Jungle Woman
Encyclopedia
Jungle Woman is a 1944 horror film
released by Universal Pictures
. The movie features Evelyn Ankers
, J. Carrol Naish
, Samuel S. Hinds
, Lois Collier
, Milburn Stone
, Douglass Dumbrille
, and Acquanetta
. This is, in effect, a sequel to Captive Wild Woman
and was followed by The Jungle Captive
.
The scene shifts to the coroner’s inquest into the death of Paula Dupree (Acquanetta), allegedly at the hands of Dr. Carl Fletcher (J. Carrol Naish). Induced to reluctantly tell his story by the coroner (Samuel S. Hinds) and district attorney (Douglas Dumbrille), Flether admits that he killed Paula. Yet, he also offers that there is more to the tale than what is on the surface.
Via flashbacks, it is learned that Fletcher was present on the opening night of the Whipple Circus and witnessed Cheela’s heroic act that saved the life of Fred Mason (Milbern Stone). After her supposed demise, the doctor acquires the body of the beast. He detects a heartbeat, and revives the animal. Fascinated by the creature, he purchases the late Dr. Walters’ estate, hoping to find the records of his experiments.
Apparently having no need of more glandular material or another brain, Cheela returns human form. She is at first unable to speak, and Fletcher diagnoses her condition as being due to shock. However, upon the arrival of his daughter Joan (Lois Collier) and her fiancée, Bob Whitney (Richard Davies), the girl suddenly becomes verbal, identifying herself as Paula.
Enamored with Bob, Paula’s jealous streak resurfaces. During a moonlight canoe ride, an unseen attacker capsizes Joan and Bob. Discussing the episode with Dr. Fletcher, they believe that one of the other patients, Willie (Edward M. Hyans, Jr.), is responsible. Unbeknownst to them, Willie has already paid the supreme price for his constant harassment of Paula.
Later, meeting with Bob in private, Paula shows him bruises on her shoulder, injuries she claims were inflicted by Dr. Fletcher. Meanwhile, the caretaker for the estate has made the doctor aware of the vicious killing of his dog and a flock of chickens. Armed with the broken lock to the henhouse, Dr. Fletcher confiscates Paula’s perfume bottle as well. After he returns to his study, Paula makes an attempt on his life. Just as he pushes her to the floor, Bob enters the room. Misunderstanding what he has seen, he takes Paula to another doctor for an examination.
Dr. Fletcher has the lock and perfume bottle analyzed by a fingerprint expert, learning that although different in size, the prints do indeed match. He is now convinced that Paula and Cheela are one and the same.
Bob has Paula examined by Dr. Meredith (Pierre Watkin), who does detect mental instability and extreme physical strength. When told she is already under the care of a doctor, he admonishes the young man to return her at once to her attending physician.
Arriving back at Crestview, Dr. Fletcher is met with the news that Willie’s mangled body has been found. He confides in Joan what he knows about Paula, and expresses his concern for Bob.
Paula and Bob return as well, and the latter finally tells her that he is going to marry Joan, which visibly angers her. Joan rushes to meet him as Paula disappears in the shadows. Learning the truth about the girl, he sends his fiancée to her cabin while he goes to the aid Dr. Fletcher.
After a search of Paula’s room fails, Dr. Fletcher tells Bob to check the rest of the house. Brandishing a hypodermic needle filled with a sedative, the physician heads outside to continue his search.
Paula pursues Joan through the woods to the cottage. Attempting to gain entrance, she hears the approaching Dr. Fletcher. She attacks him, and in the struggle, he accidentally administers a fatal overdose.
The flashbacks conclude and the D.A. expresses his disbelief. The Coroner parades the group, including the jury, to the morgue to re-examine the body of Paula Dupree. She is found to have reverted in death to the form of a half-human, half-ape monster. Dr. Fletcher is exonerated.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
released by Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
. The movie features Evelyn Ankers
Evelyn Ankers
Evelyn Ankers was a British actress born in Chile. She often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably The Wolf Man at age 23 opposite Lon Chaney, Jr., a frequent screen partner...
