Jungle Goddess
1948 film by Lewis D. Collins From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jungle Goddess is a 1948 American action/adventure crime film starring George Reeves, Ralph Byrd, and Wanda McKay. Directed by Lewis D. Collins, the film was based on an idea by producer William Stephens.
| Jungle Goddess | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lewis D. Collins |
| Screenplay by | Jo Pagano |
| Produced by | William Stephens |
| Starring | George Reeves Ralph Byrd Wanda McKay |
| Cinematography | Carl Berger |
| Edited by | Norman A. Cerf |
| Music by | Irving Gertz |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Screen Guild Productions Commonwealth Pictures reissue |
Release date |
|
Running time | 62 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Jungle Goddess was later featured in a Season 2 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
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.
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- George Reeves as Mike Patton
- Wanda McKay as Greta Vanderhorn
- Ralph Byrd as Bob Simpson
- Armida as Wanama
- Onest Conley as Drummer
- Rudy Robles as Nugara
- Jack Carroll as Accompanist
- Dolores Castle as Yvonne
- Fred Coby as Pilot
- Helena Grant as Mrs. Fitzhugh
- Reed Hadley 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
The film was the first to be produced by Robert L. Lippert's independent production company, Lippert Pictures.[1]
Lippert borrowed George Reeves to star and filming began in June 1948.[2]
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."[3] Despite this reaction, the film was widely seen, as one of the most watched movies in what were then all 48 states.[4] In 1950 the film was shown as part of a double feature with Treasure Island at the Five Points Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama as well several other theaters around the state.[5] In 1954 Jungle Goddess was shown as part of a double feature with a re-airing of The Lawless Nineties in several media markets.[6]
The film was popular enough for a follow-up Green Gold which became Thunder in the Pines.[7]
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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).[8]
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