'pebbles' before he could consider returning to Opar.

    SCENE: THE GREYSTOKE HOME:  Werper looks down from this upstairs room and sees Achmet sneaking up the stairs with a drawn knife. Achmet enters the room and discovers that Werper's bed is empty just as he hears Werper ride off on a horse. He scrambles down to his own mount and gives pursuit.

    SCENE: JUNGLE: Tarzan returns to the spot where he buried the jewels but discovers they are gone. He realizes that Werper must have stolen his pebbles and vents his anger by log-breaking and ape-yell antics. From a tree-top perch he sees Achmet pursuing and catching Werper on horseback. They fight and Werper stabs Achmet and steals his ring. Tarzan races to the combatants but Werper rides off leaving Tarzan in a fit of destructive anger: pulling trees out by their roots, beating his chest and smashing boulders.

    SCENE: ACHMET'S CAMP: Werper rides in looking for Jane and convinces Achmet's lieutenant, Mohammed Beyd, that Achmet died when his horse fell on him, and that before he died he had given him his ring as a gesture of trust. Beyd directs him to Jane's tent after Werper tells him that they should sell her in the slave market and share the profits. Werper visits Jane and outlines a plan for her escape. Later, Beyd also visits Jane and tells her that he can save her from Werper's plan to sell her as a slave. All she has to do is to "cooperate" with him and he makes lecherous advances. Jane's screams of protest attract Werper. Beyd draws a gun but is himself shot as the two men grapple for the gun.  Tarzan climbs over the main gate of the camp, and swings on a vine to crash through the roof of Jane's hut to attack Werper. During the struggle Tarzan retrieves his bag of pebbles from Werper's shirt and pushes the man to the ground. Achmet's gang arrives and Werper screams that Tarzan has killed Beyd. The chapter ends with Tarzan being overrun by his attackers.


    CHAPTER 6 ~ Tantor, The Terror

    Tarzan, with superhuman strength, tosses off Achmet's henchmen, grabs Werper, raises him over his head and tosses him out the nearest window.  As Tarzan flexes his muscles, the rest of Achmet's gang run for cover. As Tarzan is about to leave the hut Jane grabs him and says, " Are you still a madman?   Don't you know me, your wife?"  He shakes his head and says, "I know you are a friend but other than that my mind is as blank as an unwritten check."  When Tarzan and Jane leave, Werper rounds up Achmet's men and promises to give them a reward of their choosing if they capture the white woman. Jane, hoping to help Tarzan's get his memory back, takes him to his parents' cabin where the apes had found and nursed him when he had been orphaned by his parents' deaths.  She shows him the books from which he had learned to read but Tarzan has only fleeting memories and says he is tired. As he leaves to make a sleeping nest in a nearby tree, Jane gives him back his knife and he gives her the pebbles for safe keeping.  Werper and his gang reach Tarzan's hut and looks through the window where he sees that Jane is asleep on a cot.  Werper enters, lights a candle and awakens Lady Jane with a hand cupped over her mouth. He lies that Achmet's gang have captured Tarzan and are looking for her.  She doesn't trust Werper but agrees to pretend to be his prisoner so as to fool the gang. Tarzan awakens with weird thoughts of the night before and a terrific headache. When he discovers that Jane is not in the hut he thinks she has stolen his pebbles and experiences another temper tantrum.

    SCENE: SLAVE AUCTION: Werper has put Jane in a holding cell with some of the other slave girls. When she is led to the auction block she realizes that Werper has betrayed her. Werper admits that she is to be sold but that he will be the highest bidder and he asks her for the pouch of jewels so they will not be stolen from her.  She gives him the pouch. A bidding frenzy for Jane ensues. Werper makes only one bid and then breaks his promise -- letting a sheik outbid him and haul her away. Jane curses Werper for having betrayed her.

    Meanwhile, Tarzan is looking for the woman who stole his pebbles -- he hitches a ride on Tantor and smashes through the city gate, scattering natives as he arrives. The sheik rides off with Jane on his camel!


