Themes: Survival in the Wilderness, When Animals Attack
Main Cast: Eleanor Parker, Charlton Heston, Abraham Sofaer, William Conrad, Romo Vincent
Release Year: 1954
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
Plot
It doesn't take long for old-time-radio fans to figure out that The Naked Jungle is a film version of the classic Carl Stephenson nailbiter Leiningen Versus the Ants. Charlton Heston plays South American plantation owner Christopher Leiningen, who spends most of the film preparing for the hellish onslaught of deadly soldier ants. The original story concentrated solely on Leiningen; the film version hokes things up a bit by bestowing upon the hero a gorgeous mail-order bride, played by Eleanor Parker. No matter: the climactic insect invasion is well worth the wait, utilizing the Paramount Pictures optical-effects department to the nth degree. The Naked Jungle also offers excellent supporting work from Abraham Sofaer, Douglas Fowley, and William Conrad, who also acted in several of the radio adaptations of the Carl Stephenson yarn. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The last half of The Naked Jungle is an exciting adventure flick, a man vs. nature story that is hard to resist. Unfortunately, the first half is padded out with a rather soapy romance story that, while it serves to tell the audience a great deal about the character of Christopher Leiningen, simply isn't very interesting. This schizophrenic halving of the film is unfortunate, for if all of Naked was as well done as its climactic invasion sequence, it would have been quite memorable. It would also have been a better film if the romance story had been a bit fresher, or if the first half (and, it must be admitted, the film as a whole) had contained decent dialogue. Modern viewers will also be turned off by the manner (in both halves of the film) in which the natives are portrayed, as well as by the egotism of Leiningen. But Naked does boast one of Charlton Heston's better, less mannered performances, as well as a dandy one from the lovely Eleanor Parker, who knows how to make a strong impression even in a film in which a swarm of ants is the real star. And by the last half, when the crisis becomes known and Heston and Parker swing into action, the film does become engrossing, with a number of nail-biting moments. Though clearly produced on a budget, the special effects are quite impressive, and director Byron Haskin knows exactly what he's doing from the time the focus switches from romantic troubles to a physical crisis. Though the lack of buildup may mute its impact somewhat, The Naked Jungle is probably a better film that's better if you catch it halfway through. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Douglas Fowley - Medicine Man; John Dierkes - Gruber; Leonard Strong - Kutina; Norma Calderon - Zala; Pilar del Rey; Bernie Gozier; Leon Lontoc; John Mansfield - Foreman; Ronald Alan Numkena; Rodd Redwing; Jack Reitzen; Jerry Groves; Carlos Rivero; John E. Wood
Leiningen is cold and remote to her, rebuffing all her attempts to make friends with him. She's beautiful, independent, and arrives ready to be his stalwart helpmate; however, no one has told him she's a widow. He rejects her. During the next week, as she awaits the boat to take her back to the United States, they learn that legions of army ants - the Marabunta - will strike in a few days' time. Leiningen refuses to give up the home he fought so hard to create. Instead of evacuating, he resolves to make a stand against this indomitable natural predator. Joanna joins the fight to save the plantation; their courage and his probable loss of all he's worked for may crack his resolve to send her away.
William Conrad, who had starred as Leiningen in a 1948 adaptation of Stephenson's story for the radio program Escape, appears in the film as a district commissioner.
Filming location
Portions of this movie were filmed in Florahome, Florida.[citation needed] This small town is located in Putnam County west of the county seat, Palatka. The dynamiting of the bridges was one of the scenes filmed here.[citation needed] A local citizen died when he was thrown from his horse during one of the explosions.[citation needed]