, J. Carrol Naish
J. Carrol Naish
Joseph Patrick Carrol Naish was an American character actor born in New York City. Naish was twice nominated for an Academy Award for film roles, and he later found fame in the title role of CBS Radio's Life With Luigi , which was also on CBS Television .Naish appeared on stage for several years...
, Samuel S. Hinds
Samuel S. Hinds
Samuel Southey Hinds was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life and for his part in You Can't Take It With You , both films by Frank Capra...
, Lois Collier
Lois Collier
Lois Collier was an American film actress born in Salley, South Carolina. She was sometimes credited as Lois Collyer....
, Milburn Stone
Milburn Stone
Milburn Stone was an American television actor, a nephew of Broadway comedian Fred Stone and the son of a shopkeeper, best known for his role as "Doc" on the CBS western series Gunsmoke. He also played a doctor, CDR Blake, in the 1943 film Gung Ho!.Stone was born in Burrton in Harvey County in...
, Douglass Dumbrille
Douglass Dumbrille
Douglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
, and Acquanetta
Acquanetta
Acquanetta , nicknamed "The Venezuelan Volcano," was a B-movie actress known for her exotic beauty.-Early years:Although accounts differ, Acquanetta claimed she was born Burnu Acquanetta in Ozone, Wyoming...
. This is, in effect, a sequel to Captive Wild Woman
Captive Wild Woman
Captive Wild Woman is a sci-fi horror film, starring John Carradine, Milburn Stone, Evelyn Ankers, and Acquanetta. It was released by Universal Pictures and was directed by Edward Dmytryk.-Plot:...
and was followed by The Jungle Captive
The Jungle Captive
The Jungle Captive is a 1945 sequel to Jungle Woman , which had been preceded by Captive Wild Woman . The Jungle Captive features Otto Kruger, Amelita Ward, and Rondo Hatton . Vicky Lane plays Paula Dupree, a lead character from the two earlier films. The movie was written by Dwight V...
.
Plot
The film begins with shadowy images on a wall showing a man being attacked by what appears to be a woman. He produces a needle from his pocket and administers its contents to his assailant. She falls to the ground, apparently dead.The scene shifts to the coroner’s inquest into the death of Paula Dupree (Acquanetta), allegedly at the hands of Dr. Carl Fletcher (J. Carrol Naish). Induced to reluctantly tell his story by the coroner (Samuel S. Hinds) and district attorney (Douglas Dumbrille), Flether admits that he killed Paula. Yet, he also offers that there is more to the tale than what is on the surface.
Via flashbacks, it is learned that Fletcher was present on the opening night of the Whipple Circus and witnessed Cheela’s heroic act that saved the life of Fred Mason (Milbern Stone). After her supposed demise, the doctor acquires the body of the beast. He detects a heartbeat, and revives the animal. Fascinated by the creature, he purchases the late Dr. Walters’ estate, hoping to find the records of his experiments.
Apparently having no need of more glandular material or another brain, Cheela returns human form. She is at first unable to speak, and Fletcher diagnoses her condition as being due to shock. However, upon the arrival of his daughter Joan (Lois Collier) and her fiancée, Bob Whitney (Richard Davies), the girl suddenly becomes verbal, identifying herself as Paula.
Enamored with Bob, Paula’s jealous streak resurfaces. During a moonlight canoe ride, an unseen attacker capsizes Joan and Bob. Discussing the episode with Dr. Fletcher, they believe that one of the other patients, Willie (Edward M. Hyans, Jr.), is responsible. Unbeknownst to them, Willie has already paid the supreme price for his constant harassment of Paula.
Later, meeting with Bob in private, Paula shows him bruises on her shoulder, injuries she claims were inflicted by Dr. Fletcher. Meanwhile, the caretaker for the estate has made the doctor aware of the vicious killing of his dog and a flock of chickens. Armed with the broken lock to the henhouse, Dr. Fletcher confiscates Paula’s perfume bottle as well. After he returns to his study, Paula makes an attempt on his life. Just as he pushes her to the floor, Bob enters the room. Misunderstanding what he has seen, he takes Paula to another doctor for an examination.
