Lord of the Jungle (1955)

Elephant hunters have arrived in Africa, which understandably irks jungle lord Bomba (Johnny Sheffield). It turns out the killing of a herd of elephants is mandated by government officials. The herd is said to have gone "rogue." Bomba argues that only one elephant has gone "rogue" and forbids any killing of elephants on his land. Pretty young Nancy Hale (as Mona Andrews) arrives from London. Yes, she is there for the prerequisite "swimming scene" and must come around after calling Bomba spoiled and stubborn. Her uncle Paul Picerni supports the elephant killing, even though he's Bomba's friend. Bomba considers the elephants his friends, too...This was the last film in the "Bomba" series. It was always intended as low-budget matinée fare for a young audience and was certainly successful on that level. The genre produced great movies, which can't be claimed here. This entry is representative, and does feature a comparative good level of action, courtesy of Ford Beebe. He does keep the excitement level high. Several segments are edited nicely, too. While the "stock footage" is obvious, you have to compliment Mr. Beebe on how he keeps the performers on track; for example, the plane passengers in the beginning look more realistic in their movements and actions than the jungle footage...This was also the last film for Mr. Sheffield. He did an unsold pilot for a TV series called "Bantu the Zebra Boy" (1956). It is very much like "Bomba the Jungle Boy" and can be seen on a popular video site. Sheffield was well-suited for his role as Tarzan's "Boy" and "Bomba" but was never quite authentic in the jungle, after maturing into teen and adult years. He was curiously not cut out for the role which made him a star. Keeping fit and being so associated with the genre probably hurt his chances at getting more serious roles. Considering the inclusion of some fine stunts Sheffield performs in this film, he might also have made a convincing comic book hero.***** Bomba: Lord of the Jungle (6/12/55) Ford Beebe ~ Johnny Sheffield, Nancy Hale, Wayne Morris, Paul Picerni

LORD OF THE JUNGLE (Allied Artists, 1955), Written, produced and directed by Ford Beebe, might have been a more fitting title for any one of the "Tarzan" adventures starring Johnny Weissmuller a decade or so ago. Instead, the title is used for what's not only become the twelfth and final installment to the "Bomba, the Jungle Boy" movie series, but the final screen appearance to its originator, Johnny Sheffield (1931-2010). After many years in jungle adventures starting with his debut role of Boy in TARZAN FINDS A SON (MGM, 1939) starring "lord of the jungle" Johnny Weissmuller at his fourth go-round in his signature role, it was rather fitting that after growing out of playing Boy 1947, that the teen-age Sheffield was offered another jungle character portrayal. As often credited, "based on the character created by Roy Rockwell in the "Bomba" books," who else but Sheffield could play the part of a teenage Tarzan named Bomba? Debuting in the part in BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY (Monogram, 1949), unlike the long-running Tarzan franchise, nobody but Sheffield was Bomba. It would be a matter of time before Sheffield outgrew his teen character considering by this time he was already approaching his mid-twenties. Whether it was the intent to end the series here or not, at least it didn't conclude with an unwatchable or unbearable item as with some series finales.Following its fade in as the camera tracking through the jungle, Bomba is immediately viewed swinging on a vine. Next scene introduces new assortment of characters, that of Mona Andrews (Nancy Hale) and her fiancé, Paul Gavin (Paul Picerni) in a private airplane. It is later revealed that Gavin intends on moving to Africa to work as a missionary doctor, something Mona would rather he not do. Mona in turn happens to be the niece of Bomba's closest friend, Deputy Commissioner Andy Barnes (Leonard Mudie). Enter Jeff Wood (Wayne Morris), a hunter hired by the government to shoot a herd of rogue elephants destroying villages and killing natives. Bomba prevents Wood from doing so, and intends on proving his theory of only one bad elephant being the responsible one and the one to be shot and killed, not the entire herd. Because Bomba actually owns the property formerly owned by his now deceased parents, the Hastings, does the jungle boy resume his protection of his animal friends from extinction. During the course of the story, Bomba helps with Mona's dilemma and ends up in troubles of his own when later tied and bound by one of the hunters he had earlier rescued, thus, leaving the helpless Bomba to face an oncoming elephant stampede heading his way.Somewhat reminiscent to the earlier Weissmuller/Tarzan adventures where jungle lord pits himself against hunters invading his territory and out to eliminate his wildlife friends. There's also some footage capturing some underwater swimming between Bomba and Mona, the sort of scenes commonly depicted by Tarzan and his mate, Jane. Other story extensions as sending messages through drum pounding and lifted stock animal footage of giraffes and elephants roaming about add to its jungle feel, even with obvious rear projection footage noticeable here and there.For the only time in the series, Sheffield shares equal billing above the title with co-star Wayne Morris. Though the Morris share might have meant something for movie audiences during his brief prime in motion pictures for Warner Brothers (1937-1940), by 1955, ranging from older to a younger generation of theater attendees, Morris was just another name on the motion picture screen. Oddly enough, in spite of their equal status billing, Sheffield and Morris are not constantly together from start to finish as what one may assume. In fact, Sheffield has more screen time with Nancy Hale (quite obvious by the writer's point of view by using her as a female influence on the jungle boy now jungle man). Although Hale gets by with her fine looks, the only setback happens to be on her somewhat amateurish acting in certain scenes. Others featured in the cast are William Phipps (Kenny Balou); series regular Smoki Whitfield (Eli); James Adamson (Elisha); Harry Lauter (The Pilot); Joel Fluellen (Mulu); and Juanita Moore (Mulu's Wife).Presented on commercial television since the 1960s, better known as my own introduction to the Bomba series when it played part of its weekly Saturday morning line-up of "Jungle Adventure" on WOR-TV, Channel 9, in New York City (1977-1979), LORD OF THE JUNGLE, along with the previous "Bomba" adventures, have turned up on cable television, notably Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 24, 2012), where the series has been rediscovered by a new generation, or revisited by older ones who grew up watching this series. Mainly geared for the youthful generation when produced, LORD OF THE JUNGLE bids farewell from both Bomba the character and Johnny Sheffield, the jungle boy of many Saturday Matinée second feature presentations. (**1/2).

