Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (novel)
| Tarzan and the Valley of Gold | |
|---|---|
Original film poster by Reynold Brown
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| Directed by | Robert Day |
| Produced by | Sy Weintraub |
| Written by | Clair Huffaker |
| Based on | Characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs |
| Starring |
Mike Henry David Opatoshu Manuel Padilla, Jr. Nancy Kovack |
| Music by | Van Alexander |
| Cinematography | Irving Lippman |
| Edited by | Frank P. Keller |
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Production
company |
Banner Productions
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| Distributed by | American International Pictures (original), Warner Bros. (DVD, 2010) |
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Release date
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Running time
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90 minutes |
| Country | Switzerland United States |
| Language | English |
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| Author | Fritz Leiber |
|---|---|
| Series | Tarzan (book series) |
| Publisher | Ballantine Books |
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Publication date
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April 1966 |
| Media type | paperback |
| Pages | 317 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 4154942 |
| Preceded by | Tarzan and the Castaways (1965) |
| Followed by | Tarzan: The Lost Adventure (1995) |
Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966) is an adventure film starring Mike Henry in his debut as Tarzan. This movie, produced by Sy Weintraub, written by Clair Huffaker, and directed by Robert Day, is remembered for its very James Bond-like portrayal of a tropical suited, globetrotting Tarzan. It was released in July 1966.
The novelisation by Fritz Leiber was the first authorised Tarzan novel by an author other than Edgar Rice Burroughs, and was officially the 25th book in the series.
Augustus Vinero (David Opatoshu) is a wealthy international criminal known for his habit of sending explosive wristwatches or necklaces to those not in his favour. When he hears of Ramel (Manuel Padilla Jr.), a small boy who may know the location of the fabled Valley of Gold in Mexico, he sends a death squad of plainclothes mercenaries which destroys the farmhouse (and its inhabitants) where Ramel is being sheltered.
Prior to his murder, the head of the farmhouse summoned his old friend Tarzan to track the kidnappers and rescue the boy. Aware of Tarzan's arrival, Vinero uses one of his assassins to impersonate a taxi driver to meet Tarzan at the airport. Tarzan is driven to an ambush in an empty stadium. After the driver is killed, Tarzan kills the sniper by crushing him with a giant Coca-Cola bottle used in the stadium for advertising.
The local authorities take Tarzan to the boy's wrecked compound and offer Tarzan troops, technology and weapons for his mission. Tarzan turns them down in favour of his own equipment: a chimpanzee scout called Dinky, a lion named Major, Ramel's pet leopard, his hunting knife and his uniform of a loincloth.
Meanwhile, Vinero and his private army are heading for the lost city in two separate parties, one led by Vinero and the other party has Ramel. Vinero's uniformed private army is well equipped with American World War II small arms, an M3 Stuart light tank, an M3 Half-track and a Bell 47 helicopter. Tarzan catches up with Ramel's party, the leopard is killed and Tarzan kills Vinero's thugs. Tarzan calls Vinero on a walkie-talkie and tells him what has happened and warns Vinero not to continue, Vinero sends a helicopter which Tarzan, using a captured M1919 Browning machine gun (that he fires from the hip but misses) and then a bolus of Mk 2 grenades, brings down.
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