Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) in Color — Starring Johnny Weissmüller & Maureen O'Sullivan

Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Tarzan the Ape Man, W.S. Van Dyke’s 1932 adventure classic starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O’Sullivan, now available as a professionally colorized version. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Jane Parker, a beautiful, spirited, and adventurous young Englishwoman, arrives in colonial East Africa to join her father, James Parker, a grizzled, obsessive veteran ivory trader who cares more about elephants’ tusks than about any human relationship. Jane is appalled by the primitive conditions and casual dangers of African colonial life but fascinated by the wild, vast, untamed landscape that stretches endlessly beyond the trading post. Her father, together with his experienced, steady hunting partner Harry Holt, is organizing a perilous expedition into utterly uncharted territory to find the legendary Mutia Escarpment — an enormous, mysterious cliff wall beyond which, according to native legend, lies the fabled Elephants’ Graveyard, a mythical place where generations of elephants have gone to die, leaving behind an unimaginable fortune in ivory tusks that would make any man rich beyond his wildest dreams. Despite warnings from terrified native porters and the obvious, extreme dangers of the journey, the headstrong Jane insists on accompanying the expedition, driven by curiosity, a desire to know her father, and an adventurous spirit that will not be denied. As the expedition pushes deeper and deeper into unknown, increasingly hostile territory — battling through impossible terrain, surviving encounters with hostile tribes, crossing crocodile-infested rivers, and losing porters to accidents, disease, and desertion — they penetrate into a region where no outsider has ever set foot and returned alive. It is here, in the deepest, most primordial reaches of the African wilderness, that Jane encounters a creature unlike anything she has ever imagined: Tarzan, a magnificently powerful, supremely athletic wild man who was raised from infancy by a tribe of great apes and has never known human contact, human language, or human civilization. Tarzan is terrifying and magnificent — a being of pure physical power and animal grace who can outrun, outfight, and outclimb any creature in the jungle. He abducts Jane and carries her off to his ape tribe’s domain high in the treetops, and what begins as captivity slowly, incredibly, transforms into something neither of them could have predicted: a powerful, primal connection between two people from utterly different worlds, a bond that transcends language, civilization, and everything Jane has ever known. As Jane finds herself falling under the spell of Tarzan’s wild, free, unspoiled world — swimming with him in crystal jungle pools, learning his wordless communication, and discovering a freedom and authenticity she never found in England — the ivory expedition continues its doomed march toward the Elephants’ Graveyard, directly into the territory of hostile warriors who guard the sacred place with lethal force. Jane must ultimately choose between the civilized world she was raised in and the untamed paradise that Tarzan offers, a choice that will define the rest of her life. This classic movie defined the screen image of Tarzan for all generations to come and launched one of cinema’s most enduring and beloved franchises.

Cast & Crew

Director: W.S. Van Dyke

Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan, C. Aubrey Smith, Neil Hamilton, Doris Lloyd, Forrester Harvey

Johnny Weissmuller is an absolutely magnificent physical presence as Tarzan, bringing the character to screen life with a combination of genuine Olympic-champion athleticism, natural animal grace, and inarticulate emotional expressiveness that made every previous screen Tarzan instantly obsolete and set the template that has endured for nearly a century. Weissmuller’s five Olympic gold medals in swimming gave him a physical authority that no actor could fake, and his famous Tarzan yell — an extraordinary, multi-layered vocal creation that remains one of the most iconic sounds in cinema history — became an indelible part of popular culture. Maureen O’Sullivan brings intelligence, beauty, warmth, and surprising emotional depth to Jane, creating the definitive screen interpretation of a woman who discovers her true self in the most unexpected place imaginable. C. Aubrey Smith lends imposing British dignity to the obsessive, ivory-mad James Parker, and Neil Hamilton is suitably earnest as the reliable Harry Holt.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Tarzan the Ape Man was originally filmed in black and white, its spectacular African locations, elaborate jungle sets, breathtaking swimming sequences, and massive expedition scenes all captured in MGM’s world-class photography. This professionally colorized restoration brings frame-by-frame precision to the lush, dense jungle canopy, the sparkling blue rivers and crystal swimming pools, the golden African savanna, and the powerful, athletic physicality of Johnny Weissmuller and the luminous beauty of Maureen O’Sullivan. The colorized version adds breathtaking natural beauty and exotic atmosphere to this restored classic film, transforming the African jungle into the vivid, living paradise it was always meant to be. Now also available in colour.

Buy Tarzan the Ape Man in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Tarzan the Ape Man launched one of cinema’s most enduring, most profitable, and most culturally influential franchises, making Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller a major Hollywood star virtually overnight and establishing the definitive screen interpretation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ legendary character that has influenced every subsequent portrayal. Directed by the efficient, adventure-specialist W.S. Van Dyke, the film redefined Tarzan from a literary character into an iconic cinematic figure, and Weissmuller’s extraordinary, multi-layered Tarzan yell became one of the most recognized and most imitated sounds in worldwide popular culture. The electric, pioneering romantic chemistry between Weissmuller and Maureen O’Sullivan set the template for all subsequent Tarzan-Jane relationships and helped make the series one of the most popular and longest-running in Hollywood history. Through colorization, this landmark film that started it all is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 99 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is this the original 1932 Tarzan with Johnny Weissmuller?
A: Yes, this is the original Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) starring Johnny Weissmuller in his legendary first appearance as Tarzan, professionally colorized while preserving the complete, uncut original film. This is the movie that started one of cinema’s most enduring franchises.

Q: Was Johnny Weissmuller really an Olympic swimmer?
A: Yes, Weissmuller won five Olympic gold medals in swimming before becoming Hollywood’s most famous and most beloved Tarzan. His extraordinary, genuine athletic prowess — including his record-breaking swimming abilities — is spectacularly on display throughout the film and gave his Tarzan a physical authenticity that no mere actor could replicate.

Q: How does colorization enhance this landmark adventure?
A: Colorization transforms the African jungle into a breathtaking, vivid paradise — the dense green canopy, the sparkling blue rivers, the golden savanna, the rich earth tones, and the tropical colors create an immersive visual experience that brings the jungle world to spectacular life and adds a new dimension of beauty to a film that launched a legend.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file compatible with virtually any device or media player.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• Tarzan and His Mate (1934)
• Tarzan Escapes (1936)
• Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)
• One Million B.C. (1940)
• The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938)