In February 1980, MGM announced the studio was making a Tarzan film with the Dereks. After making A Change of Seasons, she was meant to appear in High Road to China but pulled out of the film saying she wanted to be directed only by her husband John. Steve Strong as Ivory King, the tribe leader.Д«o Derek was extremely popular at the time due to her appearance in 10.Miles O'Keeffe as Tarzan, Jane's lover.Richard Harris as James Parker, Jane's father.Bo Derek as Jane Parker, James' daughter and Tarzan's lover.Tarzan comes to the rescue and escapes from the natives. James is killed by the Ivory King, and the natives remove Jane's clothes. Jane is then kidnapped by natives who intend to make her a wife of the tribe leader, forcing Tarzan into action. Jane and Tarzan become fascinated by each other. Realizing that James is on his trail, Tarzan kidnaps Jane. James continues to pursue Tarzan with the purpose of capturing him, dead or alive, and bringing him back to England. They discover the 'white ape' is actually Tarzan, an uncivilized white man raised by apes living in the jungle. He is joined by his estranged daughter, Jane, after her mother's death. James Parker is a hunter in Africa, searching for a mythical 'white ape'. This film received extremely negative reviews, and in some circles has been considered to be one of the worst films ever made, even though it was a box-office success. The film is marketed with the tagline Unlike any other 'Tarzan' you've ever seen! The original actor cast in the Tarzan role was fired (or quit) early in production, resulting in the sudden casting of his stunt double, Miles O'Keeffe, in the title role. Former Tarzan actor Jock Mahoney, billed as Jack O'Mahoney, was the film's stunt coordinator. The original music score is composed by Perry Botkin Jr. It is the third filmed version of the story released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

The screenplay by Tom Rowe and Gary Goddard is loosely based on the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, but from the point of view of Jane Parker. Tarzan, the Ape Man is a 1981 adventure film directed by John Derek and starring Bo Derek, Miles O'Keeffe, Richard Harris, and John Phillip Law.

Tarzan the ape man 1981 rotten tomatoes