Africa Screams

Diana Emerson visits the book section of Klopper's department store and seeks a copy of Dark Safari by Cuddleford. She tells the clerk she will pay $2,500 for a map hidden inside the book. The discovery sets the motive for an expedition that could change everything.

Buzz Johnson brings his friend Stanley Livington to Diana's home to draw the map referenced in the book. Stanley reveals he is familiar with the map's details. Diana's proposition for the expedition quickly shifts from a map sale to a collaborative venture.

Buzz overhears Diana offering Clyde Beatty $20,000 to lead an expedition to capture a legendary giant ape. He realizes the map is worth far more than he first thought. He negotiates for more money and for him and Stanley to join the safari.

They travel to the Congo with Diana's team of explorers, including Boots Wilson, Grappler McCoy, and Gunner. The group sets up in unfamiliar terrain and prepares for the rumored creature and the map-based route. Tension rises as motives clash.

Buzz learns the expedition's true goal is to find a fortune in diamonds, not merely to hunt the giant ape. He renegotiates their deal to reflect the new objective. The realization injects greed and distrust into the team.

The map in the book was actually drawn by Stanley to plot his own job at Klopper's, linking his memory to the expedition's path. This revelation confirms that Stanley's knowledge could guide them to the region of interest. The party presses forward with renewed urgency.

The expedition runs into famed animal collector Frank Buck, adding a new dynamic to the journey. Buck's traps threaten Stanley and Buzz, complicating the mission. The intersection of myth, treasure, and danger deepens.

A cannibal tribe traps the explorers by laying a trail of diamonds intended to lure Buzz and Stanley. The pair is captured, escalating the peril of the mission. Escape hinges on unforeseen allies.

The boys are rescued by a grateful gorilla who had previously been saved by Stanley from one of Buck's traps. The unusual ally proves crucial to survival. The gorilla's intervention shifts the balance of power.

The cannibal chief offers diamonds in exchange for Stanley, but Stanley flees while Buzz recovers the diamonds and hides them. While pursuing Stanley, the expedition and cannibals are frightened away by the giant ape. The friendly gorilla, who had previously saved them, ends up with the diamonds.

Distraught over the loss of his treasure, Buzz abandons Stanley in the jungle. The expedition's fortunes crumble as the party fractures and the map's promise falls apart. The wild asserts its grip as loyalty is tested.

Some time later, Stanley appears prosperous and owns his own skyscraper. Buzz works as the elevator operator in the same building. Stanley's partner is the gorilla who had recovered the diamonds, establishing an odd alliance. The duo's dynamic hints at a comic twist to the adventure.

The gorilla, now Stanley's partner, marks a surreal ending where human ambition and animal cunning converge. Buzz's fall from grace contrasts with Stanley's ascent, underscoring the odd justice of the jungle turned corporate fantasy. The film closes on an uncanny note of partnership forged in extraordinary circumstances.