The Naked Jungle

1954
Approved
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

4.5K

YOUR RATING

Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker in The Naked Jungle (1954)

The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.

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53 Photos

Adventure Drama Thriller

The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

4.5K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Zala
(as Norma Calderon)

Jerado Decordovier

Gruber's Indian
(uncredited)

Pilar Del Rey

Indian Wife
(uncredited)

Bernie Gozier

Gruber's Indian
(uncredited)

Leon Lontoc

Indian
(uncredited)

John Mansfield

Foreman
(uncredited)

Ronald Alan Numkena

Indian Boy
(uncredited)

Rodd Redwing

Indian
(uncredited)

Jack Reitzen

Fat Man
(uncredited)

Carlos Rivero

Indian Husband
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Charlton Heston improvised during the argument scene between Eleanor Parker and himself. It was not scripted that he splash perfume all over her. This move intensified the action and a surprised Parker was able to react accordingly.

Goofs
During the first meeting/"confrontation" between Joanna and Christopher there comes a point in the conversation when he asks her if she is 'laughing at him.' As she turns from the dresser to face him at the very upper left corner for approx. 35 frames the moving shadow of what may well be a boom mic can easily be seen as it follows the motion.

Quotes
Joanna Leiningen: Do you think this moat will stop them?
Christopher Leiningen: Ants are strictly land creatures. They can't swim. Right, Incacha?
Incacha: Monkeys not swim also. They cross rivers even so.
Christopher Leiningen: The intelligence of monkeys is more than ants, less than man.
Incacha: Is so.
[laughing]
Incacha: When ants come, monkeys run.

Connections
Edited into Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961)

User reviews78

Review

Featured review

8/10

Real good adventure in the Brazilian Jungle

"The Naked Jungle" is the story of a wealthy owner of a big coffee plantation in Brazil's jungle, menaced by an army of warrior ants on the move covering several square miles of ground and eating everything on their way (the Marabunta). The man's unknown mail-ordered wife has just arrived too but something in her past annoys him and a conflict between them is taking place when the ants arrive.

The picture was really original back in 1954 and is very entertaining too. This was probably Byron Haskin's best work as a director with an uneven carrier that included also "I Walk Alone", 1948, and "The War of the Worlds", 1953. The Special effects of Naked Jungle are really good for its time and the fine performances of Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker as the main couple surely helped to raise the final product. Heston went on to full stardom and Parker continued to keep up her interesting carrier (she had been in some good movies before as "Scaramouche", 1952, and "Detective Story", 1951, and went to good ones too like "The Man with the Golden Arm", 1955). You will also find a good color photography and well designed settings.

A very amusing and enjoyable film with sort of a "B" structure but a real "A" outcome.