As a child, I loved this 1942 film Jungle Book. As a 20-year old adult, I still do, my favourite version of the story alongside the less faithful but just as fun 1967 Disney film. As with all Korda Brothers films(The Four Feathers being my personal favourite),the film is full of beautiful scenery and cinematography as well as an exotic atmosphere. Miklos Rozsa's score is suitably stirring with an authentic touch, while the story is exciting and amusing with a real adventurous streak about it and the pace not dragging too much. The jungle animals look great and are colourful characters in their own right, and the film is lovingly directed as always. Sabu is a likable and athletic lead, Joseph Calleia is terrific as Buldeo and Rosemary De Camp is a sympathetic mother figure. My only complaint is the romance, which was not as developed as it could have been. Overall though, I still love this film and still thinks it holds up today. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Here we have a glorious Technicolour adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling stories, nowadays forgotten after being eclipsed by Disney's cartoon film of 1967. Its status is ill-deserved, however, as this turns out to be a thrilling and eventful movie along the same action-packed lines as THE THIEF OF BAGDAD.

It's hardly surprising, given that the two films share both Zoltan Korda as director and Sabu as star. THE JUNGLE BOOK serves as a loose adaptation of a handful of the original Mowgli stories, featuring all the animal characters that Kipling made famous and integrating them into a storyline that's very much of its era.

Once the Tarzan-like jungle adventures are dispensed with, the plot involves a trio of greedy hunters and their quest for a mythical city of gold. Along the way, there are plenty of animal encounters which utilise some cutting edge technology for their day; those giant snakes still look impressive even now, and I'd for sure take them over lazy, modern-day CGI.

Overall the film has a pleasant and whimsical tone, and the bookend scenes involving an old beggar narrating the tale are very well handled. Sabu is in his element, and doesn't put a foot wrong, and there's enough drama to satisfy both child and adult viewers.

This is a rather amazing production for 1942. The lavish sets, costumes and full-color are quite amazing for the time--especially considering it was made during one of the darkest years of WWII. So, instead of the typical black & white propaganda film, here we have pure escapism.

Now if you are looking for the Disney version of the Kipling story, you'll no doubt be disappointed. Aside from names and a few plot elements, the story really bears little in common with the 1967 film. Unlike the cartoon, this film does address how Mowgli becomes stranded in the jungle as an infant plus about 80% of the film consists of Mowgli's life AFTER returning to the village where he was born. And, also unlike the Disney film, humans are pretty greedy and awful in this film. In fact, instead of the tiger, Shere Khan, trying to kill Mowgli, the plot mostly has to do with a jungle treasure and the terrible lengths greed drives men to have it. By the end of the film, Mowgli is sick of the humans and their wicked ways--and leaves to live in his beloved jungle once again--quite the opposite of the Disney story.

Aside from very nice production values, there is a lot to admire about the film. The story is rather timeless and has some depth to it due to its examination of human nature. The only serious negative is the same negative you'd have with all adventure films of this era--no one in the film is actually Indian other than Sabu! Remember, this was the time of Charlie Chan (played originally by a Swede) and actors such as Errol Flynn and Katherine Hepburn playing Asians!! Here, such reliable Hollywood actors as John Qualen and Joseph Calleia play Indians! It's all rather laughable, though perhaps it was tough finding Indian actors at the time (especially with India in the thick of things in the war). Still, it's all very forgivable considering that it's otherwise a quality production from start to finish.