Forbidden Jungle (1950) - full transcript

[theme music]

[drums beating]

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]: At last
I was coming to my destination.

My mission was strange for me.

Most of my life had been
spent hunting wild animals.

Suddenly, I found myself
searching for a human being,

a boy, a boy of the jungle.

My only clue, a rumor that had
traveled thousands of miles.

A rumor that had persisted in
spite of scoffing and ridicule.

But there I was the best animal
hunter from America hunting a boy.

I felt I couldn't complain.



I was being paid very well.

After all, money was the only
important thing in my life.

[lion roaring]

We're nearing the village.

Any orders, sir?

Yes.

Have the men set up camp.

Yes, sir.

NITA: Dear friend!

Dear friend.

Dear friend.

Dear friend, a white man is
at the end of the village.

And he brings a tiger.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
Finally, we



reached Rintan, a native
settlement at the trail's end.

My presence both surprised and
sent a fear through the natives.

I was beginning to think there
hadn't been a white man here

in ages, if ever.

I hardly expected to
see a white man here.

Especially you, Kirk.

You seem to know me.

Why not?

There probably isn't a
hunter in the whole world

that hasn't heard of
the famous Trader Kirk.

I'm not trading anymore.

I've settled here at
Rintan to do a bigger job.

Many of us wondered where
you had disappeared to.

Well, it's nice to know you.

My name is Tom Burton.

Glad to meet you.

Well, I'm afraid you made
your long journey for nothing.

Really?

Why?

Strange you don't know.

There's been a principality ruling

closing this area to killing
and tracking of animals forever.

I was successful in
bringing that about.

I knew that, Kirk, but my
hunt is for bigger game.

Human game.

And I'm sure you can help me.

Burton, may I ask why you
brought this tiger here?

I captured him in India.

He's a rare specimen
of a man-killer.

I was on my way back to the States

with him when I got my
assignment to come here.

Fearful of losing him, I brought
him along for safekeeping.

What about my people?

Are they safe?

The cage is solid.

Nothing will happen, I assure you.

Go back to your homes.

You look as though you need
a hot bath and a good meal.

Thanks.

That's the best offer
I've had in a long time.

Burton, when you arrived, you
spoke of a hunt for human gain,

thought I might be of help to you.

Just what did you mean by that?

Exactly what I said.

The human I'm
looking for is a boy.

Though, I suppose by
this time, a young man.

There's a sizable amount of
money in it for me if I'm successful.

I'd be willing to pay
you for your help.

You're not the first one who's
come here to run down that rumor.

No?

What did they find?

Nothing.

We found them.

They're buried over
near the river.

This now becomes a challenge.

It so happens that my
information is very reliable.

I have checked with
airplane pilots

who swear they've seen a boy
running with a band of chimps.

KIRK: Could have
been another chimp.

The men were using
high-powered glasses.

Whoever is backing you is
throwing their money away.

I still say it's nothing
more than a rumor.

No boy exists in there.

You must admit it has
a solid foundation.

Didn't the big game hunter,
Cyrus Ames, his wife and child,

disappear completely
in this very area?

The bodies of Ames and
his wife were found.

But there was never any
trace found of the child.

I heard something about
it when I came here.

That boy's grandfather lives in
the hope that the boy is still alive.

He's paying me to
trace down the rumor.

I see I can't change your plans.

But let me tell you something
that is not a rumor,

but a definite proven fact.

No white man has ever gone
into that forest and lived to return.

It's known as the
Forbidden Jungle.

I've spent my life penetrating
the toughest parts of the world

to get what I want.

Usually, I've been successful.

At least I've never turned back.

I'm moving in to
Forbidden Jungle tomorrow.

Nita?

Nita!

Your, uh...

Daughter.

Adopted.

I've raised her
since she was a baby.

Dahla, Dahla.

That's a strange dialect
you used just then.

I don't believe I recognize it.

What'd you tell her?

I was merely ordering your
permanent quarters made ready.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Tawa, you must hide.

Nita, you look frightened.

What's wrong?

A hunter comes.

Dear Friend sent me to warn you.

