Fury of the Congo

1951 film by William A. Berke

Fury of the Congo

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| William Berke
Screenplay by| Carroll Young
Based on| Jungle Jim
1934-1954 comic strip
by Don Moore and Alex Raymond
Produced by| Sam Katzman
Starring| Johnny Weissmuller
William Henry
Narrated by| James Seay
Cinematography| Ira Morgan
Edited by| Richard Fantl
Music by| Mischa Bakaleinikoff

Production
company

Columbia Pictures

Distributed by| Columbia Pictures

Release date

* February 1951 (1951-02)

Running time

| 69 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English

Fury of the Congo (1951) is the sixth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. It features Johnny Weissmuller in his sixth performance as the protagonist adventurer Jungle Jim. The film was directed by William Berke and written by Carroll Young.

The film centres on Jungle Jim venturing into tribal land with pilot Ronald Cameron in search of Professor Dunham, who in turn is tracking down a rumoured creature known as the Okongo. Along the journey, Jim faces other obstacles, both man and wild. The film was theatrically released in the United States in February 1951.

## Plot

[edit]

Adventurer Jungle Jim is traversing the jungles of the Congo when he notices a plane diving towards the river. The agile explorer rescues the injured pilot, Ronald Cameron, from the deep waters. Cameron tells Jim that he is trying to find missing biochemistry professor Dunham, under the University of Cairo's request. Dunham was last seen venturing into the jungles in search of a beast known as the Okongo.

The Okongo, half-antelope and half-zebra, is greatly revered by the tribal natives of Congo and its glands are rumoured to contain a rare type of drug. Jungle Jim and Cameron later discover from a tribal chief, Leta, that Dunham and all the males of the Okongo tribe have been kidnapped by hunters who wish to extract the drug from the Okongo's glands. Jim, Leta, and Cameron make their way to the hunters' hideout. Halting their sinister plans, Leta lets loose the captured Okongo. It proceeds to kill one of the hunters. A fight ensues and during the scuffle, Professor Dunham smashes all the bottles of extracted Okongo drug.[1]

The trio of Jungle Jim, Leta, and Cameron flee. They encounter a sandstorm and Jim engages in a battle with a gigantic desert spider, before returning to save Dunham's life.[1] The professor, having been shot by one of the hunters, is left in Cameron and Leta's care. Dunham shockingly recognises Cameron as the leader of the notorious hunters. Too late, they all get captured by Cameron and his henchmen. Jim is commanded to bring the hunters to the main herd of Okongos. Just as they arrive, however, the hunters are attacked by both the armed wives of the male natives and the Okongos. Cameron manages to escape but falls from a cliff and dies. Leta and the natives savour their victory, and Jungle Jim and Dunham make their leave.[1]

## Cast

[edit]

* Johnny Weissmuller as Jungle Jim
* Sherry Moreland as Leta
* William Henry as Ronald Cameron
* Lyle Talbot as Grant
* Joel Friedkin as Professor Dunham
* George Eldredge as Barnes
* Rusty Wescoatt as Magruder
* Paul Marion as Raadi
* John Hart as Guard
* Pierce Lyden as Allen
* Blanca Vischer as Mahara

## Production

[edit]

While still a work-in-progress, the film's working title was Jungle Menace. Johnny Weissmuller was returned as Jungle Jim for the sixth time.[2] The film featured Tamba, a chimpanzee actor, as Jungle Jim's pet. The film was directed by William Berke with assistance from Wilbur McGaugh. Sam Katzman was in charge of production for Columbia Pictures, while Carroll Young wrote the screenplay. Ira Morgan signed on as cinematographer. The set decorator was Sidney Clifford. Mischa Bakaleinikoff headed the musical direction, and Richard Fantl edited the film.[3] Filming took place in late-June 1950. Filming locations included Vasquez Rocks and Corriganville.[2]

## Release and reception

[edit]

The film was officially released in North American cinemas in February 1951.[2] The Hollywood Reporter wrote in its commentary of the film that "Fury of the Congo packs enough excitement and color to please the juvenile and action fans." Variety commented that it was "mediocre filler fare at best", while the Motion Picture Herald described it as "largely juvenile in appeal".[3]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Columbia Pictures films
* List of film series with more than ten entries

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Blottner 2012, p. 217.
2. ^ a b c Blottner 2012, p. 216.
3. ^ a b Pitts 2010, p. 86.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Michael R. Pitts (2010). Columbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928–1982. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5766-3.
* Gene Blottner (2012). Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926–1955: The Harry Cohn Years. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-3353-7.

