Clevercell Very disappointing...
Marketic It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.
Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Leofwine_draca THE SAVAGE GIRL is an early jungle adventure outing put out in 1932 just after the advent of the talkies. It doesn't really feel as old as it is, looking and feeling more like a 1940s programmer than a film made this early. The simplistic story is little more than a gender twist variant on the old Tarzan story, with plot elements that creak from overuse.A bunch of characters decide to head into the African wilds in order to get some game for a millionaire's zoo. One of them tries to show his progressive attitudes by saying he's never killed an animal that didn't attack him first (big deal). The comic relief drunk character is a good addition to the mix.On arrival in Africa, they're confronted by endless stock wildlife scenes of leopards, chimpanzees, and elephants, and also the titular character, who randomly has a full face of make up despite never having encountered man before. Not much happens other than characters wandering around to waste time, although the titular character's appearance is quite racy for the era.
mark.waltz When a drunk, a white mouse, and an elephant get more amusement than a scantily clad jungle girl (on whom the film is named after), you know what kind of film you are in for. Rochelle Hudson gets to scream more than any heroine in a Bela Lugosi film here, dealing with the nefarious intentions of sleazy looking Adolph Milar while being rescued by rather portly hero Walter Byron. Milar comes from the Tod Slaughter/Snidely Whiplash school of acting, and fortunately only has minimal screen time. In the meantime, there is stock jungle footage of natives and various wild animals (used over and over), as well as drunken Harry Myers' experiment of finding out if white mice will scare elephants is true. This brings out a few amusing moments. Of interest, I did find out from one source that elephants may be afraid of mice because they are afraid of them running up their trunks and causing them to smother to death. (Talk about the phrase "Junk in your trunk!") Hudson isn't really all that interesting as eye candy here. Maureen O'Sullivan had nothing to worry about, nor did the thousands of others used in "Tarzan" rip-offs such as "Hollywood Party" (Lupe Velez) and "So This is Africa!" (Raquel Torres). While she would go on to better things, this was not a distinguished way to start a career. Other than screaming, her entire dialog consists of repeating words that Walter Byron says in an effort to communicate with her. While you can't really expect all that much out of these "Z" grade films of the 30's and 40's, sometimes you find a gem or something good enough to make them memorable. It's sad to say that a drunk, a white mouse, and an elephant do not have enough screen time to make that the case in this film.
Quincy Hughes This is somewhat of a camp classic for a few reasons, one of which is undoubtedly Rochelle Hudson (who actually had quite a decent film career) and her absolutely stunning looks in the film. To her credit, she portrays the Jungle Goddess role with some actual effort too, utilizing very little in spoken word and a great deal of nonverbal communicating to the cameras (granted, a great deal of screaming too). The acting is actually not bad by the main characters, and the story's not too shabby either, especially considering this era's standards for such MST3K-ish fare such as this film. However, it's an hour long and it doesn't drag at all, plus it's admittedly fun watching the bad guy get his come-uppance from both the main character and a gorilla buddy of the Jungle Goddess. The film's also quite funny at times, with Stitch actually bringing a taxi driver, cab and all, on the African expedition, and some callback dialogue that never seems forced. Anyone throwing an "old, bad movie marathon" party should track this one down.
unbrokenmetal Eccentric millionaire Stitch (Harry C. Myers) decides to go to Africa one day in order to catch a few animals for his new zoo. Since the cab driver mentions he'd love to go to Africa himself, Stitch invites him along and they go across the jungle in that taxi. Rather unique, I'd say. Along with the experienced hunter Franklyn (Walter Byron), they find the adventure they are looking for and meet the white jungle goddess (Rochelle Hudson), only to be faced with treachery and dangerous natives etc. in a life-or-death struggle."The Savage Girl" may not be on the same production level as "Tarzan the Ape Man" which was shot in the same year and featured Maureen O'Sullivan in her first appearance as Jane. However, it is still good fun and an important early predecessor for many films about jungle women that followed. Rochelle Hudson doesn't only have killer looks, but also the acting abilities to express a lot of things without words, from curiosity to anger. Unfortunately, she has to scream for help a bit too often. In later movies of the genre, jungle goddesses obtained more power over animals and men so if you said they rule the jungle, it sounded more true than in this case.