    CHAPTER 7 ~ In Deadly Peril

    As Tarzan, mounted on Tantor, smashes through the city gate he sees Jane riding off on a camel with an arab. He gives pursuit. Werper is chased into an alley by the gang members who had helped him capture Jane. They had seen the slave woman give him a pouch and they demand their share of the jewels. They remove the pouch from inside Werper's shirt but are amazed to find that it contains only gravel. Jane had outsmarted him by making a contents switch back at the Greystoke cabin. Werper talks one of the men into accompanying him in pursuing the slave woman to find out what she has done with the jewels. Jane hears Tantor's trumpeting call and calls to Tarzan. Tarzan leaps for a vine which he uses to swing to the racing camel and to knock off the Arab. He ends his struggle with the Arab by putting him in a headlock and chocking him to death. He then angrily orders Jane to "Give me back my pretty pebbles". She says that she did not take them and reminds him that she is his wife. Tarzan argues that she is a total stranger.  Werper and the raider approach and shoot a warning shot. Tarzan leads Jane to shelter in a cave inhabited by lions and he seals the entrance with a large rock. Jane tells Tarzan that she hid the pebbles in his jungle hut and keeps trying to jolt his memory back to him by reminding him that they are Lord and Lady Greystoke. She points out the Greystoke crest on his hunting knife. Still he remembers nothing and they agree that they should return to the cabin.  At that moment Jane warns Tarzan that their pursuers have pointed a rifle at them through the entrance -- just as Tarzan spies the evil eyes of a beast in the darkness at the back of the cave.

    CHAPTER 8 ~ Loop of Death
    Tarzan grabs the rifle that has been pointed at them through the cave entrance and the weapon accidentally fires and shoots the lion to death in the far corner of the cave.  Having lost their rifle Werper and his henchman run off to hide in the bushes waiting for Tarzan to appear.  Tarzan rolls the rock away from the cave entrance and tells Jane he will find transportation to take them back to the cabin where Jane has hidden the pebbles -- he now has some idea of value of these little stones since so many people are trying so hard to steal them. He then climbs to the trees to use his strange cry to call for Tantor.  Tantor kneels, they climb aboard the elephant's back, and start the long ride to Tarzan's parents' cabin. When they return to the cabin for the evening Jane tries frantically to stir memories that she is his wife. He leaves to sleep in the trees while Tantor stands guard beside the sleeping Jane who clutches the rifle for protection.

    At daybreak, Jane heads to the nearby river for a bath. Tarzan awakens and watches from above as she undresses and then he races nearer as she enters the water. She reminisces about when they first met but Tarzan seems to remember nothing. Instead, he sits and plays with Jane's rifle while she dresses. Werper and his partner have trailed them to the cabin and now spy upon them. Tarzan accidentally fires the rifle which sets him off again -- he bends the gun barrel into a horseshoe shape. Jane is not impressed... and scolds him for destroying their only weapon. The villains race to cabin and ransack it in their search for the jewels. They then make a trap to capture Tarzan when he enters the building: a rope noose hanging from the ceiling. They then lie in wait at the back of the cabin, ready to pull the drop the noose when Tarzan walks under it. Jane and Tarzan return and retrieve a container hidden in the wall. They sit together on the cot and take the pebbles out of the container. While Werper watches through the window, Jane tries to get Tarzan to remember where he found the pebbles. When Tarzan walks from the cot, the noose falls and the apeman is dragged to the window and clubbed over the head. He falls facedown on the table and Werper leaps in to finish him off with his knife.


    CHAPTER 9 ~ The Flight of Werper!

    Tarzan recovers from the blow to the head in time to save himself from Werper's knife attack. He knocks Werper and his partner to the floor and then tosses them both out the door of the cabin. They both slink off into the jungle. With Jane's help Tarzan is starting get more memory flashbacks.

    SCENE: OPAR TEMPLE: Surrounded by dancing Oparians La prays to the Sun God for a vision. In the smoke of the fire she sees a vision of Tarzan and becomes even more determined to bring him to the temple.

    SCENE: THE GREYSTOKE CABIN: With further prodding from Jane Tarzan has vague recollections of finding the pebbles in a ruined temple. They decide to go to the temple so as to trigger more memories.

    SCENE: WERPER IN THE JUNGLE: While slogging through the jungle, past tigers and other dangers, Werper hatches a plan to enlist the aid of the Opar Sun Worshippers.  When he reaches Opar, two of La's guards drag him into the temple. La remembers him as the man whom Tarzan had rescued from her sacrificial altar so she immediately plans to resume the sacrifice. Werper persuades her however, agree to his plan. He will lead her to Tarzan and Jane if she will let him have Jane when they are captured.

    SCENE: TARZAN AND JANE IN THE JUNGLE HEADED FOR OPAR: At Jane's insistence Tarzan rescues a fawn from swamp but the chapter ends with a savage lion leaping toward them.


