IMDb RATING
6.7/10
4.5K
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The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.The Leiningen South American cocoa plantation is threatened by a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants.
Norma Calderón
- Zala
- (as Norma Calderon)
Jerado Decordovier
- Gruber's Indian
- (uncredited)
Pilar Del Rey
- Indian Wife
- (uncredited)
Bernie Gozier
- Gruber's Indian
- (uncredited)
Leon Lontoc
- Indian
- (uncredited)
John Mansfield
- Foreman
- (uncredited)
Ronald Alan Numkena
- Indian Boy
- (uncredited)
Rodd Redwing
- Indian
- (uncredited)
Jack Reitzen
- Fat Man
- (uncredited)
Carlos Rivero
- Indian Husband
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Philip Yordan(front for Ben Maddow)
- Ranald MacDougall
- Carl Stephenson
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaCharlton Heston improvised during the argument scene between Eleanor Parker and himself. It was not scripted that he splash perfume all over her. This move intensified the action and a surprised Parker was able to react accordingly.
- GoofsDuring the first meeting/"confrontation" between Joanna and Christopher there comes a point in the conversation when he asks her if she is 'laughing at him.' As she turns from the dresser to face him at the very upper left corner for approx. 35 frames the moving shadow of what may well be a boom mic can easily be seen as it follows the motion.
- Quotes
Joanna Leiningen: Do you think this moat will stop them?
Christopher Leiningen: Ants are strictly land creatures. They can't swim. Right, Incacha?
Incacha: Monkeys not swim also. They cross rivers even so.
Christopher Leiningen: The intelligence of monkeys is more than ants, less than man.
Incacha: Is so.
[laughing]
Incacha: When ants come, monkeys run.
- ConnectionsEdited into Atlantis: The Lost Continent (1961)
Featured review
Marabunta! - when ants come, the monkeys run!
An old style Hollywood adventure taking place in the Amazon jungles circa year 1901, this is a favorite of mine from TV showings dating back 30 years ago. A portion of the jungles have been tamed by Heston's character as the story begins; he's carved out his own little kingdom with sweat and blood, with the help of local natives, and now his new wife (Parker), married by proxy, arrives. This is one of Heston's better characters: he's well-suited to play this proud, often arrogant male, driven to build a personal empire to perhaps compensate for the inherent failings of such men. His main weakness is he knows nothing about women, and Parker, almost regal in her bearing, represents a kind of strength and sophistication he is obviously not accustomed to. Their meeting and slowly building towards a mutual respect after a very rough beginning is in itself an interesting story, but this exotic adventure throws in a spectacular menace to add suspense to the whole thing. The jungle, as it turns out, allows Heston only 15 years of conquest before fighting back in 'nature-gone-amok' style similar to all the future eco-terror pictures of the later seventies.
By now, everyone knows that this menace is the soldier ant, or 'marabunta' as it's mysteriously referred to in the middle of the story. I think even audiences who saw this back in '54 were probably aware of what the threat was beforehand, as well. But it's not revealed during the film until after several ominous yet uninformative references by the main characters. It comes across as some huge monstrous threat - which indeed it is - billions upon billions of these ants merge together to form a monster 20 miles long and 2 miles wide. As the local commissioner (Conrad) states, with quavering voice, these ants actually think, in military fashion. Nothing stands in its way and we mean nothing. But, of course, if anyone is going to give it the all-American try, it's Heston (yes, he's a character who grew up in South America, but he's strictly the U.S.of A breed - the rugged individual). This builds towards a literal war between Heston's resources and the invading army of ants, and it's a grand finale. It's interesting that this came out about the same time as "Them," a sci-fi tale about giant ants. But the ants here are real - this may make them all the more terrifying. See also "Phase IV," twenty years later, for a different take on even more intelligent ants.
By now, everyone knows that this menace is the soldier ant, or 'marabunta' as it's mysteriously referred to in the middle of the story. I think even audiences who saw this back in '54 were probably aware of what the threat was beforehand, as well. But it's not revealed during the film until after several ominous yet uninformative references by the main characters. It comes across as some huge monstrous threat - which indeed it is - billions upon billions of these ants merge together to form a monster 20 miles long and 2 miles wide. As the local commissioner (Conrad) states, with quavering voice, these ants actually think, in military fashion. Nothing stands in its way and we mean nothing. But, of course, if anyone is going to give it the all-American try, it's Heston (yes, he's a character who grew up in South America, but he's strictly the U.S.of A breed - the rugged individual). This builds towards a literal war between Heston's resources and the invading army of ants, and it's a grand finale. It's interesting that this came out about the same time as "Them," a sci-fi tale about giant ants. But the ants here are real - this may make them all the more terrifying. See also "Phase IV," twenty years later, for a different take on even more intelligent ants.
- Bogmeister
- May 10, 2006
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Bushmaster
- Filming locations
- Florahome, Florida, USA(dynamiting of bridges)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,300,000
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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