## External links

[edit]

* Fury of the Congo at IMDb
* Fury of the Congo at the TCM Movie Database
* Fury of the Congo at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
* Fury of the Congo at Rotten Tomatoes

* v
* t
* e

Jungle Jim

Created by: Alex Raymond and Don Moore

Series/Serial|

* Jungle Jim serial (1937)
* Jungle Jim (1955-56 series)

Films|

* Jungle Jim (1948)
* The Lost Tribe (1949)
* Mark of the Gorilla (1950)
* Captive Girl (1950)
* Pygmy Island (1950)
* Fury of the Congo (1951)
* Jungle Manhunt (1951)
* Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952)
* Voodoo Tiger (1952)
* Savage Mutiny (1953)
* Valley of the Headhunters (1953)
* Killer Ape (1953)
* Jungle Man-Eaters (1954)
* Cannibal Attack (1954)
* Jungle Moon Men (1955)
* Devil Goddess (1955)

Related articles|

* Congo Bill

* v
* t
* e

Films produced by Sam Katzman

Showmen's/
Screencraft|

* His Private Secretary (1933)
* Police Call (1933)
* Ship of Wanted Men (1933)
* Public Stenographer (1934)
* The Moth (1934)
* The Big Race (1934)
* St. Louis Woman (1934)

Supreme|

* A Demon for Trouble (1934)
* Western Justice (1934)
* The Brand of Hate (1934)
* Smokey Smith (1935)
* Tombstone Terror (1935)
* Trail of Terror (1935)
* Alias John Law (1935)
* Big Calibre (1935)
* Sundown Saunders (1935)
* Brand of the Outlaws (1936)
* The Kid Ranger (1936)

Victory|

| Peter B. Kyne|

* Danger Ahead (1935)
* Hot Off the Press (1935)
* Bars of Hate (1935)
* The Fighting Coward (1935)
* Taming the Wild (1936) aka Madcap
* A Face in the Fog (1936)
* Rio Grande Romance (1936)
* Kelly of the Secret Service (1936)

|

Tom Tyler|

* Rip Roarin' Buckaroo (1936)
* The Phantom of the Range (1936)
* Orphan of the Pecos (1937) (also d)
* Brothers of the West (1937) (also d)
* Cheyenne Rides Again (1937)
* Lost Ranch (1937) (also d)
* Mystery Range (1937)
* Feud of the Trail (1937)

Serials|

* Shadow of Chinatown (1936)
* Blake of Scotland Yard (1937)

Herman Brix|

* Two Minutes to Play (1936)
* Silks and Saddles (1936)
* Amateur Crook (1937) (also d)
* Flying Fists (1937)
* Million Dollar Racket (1937)
* Sky Racket (1937) (also d)

Tim McCoy|

* Six-Gun Trail (1938)
* Lightning Carson Rides Again (1938)
* Texas Wildcats (1939)
* Code of the Cactus (1939)
* Outlaws' Paradise (1939)
* Trigger Fingers (1939)
* The Fighting Renegade (1939)
* Straight Shooter (1939)

Puritan|

* The Rogues' Tavern (1936)

Monogram|

| East Side Kids|

* East Side Kids (1940)
* Boys of the City (1940)
* That Gang of Mine (1940)
* Pride of the Bowery (1941)
* Flying Wild (1941)
* Bowery Blitzkrieg (1941)
* Spooks Run Wild (1941)
* Mr. Wise Guy (1942)
* Let's Get Tough! (1942)
* Smart Alecks (1942)
* 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge (1942)
* Kid Dynamite (1942)
* Clancy Street Boys (1942)
* Ghosts on the Loose (1943)
* Mr. Muggs Steps Out (1943)
* Million Dollar Kid (1943)
* Follow the Leader (1944)
* Block Busters (1944)
* Bowery Champs (1944)
* Docks of New York (1945)
* Mr. Muggs Rides Again (1945)
* Come Out Fighting (1945)

|

Bela Lugosi|

* Invisible Ghost (1941)
* Bowery at Midnight (1942)
* The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
* Black Dragons (1942)
* The Ape Man (1943)
* Voodoo Man (1944)
* Return of the Ape Man (1944)

Musicals|

* Zis Boom Bah (1942)

Billy Gilbert|

* Spotlight Scandals (1943)
* Crazy Knights (1944)
* Three of a Kind (1944)
* Trouble Chasers (1945)

The Teen-Agers|

* Junior Prom (1946)
* Freddie Steps Out (1946)
* High School Hero (1946)
* Vacation Days (1947)

Columbia|

| Serials|

* Who's Guilty? (1945)
* Jungle Raiders (1945)
* Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945)
* Hop Harrigan (1946)
* Chick Carter, Detective (1946)
* Son of the Guardsman (1946)
* Jack Armstrong (1947)
* The Vigilante (1947)
* The Sea Hound (1947)
* Brick Bradford (1947)
* Congo Bill (1948)
* Tex Granger (1948)
* Superman (1948)
* Adventures of Sir Galahad (1949)
* Batman and Robin (1949)
* Bruce Gentry – Daredevil of the Skies (1949)
* Pirates of the High Seas (1950)
* Atom Man vs. Superman (1950)
* Cody of the Pony Express (1950)
* Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (1951)
* The Mysterious Island (1951)
* Roar of the Iron Horse (1951)
* Son of Geronimo (1952)
* Blackhawk (1952)
* The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd (1953)
* The Lost Planet (1953)
* Riding with Buffalo Bill (1954)
* Gunfighters of the Northwest (1954)
* Adventures of Captain Africa Mighty Jungle Avenger! (1955)
* Perils of the Wilderness (1956)
* Blazing the Overland Trail (1956)

|

Jean Porter|

* Betty Co-Ed (1946)
* Little Miss Broadway (1947)
* Sweet Genevieve (1947)
* Two Blondes and a Redhead (1947)