    CHAPTER 10 ~ Prisoner of the Apes!
    Numa, the lion, leaps over Tarzan and Jane and chases after the deer that Tarzan has just rescued. Tarzan tries to calm Jane by offering her his pretty pebbles and twisting a brush into a crown for her head. He still doesn't remember her as his mate but says he is beginning to grow fond of her.

    SCENE: WERPER, LA AND OPARIANS LOOKIN FOR TARZAN AND JANE IN THE JUNGLE: La is growing impatient but Werper assures her that they will find him by sunset.

    SCENE: TARZAN AND JANE ON THEIR WAY TO OPAR: Tarzan is growing very fond Jane and is determined to protect her. He climbs trees looking for game and orders a monkey to warn him if danger approaches. He then sends out his ape cry to enlist the aid of all his jungle friends. His cry attracts the attention of the ape Chulk, brother of the Taglet who wants to avenge his brother's death. La's party also hear the cry and they move into the clearing where they capture Jane. La tells her that Tarzan is now hers and turns her over to Werper who asks her for the jewels. Jane doesn't cooperate and is bound and hidden in the undergrowth. When they hear Tarzan returning from his search for food they prepare a trap. La poses as a sleeping Jane in the clearing while her men hide on top of a nearby hut with a net to throw over Tarzan. When Tarzan approaches the disguised La she begs him to return with her as her King of Opar. He spurns her and demands to know what she has done with Jane. He doesn't believe her when she tells him that Jane has deserted him. She lures him to the hut where her men capture him with their net and haul him away. Meanwhile, Chulk stumbles across Jane in the undergrowth and runs off with her thrown over his shoulder.


    CHAPTER 11 ~ The Jaws of Death

    Werper looks on as La captures Tarzan and has him thrown into a pit full of sharp spears which miraculously do not injure him. La looks into the pit and again offers to free him if he returns to Opar with her. Tarzan replies that he only wants Jane. Meanwhile, Tarzan's monkey friend having observed Chalk with the kidnapped Jane, races off to find Tantor so that they can pass the news on to Tarzan. Tarzan's animal friends find Tarzan just as La's men are about to throw their spears at the helpless apeman. La and Werper watch from a distance as Tantor lowers his trunk to pull Tarzan to safety and the monkey gives news of Jane's whereabouts. Tarzan takes to the trees and reaches  Chalk as he is trying to untie Jane. He swings down to battle the ape soon vanquishes him with a chokehold. He places his foot on the unconscious ape and gives his usual victory cry... which immediately alerts his enemies as to his location. He then hugs Jane, tells her he likes her more than La, and they resume their journey to Opar with hopes of restoring Tarzan's memory. La and Werper are close behind. On the way to Opar they scare Numa away from a fresh kill and satisfy their hunger and use the carcass to distract crocodiles at the river crossing... giving them time to cross the stream on an old log. Tarzan takes to the trees in search of intruders leaving Jane at the mercy of the Oparians who have just caught up with them.


    CHAPTER 12 ~ The Jewels of Opar
    Jane spots the approaching Oparians and climbs back on the river crossing log. The log breaks, leaving her dangling and screaming above the crocodiles below. Tarzan swings to her rescue and gives her time to scramble to safety while he wrestles and stabs a huge crocodile. He then swims back to Jane and they continue on to Opar. La is still plotting to get rid of Jane and taking Tarzan for her mate.

    Back at the Greystoke estate in England, Sir Henry Beardsley,  advisor to the Greystokes discusses the situation with Philip Annersley, Tarzan's cousin who is next in line to the Lord Greystoke title. They are concerned that they haven't received news or money from Greystoke. Annersley volunteers to go to Africa to look for Tarzan.  When Beardsley leaves, Annersley re-reads a from Al Werper where he indicates Lord Greystoke and Lady Jane have fallen into his trap and he hopes to find the treasure soon -- and that he should come to Africa at once. Beardsley burns the letter and prepares to leave.

    Meanwhile, back in Africa, the Greystokes arrive at Opar and Tarzan climbs a tree to determine the location of the temple. Tarzan is starting to get headaches and remembers being here before but says that it looks different this time as the entrance is blocked by fallen pillars.  They approach the entrance and Tarzan lifts the pillars aside but a guard has seen them and warns La who prepares a trap. Tarzan's memory starts to return and he leads Jane to the secret entrance of the treasure vault. They open the chest containing the Jewels of Opar. While Jane admires the jewels and once again pledges her love for her mate, Werper enters and attacks Tarzan with a knife. A furious battle ensues, Jane faints, the combatants' grappling takes them to the edge of a narrow ledge where they appear fall to their doom.