Dr. Fletcher has the lock and perfume bottle analyzed by a fingerprint expert, learning that although different in size, the prints do indeed match. He is now convinced that Paula and Cheela are one and the same.
Bob has Paula examined by Dr. Meredith (Pierre Watkin), who does detect mental instability and extreme physical strength. When told she is already under the care of a doctor, he admonishes the young man to return her at once to her attending physician.
Arriving back at Crestview, Dr. Fletcher is met with the news that Willie’s mangled body has been found. He confides in Joan what he knows about Paula, and expresses his concern for Bob.
Paula and Bob return as well, and the latter finally tells her that he is going to marry Joan, which visibly angers her. Joan rushes to meet him as Paula disappears in the shadows. Learning the truth about the girl, he sends his fiancée to her cabin while he goes to the aid Dr. Fletcher.
After a search of Paula’s room fails, Dr. Fletcher tells Bob to check the rest of the house. Brandishing a hypodermic needle filled with a sedative, the physician heads outside to continue his search.
Paula pursues Joan through the woods to the cottage. Attempting to gain entrance, she hears the approaching Dr. Fletcher. She attacks him, and in the struggle, he accidentally administers a fatal overdose.
The flashbacks conclude and the D.A. expresses his disbelief. The Coroner parades the group, including the jury, to the morgue to re-examine the body of Paula Dupree. She is found to have reverted in death to the form of a half-human, half-ape monster. Dr. Fletcher is exonerated.
Cast
- AcquanettaAcquanettaAcquanetta , nicknamed "The Venezuelan Volcano," was a B-movie actress known for her exotic beauty.-Early years:Although accounts differ, Acquanetta claimed she was born Burnu Acquanetta in Ozone, Wyoming...
- Evelyn AnkersEvelyn AnkersEvelyn Ankers was a British actress born in Chile. She often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably The Wolf Man at age 23 opposite Lon Chaney, Jr., a frequent screen partner...
- J. Carrol NaishJ. Carrol NaishJoseph Patrick Carrol Naish was an American character actor born in New York City. Naish was twice nominated for an Academy Award for film roles, and he later found fame in the title role of CBS Radio's Life With Luigi , which was also on CBS Television .Naish appeared on stage for several years...
- Samuel S. HindsSamuel S. HindsSamuel Southey Hinds was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life and for his part in You Can't Take It With You , both films by Frank Capra...
- Lois CollierLois CollierLois Collier was an American film actress born in Salley, South Carolina. She was sometimes credited as Lois Collyer....
- Milburn StoneMilburn StoneMilburn Stone was an American television actor, a nephew of Broadway comedian Fred Stone and the son of a shopkeeper, best known for his role as "Doc" on the CBS western series Gunsmoke. He also played a doctor, CDR Blake, in the 1943 film Gung Ho!.Stone was born in Burrton in Harvey County in...
- Douglass DumbrilleDouglass DumbrilleDouglass Dumbrille was a Canadian actor and one of the Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood.-Life and career:...
- Richard DavidRichard DavidRichard David is a retired Canadian ice hockey left winger. He played in the NHL and the WHA for the Quebec Nordiques.-External links:...
- Nana BryantNana BryantNana Bryant was an American film actress. She appeared in over 100 films between 1935 and 1955.She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and died in Hollywood, California. Her grave is located at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery....
- Pierre WatkinPierre WatkinPierre Watkin was an American actor. He was a character actor in many films, serials and TV series from the 1930s through the 1950s, especially westerns...
- Christian RubChristian RubChristian Rub was known as a character actor from the late 1910s to the early 1950s, and was featured in more than 100 movies, often uncredited. He was born in Passau, Bavaria, Germany. His first appearance was in the movie The Belle of New York...
- Alec Craig
- Eddie Hyans
- Tom Keene