The Jungle Captive
| The Jungle Captive | |
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Theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Harold Young |
| Written by | Dwight V. Babcock (story & screenplay) M. Coates Webster (screenplay) |
| Starring |
Otto Kruger Amelita Ward Rondo Hatton |
| Music by | Paul Sawtell (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Maury Gertsman |
| Edited by | Fred R. Feitshans, Jr. |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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63 minutes |
| Country | United States |
The Jungle Captive is a 1945 sequel to Jungle Woman (1944), which had been preceded by Captive Wild Woman (1943). The Jungle Captive features Otto Kruger, Amelita Ward, and Rondo Hatton (as a character named "Moloch"). Vicky Lane plays Paula Dupree, a lead character from the two earlier films. The film was written by Dwight V. Babcock and directed by Harold Young.
The film begins in the laboratory of the eminent biochemist Mr. Stendahl (Otto Kruger). As his assistants, Ann Forester (Amelita Ward) and Don Young (Phil Brown) observe, he successfully concludes an experiment to restore life to a dead rabbit.
Meanwhile, at the city morgue, the misshapen Moloch (Rondo Hatton) arrives to claim the body of the now dead Ape Woman (Vicky Lane). The inquisitive attendant begins checking his credentials and is strangled for his efforts. Moloch escapes unseen with his quarry in a stolen ambulance.
With the Ape Woman’s body in tow, Moloch ditches the stolen vehicle over a cliff and proceeds with his own car to his final destination. He arrives at a desolate house and carries his cargo inside.
The police, led by Inspector Harrigan (Jerome Cowan) manage to discover a clue, a medical smock, found near the wreckage of the ambulance. They trace it to Mr. Stendahl’s lab, where Harrigan finds that it belongs to Don, making him suspicious of the young lab assistant. Ann, present during his questioning, offers a fake alibi to cover for her fiancé.
Later, Stendahl abducts Ann and transports her to his secret lab, the desolate house on Old Orchard Road that contains Moloch and the body of the Ape Woman. He plans to use a portion of Ann’s blood to revive the creature. Moloch, enamored with the pretty new houseguest, becomes very protective of her. With her blood, the biochemist is successful in restoring life to the beast. In order to fully prove his theory, he knows he will need to convert her to human form. He sends Moloch to secure the records of the late Dr. Walters, which remain in the possession of Dr. Fletcher. A later dialog exchange reveals that the hapless Fletcher was killed during the theft.
Armed with the recorded knowledge gathered by Dr. Walters, Stendahl utilizes glandular secretions from his captive lab assistant to complete the Ape Woman’s metamorphosis. However, the brain of his subject has been damaged and possesses only animal instincts. He determines that a new brain is needed, and decides to use Ann as a donor.
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Wikipedia