    CHAPTER 13 ~ A Human Sacrifice

    Jane awakens from her faint and screams as Tarzan and Werper fall off the ledge to the depths below. The screams attract La and the Oparians and Jane exits the Jewel Room only to be captured and taken to the Altar Chamber. Werper has survived the fall and is about to kill Tarzan when he spots the bag of jewels in Tarzans leopard skin. He runs back to the Treasure Room but does not have the stength to open the jewel chest. Meanwhile, La and her followers have started the ceremony for Jane's sacrifice and she reminds her that Tarzan is not around to save her this time. Tarzan, finally regains consciousness but has a terrible headache. His memory is partially restored. He remembers that he is Lord Greystoke but nothing about the more recent events he was involved in. When he sees Werper trying to open the treasure chest he has no memory of the man and offers to lend him a hand. Werper plays along and tries to lead him away from the Altar Chamber but Greystoke recognizes Jane's screams for help and races into the middle of the sacrificial ceremony.


    CHAPTER 14 ~ Tarzan's Rage

    When Tarzan enters the Altar Chamber he recognizes Jane as his wife. He fights off the Oparians and reaches Jane's side. Jane tells La that Tarzan has regained his memory and that they can now lead her to the lost treasure of Opar.  The chief of the Oparians offers them their freedom if they can do this. Werper escapes with Tarzan's sack of jewels to find co-conspirator Annersley. When the Greystokes and Oparians arrive at the Treasure Vaults, Jane and Tarzan agree that their love for each other is all the treasure they need and the Oparians plan to seal the Chamber forever. Before the Greystokes leave for the jungle, La again pledges her love and predicts that Tarzan will return to her someday. On their way through the jungle Jane describes Werper's treachery and Tarzan takes to the trees to shout an ape cry and look for signs of the villain. Panic-stricken Werper reaches the Greystoke estate where Annersley has taken over as the new master. He has cabled Sir Beardsley that Tarzan and Jane have perished in the jungle without obtaining money to save the Greystoke estate. The two men fight over the jewels of Opar that Werper has stolen. A "terrifying" ape cry warns them Tarzan is returning and Werper pretends to leave but hides around the corner. Tarzan and Jane are surprised to see Annersley waiting for them, but when Tarzan hold out his hand in greeting the man does not acknowledge his greeting saying that HE is now Lord Greystoke.


    CHAPTER 15 ~ Tarzan Triumphs

    Werper comes out of hiding and attempts to knife Tarzan in the back. Tarzan blocks the knife thrust but Annersley holds a gun on him while Werper ties him to a tree. They then force Jane to lead them to Opar. Werper and Jane desert Annersley when Werper says he will free Tarzan if Jane will show him the shortcut to the treasure. Meanwhile Tarzan calls his animal friends with a blood-curdling ape cry and is rescued by Tantor. While Tarzan races to the rescue on Tantor's back, the treacherous Annersley is attacked and killed by a tiger. A tiger then comes after Werper and Jane. Werper runs down the trail while Jane climbs a tree for safety. The tiger catches up with Werper and tears him apart. Jane explains what has happened when Tarzan arrives. Tarzan finds the jewels on Werper's body and they realize that this will be sufficient to save their English estate. The ape man expresses his joy by hugging Tantor and voicing the victory cry of the bull ape. When they return to their jungle home they cable Beardsley with the news that they are not dead and that they have money to save Greystoke Estate. Jane notices that Tarzan has permanently attached his leopard skin and knife. He promises that he will not take down the knife again and that, "Fear is now gone and love will remain with us forever."

    Back at their home at the edge of the jungle, Lord Greystoke and wife Lady Jane are dressed to the nines. Lord Greystoke rearranges Annersleys telegram to tell Sir Beardsley that they are not dead and that they have the money to save the estate in England. He signs it, Lord Greystoke. Lady Jane glances over at the wall where her husband has hung his Tarzan garb and knife. The knife is now latched to the wall with twine. He ends the adventure by saying, "The knife will not fall again. There will be no more omens of bad luck. Fear is now gone and love will remain with us forever".

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    Promotional Glass Slides

    Tarzan the Mighty
    1928 | Gallery
    FRANK MERRILL
    "Hercules of the Screen"
    Tarzan the Tiger
    1929
    Merrill Remembered
    Part I
    Merrill Remembered
    Part II
    Merrill Remembered
    Part III
    .
    NATALIE KINGSTON
    Photo Gallery
    .

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    ERB and the Silver Screen Volume I - The Silent Years by Jerry Schneider
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    ERB On The Silver Screen


    Volume 0593

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