I went into "White Pongo" cold, preferring not to read the DVD sleeve to get a hint of the story. Lo and behold, it's another in a long line of gorilla films that found popularity in the 1940's, that perhaps thought it could enrich itself with a name no one had ever heard of before or since. Pongo rhymes with Congo, and that's where the action takes place, as an expedition heads into gorilla territory to seek out what may be the missing link between monkeys and men. Not only that, but the animal in question is a rare white gorilla, thought to be highly secretive and very hard to find, but is never more than a few feet away in any scene involving the intrepid explorers.
Maris Wrixon provides the film's female lead and romantic interest, Pamela Bragdon. She's the daughter of Sir Harry (Gordon Richards), and insists on being part of the adventure, citing her experience of having been born on a safari. She has eyes for her personal guard Bishop (Richard Fraser), who's mission on the trip is of a dual nature; he's really an agent attempting to get the goods on safari guide Hans Kroegert (Al Eben), who may have murdered anthropologist Dierdorf. It's Dierdorf's diary that offers a clue to the white pongo creature's existence.
Critics of the filmed versions of "King Kong" who find racism behind every banana tree would really have a field day with this one. The Number #1 Porter Boy is called Mumbo Jumbo (really, I'm not making this up!), and it's a "white" gorilla considered the missing link, not a black one. I try not to get involved in political correctness with Poverty Row films dealing in monkeys, so those arguments are best left for another time. This movie is best viewed with a healthy dose of good humor and good friends.
I will say there's a nifty fight scene between a "normal" gorilla and the pongo; they batter each other with uprooted trees in a creative slug fest. Before it's all over, the white gorilla rescues Miss Pamela from the evil German guide (Nazi overtones anyone?) and carries her off to his cave; Pongo is no Kong however and has to hoist her over his shoulder.
What's probably most disappointing about the movie is the way it ends. The expedition members capture the creature and crate him up for shipment to London. The film closes on that note, leaving the viewer to consider that maybe the movie makers dropped the ball, having never heard of sequel. This critic at least would have preferred to see the animal go free to create havoc another day in "The Return of White Pongo". Oh well, maybe someone will remake "King Kong". Oh, wait...
Maris Wrixon provides the film's female lead and romantic interest, Pamela Bragdon. She's the daughter of Sir Harry (Gordon Richards), and insists on being part of the adventure, citing her experience of having been born on a safari. She has eyes for her personal guard Bishop (Richard Fraser), who's mission on the trip is of a dual nature; he's really an agent attempting to get the goods on safari guide Hans Kroegert (Al Eben), who may have murdered anthropologist Dierdorf. It's Dierdorf's diary that offers a clue to the white pongo creature's existence.
Critics of the filmed versions of "King Kong" who find racism behind every banana tree would really have a field day with this one. The Number #1 Porter Boy is called Mumbo Jumbo (really, I'm not making this up!), and it's a "white" gorilla considered the missing link, not a black one. I try not to get involved in political correctness with Poverty Row films dealing in monkeys, so those arguments are best left for another time. This movie is best viewed with a healthy dose of good humor and good friends.
I will say there's a nifty fight scene between a "normal" gorilla and the pongo; they batter each other with uprooted trees in a creative slug fest. Before it's all over, the white gorilla rescues Miss Pamela from the evil German guide (Nazi overtones anyone?) and carries her off to his cave; Pongo is no Kong however and has to hoist her over his shoulder.
What's probably most disappointing about the movie is the way it ends. The expedition members capture the creature and crate him up for shipment to London. The film closes on that note, leaving the viewer to consider that maybe the movie makers dropped the ball, having never heard of sequel. This critic at least would have preferred to see the animal go free to create havoc another day in "The Return of White Pongo". Oh well, maybe someone will remake "King Kong". Oh, wait...