Jungle Goddess

Two early George Reeves films prove him handsome and charismatic enough to handle the Superman role he's revered for, but neither captivate like the mythic superhero's story. Thunder In the Pines, a comedy-drama starring George Reeves as Jeff Collins, a logger competing in vain with fellow logger Boomer Benson (Ralph Byrd) for a sultry French mail-order bride, Yvette Cheron, who leads them both on in her search for a sugardaddy. Reeves is studly in his logging shirts and boots, though the real star of the film is Pearl, the logging company owner's fiancé who sabotages the entire crew to expose the French maid's crooked plan and end the men's idiotic contest. In Jungle Goddess, Reeves once again stars with Ralph Byrd, in a story about a buxom blonde heiress, Greta Vanderhorn (Wanda McKay), proclaimed a 'white goddess' by African natives. Both films are relics of political incorrectness, Thunder In the Pines's plot revolving around a logging contest during the height of deforestation, and Jungle Goddess reiterating a King Kong-like combo of sexism and ignorance of jungle cultures. But one with an eye for humor will laugh at clever scenes, such as when tough-lady Pearl mixes a Podunk version of champagne for Yvette made of vodka, tequila, beer, whisky, gin, bitters, grenadine, and all else. A documentary about George Reeves helps historically set the tone, and other bonus shorts honor Reeves as a hero before he donned blue tights and red cape. --Trinie Dalton