A proper adaption of the Edgar Rice Burroughs 1912 Tarzan novel Tarzan of the Apes. When John and his pregnant wife Alice Clayton head out on sea for an expedition they get caught in the middle of a mutiny. Captain Michael (leader of the Mutiny) prevents his men from killing John and Alice like they killed the others. He leaves them on the African coast line promising to send their people to find them. John and Alice build a treehouse as shelter and Alice eventually gives birth to a baby boy. After an attack by a Gorilla Alice is sick and eventually dies. Later the Mangani Ape tribe attacks and kills John, and the ape Kala adopts the baby John Clayton II and names him Tarzan.
Tarzan grows up in the wild with the Mangani tribe, lead by Kerchak. The only humans Tarzan ever has contact with is the African tribes in primitive 1800s Africa. Among these tribes is Mbonga's tribe who ritually hunt and kill the Mangani in their transition to becoming a man.
Until a ship arrives at the coastline. The passengers include Jane and her father Archimedes Porter, William Cecil Clayton and Paul D'Arnot.
