''Jungle Goddess'' is a 1948 American

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combin ...

starring

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying Superman in the television series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952–1958). His death at age 45 from a g ...

Ralph Byrd Ralph Byrd (April 22, 1909 – August 18, 1952) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing the comic strip character Dick Tracy on screen, in serials, films and television. Early life and career The son of George and Edna ...

, and

Wanda McKay Wanda McKay (born Dorothy Quackenbush; June 22, 1915 – April 11, 1996) was an American actress and model. Early years McKay was born as Dorothy Quackenbush in Portland, Oregon,McKay's obituary in the Los Angeles Times says that she was " ...

. Directed by Lewis D. Collins, the film was based on an idea by producer William Stephens. ''Jungle Goddess'' was later featured in a Season 2 episode of ''

Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1 ...

''.

Plot

In Africa, pilot Mike Patton is persuaded by his business partner, Bob Simpson, to conduct a search for a missing heiress whose plane supposedly went down in the jungle, resulting in her never being seen again. Encountering an indigenous tribe of natives, Bob recklessly shoots a man. He is taken before a woman, Greta, who is being treated like a high priestess. Bob is sentenced to die, but when she gets Mike off to herself, Greta pleads with him to help her escape. During a struggle, a gun goes off and a guard is left dead. With the tribesmen in pursuit, Mike and Greta are betrayed by Bob, who has gone mad. But after he is killed by a spear, Mike and Greta make it to the plane and safely get away.

Cast

as Mike Patton *

as Greta Vanderhorn *

as Bob Simpson * Armida as Wanama *

Onest Conley Onest Conley (December 6, 1906 – October 8, 1989) was an American film actor. Early life Born in Evanston, Illinois, his mother was the pioneering African-American film actress Madame Sul-Te-Wan (''née'' Nellie Crawford) and his father was R ...

as Drummer *

Rudy Robles Rudy Robles (born Pastor Lluviosa Robles, 29 April 1910 – 11 August 1970) was a Filipino film and television actor. He was one of the first Filipino actors to appear in Hollywood movies. Career Robles was born in Tacloban, in the Eastern ...

as Nugara * Jack Carroll as Accompanist * Dolores Castle as Yvonne * Fred Coby as Pilot * Helena Grant as Mrs. Fitzhugh *

Reed Hadley Reed Hadley (born Reed Herring, June 25, 1911 – December 11, 1974) was an American film, television and radio actor. Early life Hadley was born in Petrolia, Texas, to Bert Herring, an oil well driller, and his wife Minnie. Hadley had one ...

as Radio Newscaster (uncredited) * Sam Harris as Bar Patron (uncredited) * Linda Leighton as Helen Phillips (credited as Linda Johnson) * Smoki Whitfield as Oolonga the witch doctor * Zack Williams as Chief M'benga

Production notes

The film was the first to be produced by

Robert L. Lippert Robert Lenard Lippert (March 31, 1909 – November 16, 1976) was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in ...

's independent production company, Lippert Pictures. Lippert borrowed George Reeves to star and filming began in June 1948.

Reception

A ''Los Angeles Times'' reviewer who saw the film in a theater called it "so corny" that the audience "died laughing when they weren't razzing on it." Despite this reaction, the film was widely seen, as one of the most watched movies in what were then all 48 states. In 1950 the film was shown as part of a double feature with

Treasure Island ''Treasure Island'' (originally titled ''The Sea Cook: A Story for Boys''Hammond, J. R. 1984. "Treasure Island." In ''A Robert Louis Stevenson Companion'', Palgrave Macmillan Literary Companions. London: Palgrave Macmillan. .) is an adventure no ...

at the Five Points Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama as well several other theaters around the state. In 1954 Jungle Goddess was shown as part of a double feature with a re-airing of ''

The Lawless Nineties ''The Lawless Nineties'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring John Wayne and Lane Chandler as federal agents in Wyoming. The film also stars a 19-year-old Ann Rutherford as well as George Hayes. The film's cop ...

'' in several media markets. The film was popular enough for a follow up ''Green Gold'' which became ''

Thunder in the Pines ''Thunder in the Pines'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Robert Edwards and starring George Reeves and Ralph Byrd. The film was shot in sepia tone. It was executive produced by Robert L. Lippert. Plot Production Reeves and Byrd a ...

''.

Home media

In 2006, ''Jungle Goddess'' was released on Region 1 DVD in the United States by VCI Home Video. The film was paired with another title starring George Reeves, ''Thunder in the Pines'' (1948).

References

External links

* * * *
Review of film
at ''Variety'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Jungle Goddess 1948 films 1940s action adventure films 1940s crime films American crime films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films set in Africa American independent films Lippert Pictures films Films directed by Lewis D. Collins American action adventure films 1940s American films