Tarzan's Secret Treasure is a 1941 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer jungle-adventure film built around the familiar characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Released as part of the popular on-screen Tarzan cycle, the picture features Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan in the leading roles with young Johnny Sheffield as the boy known simply as Boy. It is one of the Weissmuller–O'Sullivan entries produced by MGM during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Overview
The movie belongs to the adventure and jungle film tradition popular in Hollywood's studio era. Rather than adapting a single Burroughs novel, it draws on the established Tarzan mythos — the noble, wild-raised man of the African forest, his companion Jane, and the young Boy — to present a compact, self-contained story designed for mass audiences. As with other entries in the series, the film mixes action, animal sequences and light domestic scenes to broaden its appeal.
Plot and characters
In broad terms, the plot centers on an expedition and the discovery (and attempted plundering) of a hidden wealth in the jungle. The title character, Tarzan, together with Jane and Boy, become involved when outsiders arrive seeking treasure; conflict arises as the intruders clash with the protective inhabitants of the jungle. The screenplay emphasizes Tarzan's physical prowess, Jane's moral steadiness, and Boy's loyalty, along with moments of comic relief and suspense typical of the series.
Production and cast
The film was produced and distributed by MGM during a prolific period for studio-produced adventure pictures. The starring team included Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan and Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane, with Johnny Sheffield portraying Boy. Other supporting roles and technical crew work followed the studio's conventional approach: sturdy, efficient production values, on-location-style sets and animal-coordination suited to the demands of jungle action.
Cast and principal roles
- Johnny Weissmuller — Tarzan
- Maureen O'Sullivan — Jane
- Johnny Sheffield — Boy
- Supporting cast and expedition characters — antagonists and allies
Legacy and notable facts
As the fifth of six MGM Tarzan films to pair Weissmuller and O'Sullivan, the picture helped cement a screen template for Tarzan stories that influenced later adaptations. The film exemplifies the era's studio adventure formula: a recognizable hero, straightforward moral conflicts, and the spectacle of exotic settings. It also contributed to the long-term popularity of Burroughs' creations — the fictional characters and broader concepts he devised — which continued to be reinterpreted across cinema, radio, comics and later television.
For those researching classic film series or the evolution of adventure cinema, jungle pictures like this one and similar adventure entries offer a clear window into Hollywood's studio-era storytelling, star vehicles and genre conventions. Further information on the film, the Tarzan franchise and its performers can be found through specialized film histories and archive listings: see entries on Tarzan adaptations and individual filmographies for more detail.
Additional resources and reference entries are often available in film indexes and retrospective collections focusing on MGM, the Weissmuller years and the cultural impact of Tarzan in 20th-century media. For cast biographies and production notes consult dedicated film guides and archives linked from studio records and period reviews.