Diana Emerson visits the book section of Klopper's department store, hoping to find a copy of Dark Safari by the famed explorer Cuddleford. She tells the clerk, Buzz Johnson, that she’ll pay a steep sum for a map said to be tucked inside the volume, laying out the kind of treasure hunt that could change hands quickly. Buzz’s friend and coworker, Stanley Livington, an enthusiastic armchair explorer, claims to know the map’s details and its potential value. The two men soon realize the map is worth far more than the book itself.
Buzz brings Stanley Livington to Diana’s home to sketch the map, but a startling overheard conversation changes everything: Diana offers Clyde Beatty twenty thousand dollars to lead an expedition to capture a legendary giant ape. The revelation makes Buzz reconsider the entire deal, recognizing that the real prize might be a fortune in diamonds rather than a simple map. He negotiates anew, pressing for bigger rewards and a place on the safari alongside Stanley.
The group sets out for the Congo, where Diana’s team of explorers is joined by Harry 'Boots' Wilson, Grappler McCoy, and Gunner, a nearsighted professional hunter. As they push toward the heart of the region, Buzz learns that the expedition’s stated goal—an elusive giant ape—may be a cover for a diamond-haul operation. The realization forces a fresh round of negotiations as the crew weighs risk against reward. Meanwhile, Stanley’s memory of the book’s details keeps guiding them toward the exact region Diana seeks, even as tension between treachery and loyalty simmers within the ranks.
In the wild, the party crosses paths with the legendary animal collector Frank Buck, a figure whose traps and stories have long preceded him. Frank Buck appears as a striking presence in the jungle, adding another layer to the quest and complicating loyalties. A cannibal tribe emerges, laying a trail of diamonds to lure and capture Buzz and Stanley. The two young men are separated, pursued, and ultimately rescued by a grateful gorilla that Stanley had previously saved from one of Buck’s traps. The diamonds and their fate become entangled in a tense standoff as the cannibal chief offers diamonds to Diana in exchange for Stanley, who escapes while Buzz clutches the remaining treasure and hides it away.
The pursuit intensifies when the giant ape, long dismissed as a myth, makes a dramatic appearance and scatters the pursuing group and the cannibals in fear. A friendly gorilla that had earlier aided them ends up recovering the diamonds before Buzz can reclaim them. After the dust settles, Buzz is heartbroken by the loss of his fortune and leaves Stanley stranded in the jungles.
Back in the United States, time has changed them both. Stanley returns with apparent success, owning his own skyscraper, while Buzz works as an elevator operator, a far cry from the ambitious treasure hunter he once imagined himself to be. The gorilla that had helped recover the diamonds becomes Stanley’s steadfast partner, sharing in his newfound wealth as the credits roll on a story that blends peril, wit, and a surprising twist of fortune. The tale merges adventure with a sly commentary on profit, loyalty, and the unpredictable turns of fate in the heart of the jungle.