Go, Mimba!

Go, all of you!

Be gone.

I mean you, too, Gigi.

You go to the caves.

And what does this
hunter look like?

Like all of us who bring
unhappiness to our jungle.

Please go, quickly.

But I must see Dear Friend.

Now is not the time.

Come to Rintan when
the moon is high.

Then tell Dear Friend
that I will be there.

My men have moved all out.

I'll let you know how I get along.

So you still intend to carry out
your plans, searching for something

you only think exists.

Now more than ever.

Superstitions are strong
here and witchcraft

is practiced to the utmost.

These people live by it,
die by it, kill by it.

I have a little
witchcraft of my own.

I dare say within
24 hours you won't

have a native who will stay with
you in the Forbidden Jungle.

I'll still take my chances.

When a baby chimp is left
alone through the death of it's

mother, our native women adopt
it, and raise it as tenderly

as if it were their own.

I've heard that happen
in the most remote parts

of the country, but it's the first
time I've ever actually seen it.

[baby crying]

You'll see a lot of unusual
things frames around here.

I'll have to hurry
to overtake my men.

So long, Kirk.

Well, aren't you going
to wish me good luck?

Goodbye, Burton.

Tamba, have lost all
your good manners?

How many times have I
told you never to wake

me up by jumping on my stomach?

How about some breakfast?

Tamba, come on you little rascal.

How about some breakfast, hmm?

Tamba, come on.

Tamba, breakfast.

Come on, boy.

Come here you little
rascal, you, too.

Come on, have some breakfast, huh?

Come on.

Come on, Tamba.

Come on.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Nita!

Nita!

Here.

Tawa.

The white hunter has
left the village.

Dear Friend wishes to see you.

No, Dakwan, you stay.

Remember well the last
time I took you to Rintan,

you frightened Dear
Friend's people.

I cannot understand it.

Dakwan can get used to the people,
but they cannot get used to him.

We go.

Tawa, wait for us.

Now he'll surely beat
us to the village.

He's running on four legs,
while we're left with only two.

You wanted to see me?

Yes, Tawa.

There are a few things I want to
go over with you, quite a few things.

No, no, Tamba.

That is not for you to eat.

Dear Friend will not like it if
you eat up all his good food.

Excuse me, I will put
Tamba in the other room

for the safety of your dishes.

Tamba, now you be good
boys until I get back.

As I was going to say, there
are quite a few things...

all right, Tawa, help yourself
to the fruit and sit down.

Hello, hello, ha-ha-ha.

Tawa, we are jungle people.

You more than I because
you've never known

any other home than the jungle.

I found you when you were a
little boy, a very little boy.

And I settled down here
to always be near you.

I raised you, and
with Nita's help,

we've taught you
everything you know.

Now this hunter that
Nita has warned you about

intends to take you away from
us, away from the jungle.

If this were to happen, it would
be very bad for Nita and me.

And you, Tawa, couldn't
live in a big city.

It would be like taking a tropical
flower to the snow country.

It would soon wither and die.

This must not happen to you.

So I promise that you will
go to the gorilla caves

and stay until this
stranger has left.

Dear Friend, I will do as you tell

me, but may I not look once
upon the face of this white man?

It would be best if you did not.

Go ahead, finish your fruit.

[chimp screeching]

Oh, what have you done
to Dear Friend's home?

I'll never bring you
again if you're going

to act like... like monkeys.

Come on, Tamba.

It's not funny.

Good riddance, good riddance.

As I had just about completed
the crude construction

of my quarters deep in
the heart of the jungle,

I suddenly found the meaning
of Kirk's last warning.

The villagers of Rintan must have

been talking to my natives,
perhaps instilling fear in them

by telling them
the foolish legend.

But whatever they were
told, I had a feeling

that by nightfall, I
would be quite alone.

A strange uneasiness came over me.

I knew I was being
watched by human eyes.

Felt it, yet I could see no one.

[scream]

Gigi, Gigi!

Stop, Gigi.

Stop, I say!

Now go.

Go, I say.

Go!

Are you all right?

You must not stray so far
away from the village.

