George of the Jungle

Based on the characters of Jay Ward's TV cartoon series, this live action feature pitches itself on the level of exotic, anything-goes pantomime, with Tarzan-like George, a talking ape, a pelican, a pet elephant, a pith-helmeted eco-villain (Church), and a willowy but plucky love interest (Mann). Fraser is a natural for the hero, brought up in Bukuvu National Park, Africa, by Ape, his snobbish bookworm butler - incompetently, though, since George can't swing on a vine without crashing his tackle. His mix of bare-faced cheek, infantilism and physical exuberance sets the tone, while the plot's absurdities are acknowledged with disarming candidness. The story is incidental - the villain wants to abduct the talking ape for financial gain - and thankfully the animatronics and computer effects aren't allowed to overwhelm the proceedings.