Tarzan’s New York Adventure (1942) in Color — Starring Johnny Weissmüller & Maureen O'Sullivan

Tarzan’s New York Adventure (1942) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Tarzan’s New York Adventure, Richard Thorpe’s 1942 adventure comedy 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

When a group of unscrupulous circus promoters visit the African jungle and witness the extraordinary, seemingly superhuman abilities of Boy — Tarzan and Jane’s adopted son, who can swing through the trees, communicate with animals, and perform physical feats that would be the envy of any trained acrobat — they immediately recognize a goldmine. Through a combination of deception, force, and outright kidnapping, the promoters seize Boy and spirit him out of Africa to New York City, planning to exploit the wild jungle child as a sensational, money-making sideshow attraction that will pack circus tents and music halls across America. The devastated Tarzan and the frantic Jane pursue their stolen son across an ocean and into a world more alien and more terrifying to Tarzan than any jungle he has ever navigated: the concrete, steel, and glass wilderness of 1940s Manhattan. Completely out of his element in the overwhelming, chaotic modern city — baffled by taxicabs, revolving doors, elevators, ringing telephones, and the endless, incomprehensible noise and motion of urban civilization — Tarzan must somehow adapt his jungle survival instincts to an environment where everything he knows is useless and everything he encounters is strange, dangerous, and bewildering. Jane, drawing on her own half-forgotten knowledge of civilized life, guides Tarzan through the maze of the legal system as they attempt to regain custody of Boy through proper channels, hiring a sympathetic lawyer and bringing their case before a New York judge. But the courtroom proves as treacherous and as hostile as any jungle predator: the promoters’ lawyers challenge Tarzan and Jane’s legal right to custody, arguing that they are unfit parents who kidnapped a civilized child and raised him as a savage, and the judge seems inclined to agree. When the legal system fails them completely and time runs out, Tarzan abandons the civilized approach entirely and takes matters into his own powerful hands: in a spectacular, breathtaking climax that ranks among the most thrilling sequences in the entire Tarzan series, the lord of the jungle escapes from his captors, races through the streets of Manhattan with the police in pursuit, and makes a legendary, death-defying dive from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River below — swimming with his Olympic-champion power to reach the circus where Boy is being held. This classic movie is an unforgettable, uniquely entertaining blend of adventure, comedy, and genuine emotion that places cinema’s most famous jungle hero in the most unlikely setting imaginable with spectacular results.

Cast & Crew

Director: Richard Thorpe

Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan, Johnny Sheffield, Charles Bickford, Paul Kelly, Chill Wills, Virginia Grey

Johnny Weissmuller is magnificent and deeply entertaining as Tarzan confronting civilization, bringing both genuine physical power and wonderfully innocent, deadpan comic bewilderment to a character who treats a New York City courtroom with the same direct, uncomplicated approach he would use on a jungle predator — the results are simultaneously funny and surprisingly touching. His confusion at elevators, his distrust of taxicabs, and his absolute incomprehension of legal proceedings provide some of the richest comedy in the entire series. Maureen O’Sullivan delivers her final, deeply emotional performance as Jane, bringing warmth, intelligence, and fierce maternal determination to a woman fighting for her family in a world she abandoned long ago. Johnny Sheffield is once again wonderful as Boy, and Charles Bickford adds menacing authority as the ruthless circus promoter.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Tarzan’s New York Adventure was originally filmed in black and white, its striking visual contrast between the lush African jungle and the gleaming Art Deco skyscrapers of 1940s Manhattan, along with its spectacular action climax, all captured in polished MGM photography. This professionally colorized restoration brings frame-by-frame precision to the lush green jungle of the opening sequences, the gleaming steel and glass towers of Manhattan, the warm courtroom interiors, and the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge climax with its sparkling blue waters below. The colorized version adds tremendous visual impact to this restored classic film, making the striking, dramatic contrast between Tarzan’s tropical paradise and the cold, overwhelming urban jungle of New York even more visually powerful. Now also available in colour.

Buy Tarzan’s New York Adventure in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Tarzan’s New York Adventure marked the final, emotional pairing of Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O’Sullivan in the iconic roles of Tarzan and Jane, bringing to a close a beloved chapter in Hollywood history that began with Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932 and spanned six films and an entire decade of movie magic. O’Sullivan’s departure from the series marked the end of cinema’s most famous screen partnership in the adventure genre. The film’s innovative premise of placing Tarzan in a modern city setting provided both rich comedy and surprisingly effective social commentary, contrasting jungle directness and honesty with urban complexity, legal manipulation, and civilized cruelty. The spectacular Brooklyn Bridge dive became one of the most famous and most frequently cited stunts in the entire Tarzan franchise. Through colorization, this landmark final collaboration of cinema’s most beloved jungle couple 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 71 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 last Tarzan film with Maureen O’Sullivan?
A: Yes, Tarzan’s New York Adventure was Maureen O’Sullivan’s sixth and final appearance as Jane, ending her legendary, decade-long run opposite Johnny Weissmuller that began with Tarzan the Ape Man in 1932 and created the definitive screen Tarzan-Jane relationship that all subsequent versions have sought to emulate.

Q: Does Tarzan really dive off the Brooklyn Bridge?
A: Yes, the film’s spectacular, legendary climax features Tarzan’s famous death-defying leap from the Brooklyn Bridge into the East River as part of his desperate rescue mission to recover Boy — one of the most memorable, most celebrated action stunts in the entire Tarzan franchise and a scene that audiences remember vividly decades after seeing it.

Q: How does colorization enhance this fish-out-of-water adventure?
A: Colorization dramatically amplifies the film’s central visual contrast — the warm, lush greens and golds of the African jungle sequences versus the cold, gleaming steel and gray concrete of 1940s Manhattan create a striking visual dichotomy that perfectly mirrors Tarzan’s emotional journey from the paradise he understands to the bewildering civilization he must conquer to save his son.

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 the Ape Man (1932)
• Tarzan and His Mate (1934)
• Tarzan Escapes (1936)
• Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939)
• Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)