Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (B or 3/4 stars)
'Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes' (directed by Hugh Hudson, Chariots of Fire) attempts to adhere to the story line of Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan book(s), resulting in a film that isn't so much an action/adventure saga as it is a straightforward drama. See, whereas most Tarzan movies concentrate on his escapades with evildoers, 'Greystoke' concentrates on the origins/evolution of the character. This may not satisfy viewers intent on seeing thrilling adventures. But this is still a character study, in & of itself. Sure, some of the scenarios are far-fetched. But we are talking about an ape man, after all {haha}.
Shipwrecked on the harsh coast of Africa in 1885, Lord Clayton & his pregnant wife Lady Alice both die shortly after the birth of their son, John. She dies from malaria; he, from an ape attack. Abandoned, the orphaned John is then adopted by a family of highly evolved apes, & raised as one of their own. This rousing segment takes up an hour of the film, and is the best part of it. 20 yrs. later, John, now "Tarzan" (Christopher Lambert) finds & rescues a hunter, Belgian explorer Phillipe D'Arnot (Ian Holm) from a terrible death; and he is taught to speak English by the grateful Phillipe. Coming across the remains of Tarzan's parents, Phillipe discovers that the "Lord of the Jungle" is actually a direct descendant of the Earl of Greystoke; and thus, takes it upon himself to return him to civilization.
Brought back to Scotland, Tarzan is welcomed to the enormous, sprawling Greystoke estate and introduced to society; where his ape-like manners offend everyone except the likeable (& senile) Lord of Greystoke (the great Ralph Richardson, in his final film) & Greystoke's American ward, "Jane" Porter (Andie McDowell, dubbed - interestingly enough - by Glenn Close). Disturbed at the idea of Tarzan's inheriting Greystoke manner, his more greedy family members begin plotting against him; along with Jane's suitor, Lord Charles Esker (James Fox). Finding just as many challenges in Great Britain as he did in the jungle, Tarzan must decide if he can adapt himself to England or not; especially after a painful reunion with his ape foster father.
Ralph Richardson steals the show as the eccentric, filthy rich grandfather. Christopher Lambert is good looking, athletic, but mostly (& merely) grunts his part. Andie MacDowell is radiant, but the script gives her little to do. James Fox plays a decent scoundrel. And Ian Holm is stellar at presenting a patient, understanding father figure to the lost boy of Africa. John Alcott's cinematography is one of the best aspects of the film. The landscapes of Cameroon & Scotland are simply gorgeous. I enjoyed John Scott's varied musical score; there's even an old-fashioned overture before the movie begins. Stuart Craig's set design looks quite authentic. And the primate makeup done by Rick Baker, famous for his work on Star Wars, An American Werewolf in London, et al, is superb.
The 2nd half of the film is ALL about Tarzan's reactions to the civilized world. It's fine, but doesn't maintain the sweep or dramatic tension of the 1st half. The film's biggest weakness, in fact, is its lack of conflict beyond Tarzan's amazement at Scotland. The story is mainly a series of reactions on Tarzan's part to the differing worlds he's placed in. And the film ends with a somewhat silly, unlikely, yet touching incident. And so, if I were to sum up 'Greystoke', I'd say that it's a fine piece of work. Sure, the movie is a bit rigid/stately. It lacks some excitement. But it looks amazing. I appreciate the different spin on the story (even if most will miss the sense of adventure). And I liked the idea that the joys, conflicts, loved ones, & enemies that Tarzan encounters in both Africa & Scotland are ... largely the same.
Shipwrecked on the harsh coast of Africa in 1885, Lord Clayton & his pregnant wife Lady Alice both die shortly after the birth of their son, John. She dies from malaria; he, from an ape attack. Abandoned, the orphaned John is then adopted by a family of highly evolved apes, & raised as one of their own. This rousing segment takes up an hour of the film, and is the best part of it. 20 yrs. later, John, now "Tarzan" (Christopher Lambert) finds & rescues a hunter, Belgian explorer Phillipe D'Arnot (Ian Holm) from a terrible death; and he is taught to speak English by the grateful Phillipe. Coming across the remains of Tarzan's parents, Phillipe discovers that the "Lord of the Jungle" is actually a direct descendant of the Earl of Greystoke; and thus, takes it upon himself to return him to civilization.
Brought back to Scotland, Tarzan is welcomed to the enormous, sprawling Greystoke estate and introduced to society; where his ape-like manners offend everyone except the likeable (& senile) Lord of Greystoke (the great Ralph Richardson, in his final film) & Greystoke's American ward, "Jane" Porter (Andie McDowell, dubbed - interestingly enough - by Glenn Close). Disturbed at the idea of Tarzan's inheriting Greystoke manner, his more greedy family members begin plotting against him; along with Jane's suitor, Lord Charles Esker (James Fox). Finding just as many challenges in Great Britain as he did in the jungle, Tarzan must decide if he can adapt himself to England or not; especially after a painful reunion with his ape foster father.
Ralph Richardson steals the show as the eccentric, filthy rich grandfather. Christopher Lambert is good looking, athletic, but mostly (& merely) grunts his part. Andie MacDowell is radiant, but the script gives her little to do. James Fox plays a decent scoundrel. And Ian Holm is stellar at presenting a patient, understanding father figure to the lost boy of Africa. John Alcott's cinematography is one of the best aspects of the film. The landscapes of Cameroon & Scotland are simply gorgeous. I enjoyed John Scott's varied musical score; there's even an old-fashioned overture before the movie begins. Stuart Craig's set design looks quite authentic. And the primate makeup done by Rick Baker, famous for his work on Star Wars, An American Werewolf in London, et al, is superb.
The 2nd half of the film is ALL about Tarzan's reactions to the civilized world. It's fine, but doesn't maintain the sweep or dramatic tension of the 1st half. The film's biggest weakness, in fact, is its lack of conflict beyond Tarzan's amazement at Scotland. The story is mainly a series of reactions on Tarzan's part to the differing worlds he's placed in. And the film ends with a somewhat silly, unlikely, yet touching incident. And so, if I were to sum up 'Greystoke', I'd say that it's a fine piece of work. Sure, the movie is a bit rigid/stately. It lacks some excitement. But it looks amazing. I appreciate the different spin on the story (even if most will miss the sense of adventure). And I liked the idea that the joys, conflicts, loved ones, & enemies that Tarzan encounters in both Africa & Scotland are ... largely the same.