The last in the Bomba series starring Johnny Sheffield. This also happens to be the last film of Sheffield's career, as he wisely retired after this. The plot to this one has Bomba trying to stop a rogue elephant in order to prevent an entire herd from being slaughtered by government-sanctioned hunters. The idea that one elephant can essentially lead a herd of them into doing things they don't want to do seems pretty out there but it's best to just go with it. Also this movie introduces the fact that Bomba OWNS the African jungle he inhabits, apparently because his birth father bought it. How this was never mentioned in any of the other movies is beyond me but, again, just go with it.In addition to Sheffield and regulars Leonard Mudie and Smoki Whitfield, there's a portly Wayne Morris as one of the hunters and Nancy Hale as the niece of Bomba's friend Andy Barnes. She has an obligatory swimming scene, as most of the girls in this series did. Wayne Morris is far removed from his days as a leading man for Warner Bros. If it weren't for his distinctive voice, I might have mistaken him for George Kennedy here. There's even more stock footage than usual in this entry. It's used well and the action scenes with the elephants are good. There are also more scenes of Bomba swinging through the jungle than normal. The Bomba series is not one of my favorites and it is certainly far below the quality of the Tarzan movies Sheffield co-starred in with Johnny Weissmuller. Still, most of them are enjoyable enough and this is a good end to the series.

***SPOILERS*** In this the last of the "Bomba the Jungle Boy" films Bomba, Johnny Sheffield,takes it upon himself to bring a murderous rouge elephant named Raju to justice. Raju who's become wild and crazy from eating contaminated, from DDT, weeds and ended up leading or forcing his heard of elephant to go nuts attacking and killing a number of the local native population.Bomba who comes on the scene to help catch and kill Raju is shocked to find out that it's been decided by the county's High Commissioner to kill the entire heard of elephants along with Raju! Knowing that the land where the elephants are grazing at or around belonged to Bomba's British parents the Hastings he uses that technicality,in that it now belongs to him, to have the animals driven or kept on to his land and thus prevent them from being exterminated by the white hunters lead by Jeff Wood, Wayne Morris, assigned by "The Commish" to gun them them all down to the last elephant!Raju for his part goes on,with his band of elephants followers, rampaging through the jungle killing among others Bomba's native friend Molu,Joel Fluellen, and his infant child leaving his wife, Juanita Moore, a widow before her 21th birthday. Bomba still has a hard time convincing the local authorities that it's Raju not those elephants with him who's responsible for all this carnage but time is running out with bands of white and native hunters descending into Bomba country to wipe out the entire elephant herd. As a side story there's also the spunky and pretty Mona Hammond, Nancy Hale, who traveled to Bomba Country to find her husband known by the natives as the "Great White Witch Doctor" Lewis Hammond. Lewis gave up a lucrative medical practice back in London to save those, in the African bush, who could never afford much less get his help or services! ***SPOILERS*** The film reaches a wild and bloody crescendo with the rampaging Raju tearing the jungle apart with Bomba's good friend Deputhy Commissioner Andy Barnes(Leonard Mudie), after Bomba gave him back the gun he stole from him, gunning down the rouge elephant and finally putting an end to all this madness! Still Bomba has to prove that it was only the now dead Raju who was the reason for all this death and destruction. It's then that Bomba organizes an elephant parade in front of Deputy Commissioner's Barnes headquarters to prove just how harmless and friendly the maligned by almost everyone in the movie, with the exception of Bomba and Mona, elephants were.