Gigi does not like strangers.

Now, go home.

A baby lion.

It's Nubi's baby.

He must be lost.

I'll take him back to his mama.

Here's your baby, Nubi.

Better take care.

You might lose one.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
To penetrate a place

where no white man has
ever come out of alive,

though with a train of
natives, is terrifying.

But to be left completely
alone in it is worse.

Yet, I became more sure than ever

that I would find my
boy of the jungle,

and would soon be on my way to
cash the biggest fee I had ever earned.

Still I felt it wouldn't be easy.

I had followed strange
footpaths for days, paths

that I knew had been
made by human feet.

And then, suddenly, when
I least expected it,

there before me was the
strangest site I had ever witnessed.

A boy with the king of
the beasts for a playmate.

Go, Tamba.

Quick, Mimba, go.

No, Mimba, stop!

Put your rifle down.

You think I'm crazy?

Step aside.

Mimba won't hurt you if he's sure
you don't mean to harm him.

Please, do as I say.

I won't be able to stop him long.

Be calm, Mimba, be calm.

You will have to put your gun down

and start thinking that you
will do no harm to Mimba.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
In all my life,

I had never seen such understanding
between human and animal.

I took the chance
and lowered my rifle.

At first, I couldn't believe it,
but I'd play the game so far.

And remembering that it was
the boy I wanted, not the lion,

I decided to comply.

Try to understand, an
animal will never hurt you

if you don't mean to harm him.

They seem to sense
what you are thinking.

Even though you have
put your gun down,

you must clear your mind and start
thinking you will do no harm to him.

Thank you.

Now I can send him away.

Go, Mimba!

Leave it there.

What I said for Mimba
is the same for me.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]: I
wondered if this boy had

developed the animal
instinct of the jungle

and could sense my very thoughts.

At any rate, I knew my first
step was to win his confidence.

I assure you, I mean no
harm to you or your animals.

I did not come here to hunt or
to kill, but to make friends.

Let's shake hands.

Shake hands?

Yes.

You put your hand in
mine and we shake hands.

It's a common gesture
among friends,

and I might add, a
great American custom.

It is not change the villagers
lead your natives away.

Dear Friend always sees to that.

Dear Friend?

Who's that?

Oh, you know him as Trader Kirk.

He's the one who has taught
me everything I know.

Oh, I see.

He's already told me about you.

And warned me of the unhappiness
you would bring to all of us.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
The Trader Kirk

must have had a strong reason
for not wanting me to find Tawa.

I was beginning to
wonder what it was.

My quest now took on a greater
task as my curiosity began to grow.

The more I learned, the
greater the mystery seemed.

Did, uh, Kirk teach
you to read, too?

With the help of Nita.

She reads good.

Here.

What is this?

Well, it's something
to eat, uh, beans.

I brought them with me
all the way from America.

Uh, go ahead, have some.

First, I must let Tamba try it.

If he'll eat it, then I'll
know it's good for me.

Tamba.

Come.

Tamba doesn't like it.

That's obvious.

But he didn't have
to throw them away.

My rations are limited, you know.

Come with me.

Hmph.

I'll have to admit,
this does taste better.

Don't be afraid.

Wise One won't hurt you.

I just don't feel
comfortable with my gun.

I think you frightened him
more that he frightened you.

You mean to say you
cultivate that thing?

Wise One is my very good friend.

Friend or not, he
gives me the creeps.

Oh, watch out.

You know this is not
exactly like crossing

the street with a green light.

What do you mean?

Hasn't Kirk told you about
people in big cities?

New York, Broadway?

No.

Of these things, I
have heard nothing.

What is this Broadway?

It's the most wonderful
place in the world.

It's almost indescribable.

Some people call it
the Great White Way.

That's because at night there are
so many lights, hundreds of them.

And most of them
advertising the shows.

Shows?

What are shows?

Ah, that's... that's
where they have stages,

and the actors come out, and
they make you laugh and cry.

Like Tamba and his brothers.

No.

No, there's nothing on Broadway
like Tamba that I know of.

