''Jungle Goddess'' is a 1948 American

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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 spo ...

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

starring

George Reeves George Reeves (born George Keefer Brewer; January 5, 1914 – June 16, 1959) was an American actor. He was best known for portraying Superman, Clark Kent/Superman in the television series ''Adventures of Superman (TV series), Adventures of ...

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, and

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. Directed by

Lewis D. Collins Lewis D. Collins (January 12, 1899 – August 24, 1954) was an American film director and occasional screenwriter. In his career spanning over 30 years, he churned out dozens of Westerns. Career Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Collins' film caree ...

, 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 television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. It then ...

''.

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 The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious organisation. Ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many god ...

. 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 *

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as Wanama *

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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 V ...

as Nugara * Jack Carroll as Accompanist * Dolores Castle as Yvonne *

Fred Coby Frederick G. Beckner Jr. (March 1, 1916 – September 27, 1970) was an American film and television actor. He was known for playing Pony Deal in the fifth season of the American western television series ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp''. ...

as Pilot * Helena Grant as Mrs. Fitzhugh *

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as Radio Newscaster (uncredited) * Sam Harris as Bar Patron (uncredited) * Linda Leighton as Helen Phillips (credited as Linda Johnson) *

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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'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

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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 19-year-old Ann Rutherford and Gabby Hayes. The film's copyright was r ...

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

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 1948 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 English-language action adventure films Films scored by Irving Gertz English-language independent films English-language crime films Mystery Science Theater 3000