Jungle Book (1942 film)

Jungle Book is a 1942 independent American Technicolor actionadventure film by the Hungarian Korda brothers, based on a screenplay adaptation by Laurence Stallings of the Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book about a wild boy who is kidnapped by human villagers that are cruel to animals as they attempt to steal the jungles lost treasure. The film was directed by Zoltn Korda, produced by his brother Alexander and art directed by their younger brother Vincent. The cinematography was by Lee Garmes and W. Howard Greene and music by Mikls Rzsa. The film starred Sabu Dastagir as Mowgli. Because of the war, the British Korda brothers had moved their film making to Hollywood in 1940, and Jungle Book is one of the films they made during that Hollywood period.

As a younger man he dreams that his village could one day become an important town and that the jungle could be conquered. However, when he is speaking about these dreams, an attack by Shere Khan, the tiger, leads to the death of a man and the loss of the mans child. The child is adopted by wolves in the jungle and grows to be the wild youth Mowgli. Years later, Mowgli is captured by the villagers and taken in by his mother Messua, though she does not recognize him as her lost child. He learns to speak and tries to imitate the ways of men, as well as becomes friendly with Buldeos daughter, Mahala much to Buldeos distress, since he is convinced that the wild Mowgli is dangerous. When Mowgli and Mahala explore the jungle, they discover a hidden chamber in a ruined palace, containing fabulous wealth. Warned by an aged cobra that the wealth brings death, they leave, but Mahala takes one coin as a memento. When Buldeo sees the coin, he tries to force Mowgli to tell him where the treasure is, but Mowgli refuses. Buldeo resolves to follow Mowgli to the site of the treasure.Later Mowgli fights and kills Shere Khan, with some last minute help from Kaa, the python. As he is skinning the body, Buldeo arrives. He threatens Mowgli with a gun, but is attacked by Mowglis friend Bagheera, the black panther. Buldeo becomes convinced that Bagheera is Mowgli himself, shapeshifted into panther form. He tells the villagers that Mowgli is a witch, as is his mother. Mowgli is chained up and threatened with death, but escapes with his mothers help. However, she and another villager who tries to defend her are tied up and themselves threatened with burning for witchcraft. ........

Source: Wikipedia