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Tarzan Finds a Son!

Name: Tarzan Finds a Son!
Director: Richard Thorpe
Released: 1939
Duration: 82 min

Representation Score

0.4/10

Minimal

1939

Director

Richard Thorpe

Runtime

82 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Tarzan Finds a Son! is a classic product of the Golden Age of Hollywood, relying heavily on colonial-era clichés. The story prioritizes a Western-centric family unit navigating a non-Western landscape, reinforcing historical power imbalances through its setting and character dynamics. The film upholds traditional social hierarchies, emphasizing the male protagonist as the primary guardian and using the jungle as a frontier to highlight the 'civilized' nature of the white protagonists. Ultimately, the production focuses on preserving the nuclear family and patriarchal leadership without challenging conventional norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does Tarzan Finds a Son! have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any queer identities and maintains traditional heterosexual relationships.

How does Tarzan Finds a Son! portray gender?

Limited

Jane initiates the journey but her role is framed through maternal instincts. Tarzan occupies the central role as the decisive patriarch and physical protector.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Tarzan Finds a Son!?

Minimal

The African landscape serves as a passive backdrop for a predominantly white cast. Local populations have little influence in the narrative.

How does Tarzan Finds a Son! represent religion and culture?

Limited

The plot centers on Western concepts of lineage and inheritance, promoting a traditional view of the nuclear family and parental bonds.

Does Tarzan Finds a Son! include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no significant depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the primary narrative arc.

Present on Screen

The film provides a clear, focused narrative centered on themes of parental bonds and family stability.

Limited or Absent

The film relies on colonialist clichés that treat the African setting as a passive backdrop.
Gender roles are strictly hierarchical, centering power in the male protagonist.
There is a lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities and diverse racial perspectives.

Official Synopsis

A young couple die in a plane crash in the jungle. Their son is found by Tarzan and Jane who name him Boy and raise him as their own. Five years later a search party comes to find the young heir to millions of dollars. Jane agrees, against Tarzan's will, to lead them to civilization.

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