Tawa, what I'm trying to tell
you is about civilization.

I guess I'm doing a
pretty bad job of it.

I started out telling
you about Broadway

because it's always in my mind.

I love it.

What I should've told you about
is the people, lots of people, Tawa.

Millions of them in New
York City alone, and that's

where I want to take you, to
the biggest city in the world.

And there you can wear shoes
and clothes, like mine,

even a hat if you like.

And I'll take you by the hand,
and we'll walk down Broadway.

And you can see all of
those things for yourself.

Can I take Tamba,
and Mimba, and Grumpy?

No.

No, there's no place for
them there, unless you'd put

them in the cages at the zoo.

In cages?

In a zoo?

That's the only place there is
for wild animals in the big city.

They wouldn't like that.

Maybe Nita could go.

No.

No, she belongs here.

I don't think I like this
city of which you tell me.

We'll see.

[chimps screeching]

I must go now.

See you in the sunrise.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
I was beginning

to think how unimportant the
civilization I knew really was.

How much of the truth
and happiness of living

I'd missed these many years.

I found myself almost
getting soft-hearted, almost

making a decision to go
back without the boy.

But I realized I mustn't allow
a fantastic thing to keep me

from earning a very large fee.

I was still thinking money was
the most important thing in my life.

I hadn't expected this.

Fate usually has a hand
in everything one does.

I had taken every precaution to
avoid the dreaded jungle fever.

I was burning up.

Tawa.

Tawa.

Come back.

Tawa.

I've... I've been pretty sick, huh?

If Tawa hadn't found
you, you would have died.

You and Tawa have
taken care of me.

Yes.

He hasn't left your side except to
get food and herbs to make you well.

How long?

Twelve sunrises.

While you were asleep,
you talked of taking Tawa away with you.

You won't do that,
will you, Mr. Burton?

I... I shouldn't
have been talking.

You are getting well.

I want to thank you and
Nita for taking care of me.

As soon as I'm able to travel,
I'm leaving Rintan forever.

You go to Broadway?

That's right.

The Great White Way?

Yeah.

The Great White Way.

No, Tamba.

This time all of you stay outside.

I do not want you to break
up Dear Friend's home again.

I must tell you of
all that happened.

The hunter has been very sick.

I know.

Nita told me.

I will bring back the striped one.

Tawa!

Let him go.

Come back.

BURTON: Kirk!

I came as soon as
I got your message.

Burton, your prize
man-eater got away.

Where's Tawa?

He went after the tiger.

He'll be killed.

Order a pit dug at the
far end of the jungle.

Send some of your men to my hut.

They'll act as beaters.

[non-english speech]

No, Dakwan, come back.

Tawa, keep away.

You'll be torn to pieces.

Dakwan is hurt.

Poor Dakwan.

You will be all right.

That tiger must be killed before he
destroys all of your animal friends.

No, no!

I will make him understand.

Men, follow that trail.

My thoughts were only
the safety of Tawa.

I had learned to love him dearly.

And I knew he did not realize
the danger of man-killing tiger.

Striped One.

I mean you no harm.

I want to be your friend.

Striped One.

Gigi!

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]: Cyrus Ames,
beloved son of Gordon Ames.

Helen Ames, beloved
daughter of Trader Kirk.

I knew by this why Trader Kirk
did not want Tawa to leave Rintan.

Tawa was actually
his own grandson.

And he had just as much right to
the boy as did my wealthy client.

I've come to say goodbye, Kirk.

I'm curious to know what
report of your findings

you'll make to your employer.

We understand each other.

The story of a boy living in
Forbidden Jungle has no foundation.

I'll prove it was just
a rumor after all.

And with that report, I'm positive
you will never be bothered again.

Goodbye Kirk.

Thanks.

TOM BURTON [VOICEOVER]:
I felt like one who

had been through a long sleep.

Could this have been a dream?

Perhaps the fever.

However, I remembered bringing
a tiger with me when I arrived.

Or was I wrong about that, too?

At any rate, I left Rintan with
one firm fact imprinted in my mind.

Money was not the most
important thing in my life.

[theme music]