The Naked Jungle is directed by Byron Haskin and based around the short story Leiningen Versus The Ants written by Carl Stephenson. It stars Charlton Heston, Eleanor Parker, Abraham Sofaer and William Conrad. Music is scored by Daniele Amfitheatrof and cinematography by Ernest Laszlo.

1901, South America, and mail order bride Joanna Selby (Parker) arrives at the plantation owned by her husband Christopher Leiningen. She is shocked to find life at the plantation is hardly idyllic, but not as shocked as Leiningen is when he finds out that Joanna was once married before. With his own hang ups gnawing away at him and he refusing to accept Joanna as his bride, the relationship appears to be heading nowhere. However, she's made of stern stuff, and when a swarm of soldier ants is known to be heading towards the plantation, Joanna and Chris might just find that love is actually there?

Filmed in glorious Technicolor by Laszlo and produced by George Pal (Destination Moon/The War of the Worlds/The Time Machine),The Naked Jungle seems to be a forgotten movie on the CV's of Pal and Heston. A crying shame since it's very well mounted and carries a uniqueness worthy of further delving. Perhaps it got lost in the slipstream of Them! The other Ant movie out that year? What transpires is an hour of interesting character build up, where Heston & Parker's characters take centre stage and benefit from literate writing (Philip Yordan). The sweaty backdrop of the jungle plantation keeps things on the simmer, but it's the dialect and emoting of the performers that really holds the interest. True, Heston does at times over do it with some "woe is me" acting as he looks off into the distance (he has major issues we learn),but it works because it bounces off of Parker's (a Technicolor treat for the eyes) intelligent and stoic performance.

Film then shifts to creature feature territory for the last third. Once the army of Marabunta are spied off in the distance, laying waste to everything in their path, picture has become a war involving man against nature, where if man wins? He may not only save his life, but more pertinently his soul. Heston stops the tortured emoting and sticks out is lantern jaw, squares up his shoulders and stands firm in the face of such a hostile and intelligent enemy. By his side, the wife, multi talented and brave of heart, they make quite a couple. The chemistry between the two is simmering with sexual tension, and thanks to the writing the characters are fabulously engaging and make us care about the outcome of picture. Director Haskin, too, utilises the scenery and plantation setting to frame his protagonists for maximum impact, his camera work airy and unobtrusive. While his crafting of the biblical fight against the ants is thrilling and boosted no end by marvellous effects work (John P. Fulton).

An oddity? Yes, for sure. But it's a smart and intelligent picture that successfully manages to blend the sci-fi and nature aspects with complex human characterisations. 8/10

Before Charlton Heston faced the Red Sea, the Apes, and the anti-gun folks, he was in this picture, where he takes second billing to the Marabunta (sic),army ants that want to eat his plantation. His other problem is his knockout mail order bride with whom he is having trouble communicating. With Heston at his most passionate, running the emotional ladder from A to B, it's hard to tell. Nevertheless, I saw this movie with my sister when we were about 9 or 10 and movies cost 15 cents. We would hide behind the seat in front of us each time the skeletal remains of the alcoholic guy showed up (we sat through the movie four times). The rest of the theatre shrieked. The movie is really a lot of fun. Those ants are a menace which, like the shark in Jaws, don't really have anything personal against us--they are just hungry and eating everything in their path. Heston must find a way to combat them or lose everything he has. As a teenager, one of my top ten short stories was "Leinengen Versus the Ants." This does justice to the story although I don't remember anything about the "experienced" young woman he finds himself with. I chanced upon this film on AMC one day and I was totally caught up in it. Give it a chance. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you're looking for a fully developed dramatic piece, forget it.

The film begins with an extremely beautiful and well-coiffed Eleanor Parker going up river by boat in South America. In addition to th natives, she is escorted by William Conrad (TV's "Cannon" and radio's "Marshall Dillon"). His being cast was odd, as he really couldn't effect a decent Spanish accent plus it was unusual seeing him in a film of the era where he wasn't the "heavy", so to speak.

When Parker arrives to see the man she married sight unseen, he turns out to be a very grumpy and ill-mannered plantation owner in the middle of the Amazon (Charlton Heston). From the onset, his nasty disposition ruins any chance for them to make a go of the marriage, but beautiful Parker tries her best. Frankly, considering how gorgeous she was and how she often wore boudoir clothes, I was wondering if Heston's character was supposed to be gay--it just made sense why he was so full of hate and disdain for her.

Eventually, into this horrid new life comes "Marabunta"--an evil plague of ants who eat EVERYTHING in their path. This may seem silly to some viewers, but such attacks on all life by ants are well documented. Somehow, working through all this brings out the best in Heston and in the end, he is able to stop being such a big jerk and give Parker all the good lovin'she so desperately wants.

This movie nearly merited a 7, so overall it was a good film. The problem is that in parts it is very exciting and interesting, while in others it sags a bit--particularly because Heston's character is unnecessarily boorish and mean in the first half of the film. Still, if you can wade through this silly over-characterization, the film does improve and it better than just another time-passer. Plus, the ant invasion scenes are at times amazing to watch.