Moustroll
Good movie but grossly overrated
Ariella Broughton
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Erica Derrick
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Lee Eisenberg
Really the only enjoyable thing in "Jungle Bride" is a certain shot of Anita Page. This was before the enforcement of the Hays Code (around since 1930, the enforcement only started in 1934), so there's a scene or two of her that almost certainly helped lots of boys become men in 1933 (and could probably still do the trick today). Without a doubt, Anita Page was the textbook definition of a babe; is it even possible to imagine an attractive woman shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and not immediately think of Ginger on "Gilligan's Island"?So, the paper-thin plot, uninspired dialogue and corny sound effects - not to mention a scene with a lion that made me say "Oh, give me a break!" out loud - can be forgiven just for that one shot of Anita Page's naked back. I understand that she was the last surviving person to have attended the first Academy Awards ceremony when she died in 2008. Whatever the case, she still has the honor of being one of two women - along with Fay Wray - who remind us that 1933 turned out some of the most erotic movies that didn't contain any actual sex or nudity (although I get the feeling that, thanks to their roles that year, plenty of men liked to imagine getting naked with them).Conclusion: the movie itself is pretty much a zero, but Anita Page's physical features make it a ten (hence my 5/10 rating).
MartinHafer
Doris (Anita Page) thinks that Gordon (Charles Starrett) is responsible for a crime for which her brother is serving time in prison. With the help of a newspaper reporter, they are bringing Gordon back to the States for a trial but their plans are interrupted when they are shipwrecked on an island off the African coast. Now that is an odd island...and seems to have all manor of African wildlife...hippos, lions, chimps and many more animals you really would not expect to see together there. What also is unexpected is Gordon...over time, he seems like a very decent sort and Doris' resolve to bring him back to stand trial seems to wane. What's next? And, do the couple stand a chance at happiness together??Like too many movies of the era, this one is liberally peppered with stock footage of animals that is obviously stock footage and doesn't fit well into the movie. Surprisingly, there's a scene where Gordon have a knife fight with a lion and it really appears as if they filmed it with a real, live lion. I did find it hilarious, however, that Gordon rather easily killed the adult male lion...and only came away with some very minor scratches! Even the most macho man alive could never hope to fair so well against a lion!! As for the acting, much of it is pretty bad BUT somehow tiny Chadwick Productions was able to secure the services of Anita Page (a top actress of the late 20s and early 30s) and Starrett...who wasn't yet a big star but who was a star nonetheless. It made for an odd blend of good and bad seeing them acting with B-movie quality (at best) actors.Overall, the story is pretty good but the use of stock footage is clumsy (particularly the ship near the end of the film) and the story, at times, cheap and ordinary...at best.
Panamint
Enjoyable precode movie whose only intention is to entertain its audience. Nicely filmed on the actual seacoast and in a jungle setting with good atmospherics. The music is mostly just Charles Starrett's laid back guitar strumming while singing or humming catchy tunes. Starrett is a tall good looking hunk and his laid back leading man style is perfect for this romantic little shipwreck movie.The star Anita Page exudes screen presence and appeal as a strong, determined woman who knows what she wants. She is gorgeous in the precode style of the early 1930's. The well-endowed Ms. Page is a Harlow-esque bombshell and, as far as shipwrecked babes rank, I would say that not even Ginger or Mary Ann could be ranked any higher than her. "Jungle Bride" is made simply and inexpensively but is nonetheless well-made, a romantic shipwreck film with two stars who have a lot of chemistry. It will hold your attention in a charming way and it even ends charmingly with the simple, breezy notation of "Fin". This is not an old fashioned movie in spirit, and it manages to retain a quality of timelessness.
Alix1929
This delicious, 63 minute pre-Code movie stars Anita Page as the "jungle bride." Doris (played by Page) believes that Gordon Wayne (Charles Starrett) committed a murder that her brother is in jail for. In an attempt to clear her brother's name, Doris and her reporter fiance track Gordon to a ship traveling from South America. A shipwreck leaves Doris, her fiance, Gordon and his best buddy all alone on a deserted island. These four agree to coexist in the hopes of survival, but it's tough! It gets even harder when Doris begins to have feelings for Gordon!One of the movie's highlights is the island set. It reminds me of a 1930's Gilligan's Island, complete with the attractively furnished huts. Anita's wardrobe is a hoot! She was, naturally, shipwrecked in an evening gown that rips to shreds, exposing her legs. She also gets to wear a circa 1930 Navy outfit that she looked pretty good in too! In one scene, she goes to wash her clothes in a river, and some naughty monkeys steal her clothing! Heeheehee! So much for wardrobe! I always think the "special effects" in a B-movie are lots of fun. Watch the shipwreck scene--was that a toy boat in a bathtub?
I think fans of either Anita Page or Charles Starrett would enjoy this film. It's very short, but fairly well packed with action so you don't get too bored with it. Anita was one of the brightest stars of the early 1930's, and she photographs beautifully in this one! It makes you sad that her career didn't last longer. As of this writing, she is still living, and appears every so often in a documentary or video clip on TCM. Look for this hard-to-find movie, and don't be too critical when you watch it.