Jon Hall|

* Last of the Redskins (1947)
* The Prince of Thieves (1948)
* The Mutineers (1949)
* Hurricane Island (1951)
* When the Redskins Rode (1951)
* Brave Warrior (1952)
* Last Train from Bombay (1952)

Jungle Jim|

* Jungle Jim (1948)
* The Lost Tribe (1949)
* Mark of the Gorilla (1950)
* Captive Girl (1950)
* Pygmy Island (1950)
* Fury of the Congo (1951)
* Jungle Manhunt (1951)
* Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952)
* Voodoo Tiger (1952)
* Savage Mutiny (1953)
* Valley of the Head Hunters (1953)
* Killer Ape (1953)
* Jungle Man-Eaters (1954)
* Cannibal Attack (1954)
* Jungle Moon Men (1955)
* Devil Goddess (1956)

Gloria Henry|

* Racing Luck (1948)
* Triple Threat (1948)

Gloria Jean|

* I Surrender Dear (1948)
* Manhattan Angel (1949)

Musical|

* Mary Lou (1948)
* Glamour Girl (1948)

Crime|

* Chinatown at Midnight (1949)
* State Penitentiary (1950)
* Revenue Agent (1950)
* Chain Gang (1950)
* The Miami Story (1954)
* Chicago Syndicate (1955)
* The Crooked Web (1955)
* Inside Detroit (1955)
* Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955)
* Miami Exposé (1956)
* Rumble on the Docks (1956)
* Escape from San Quentin (1957)
* The Tijuana Story (1957)
* The World Was His Jury (1958)

William Castle|

* Serpent of the Nile (1953)
* Fort Ti (1953)
* Slaves of Babylon (1953)
* Conquest of Cochise (1953)
* The Law vs. Billy the Kid (1954)
* Jesse James vs. the Daltons (1954)
* Masterson of Kansas (1954)
* The Battle of Rogue River (1954)
* Charge of the Lancers (1954)
* Drums of Tahiti (1954)
* The Saracen Blade (1954)
* The Iron Glove (1954)
* Duel on the Mississippi (1955)
* The Gun That Won the West (1955)
* New Orleans Uncensored (1955)
* Uranium Boom (1956)
* The Houston Story (1956)

Action|

* Barbary Pirate (1949)
* The Mutineers (1949)
* Last of the Buccaneers (1950)
* Tyrant of the Sea (1950)
* The Magic Carpet (1951)
* The Golden Hawk (1952)
* Thief of Damascus (1952)
* Prisoners of the Casbah (1953)
* Flame of Calcutta (1953)
* Siren of Bagdad (1953)
* Prince of Pirates (1953)
* Target Hong Kong (1953)
* The 49th Man (1953)
* Pirates of Tripoli (1955)
* Crash Landing (1958)

War|

* Purple Heart Diary (1951)
* A Yank in Korea (1951)
* The Pathfinder (1952)
* A Yank in Indo-China (1952)
* Sky Commando (1953)
* Mission Over Korea (1953)
* The Last Blitzkrieg (1959)
* The Enemy General (1960)

Western|

* California Conquest (1952)
* Jack McCall, Desperado (1953)
* Seminole Uprising (1955)

* Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado (1956)
* Utah Blaine (1957)
* The Wild Westerners (1962)

Sci-fi|

* Creature with the Atom Brain (1955)
* It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
* Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)
* The Werewolf (1956)
* The Man Who Turned to Stone (1957)
* The Giant Claw (1957)
* Zombies of Mora Tau (1957)
* The Night the World Exploded (1957)
* Lock Up Your Daughters (1959)

Rock Musical|

* Rock Around the Clock (1956)
* Cha-Cha-Cha Boom! (1956)
* Calypso Heat Wave (1957)
* Don't Knock the Rock (1957)
* Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
* Twist Around the Clock (1961)
* Don't Knock the Twist (1961)

Drama|

* Going Steady (1958)
* Life Begins at 17 (1958)
* The Flying Fontaines (1959)
* The Love-Ins (1967)
* For Singles Only (1968)

Fox|

* Pirates of Tortuga (1961)
* The Wizard of Baghdad (1961)

TV|

* Tallahassee 7000 (1961)

MGM|

| Musicals|

* Hootenanny Hoot (1963)
* Get Yourself a College Girl (1964)
* Kissin' Cousins (1964)
* Your Cheatin' Heart (1964)
* Harum Scarum (1965)
* When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965)
* Hold On! (1966)
* The Fastest Guitar Alive (1967)
* A Time to Sing (1968)

|

Non-musical|

* Hot Rods to Hell (1967)
* Riot on Sunset Strip (1967) (sold to AIP)
* The Young Runaways (1968)

Other|

* Angel, Angel, Down We Go (1969)
* How to Succeed with Sex (1970)
* The Loners (1972)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template