Scotland, 1885, marks the beginning of a gripping tale centered around the youthful John Clayton of the Greystoke estate, who embarks on a journey to Africa with his expectant wife, Alice. As they bid farewell to John's father, the esteemed Sixth Earl of Greystoke, little do they know that their fateful voyage will lead to survival amid treacherous circumstances after their ship is wrecked along the coast of Equatorial West Africa.
Months pass, and John and Alice find themselves marooned in the dense jungle, where they craft a humble home high in the trees from the remains of their ship. Joy soon turns to despair as Alice gives birth to their son, Jonathan Jr., only to fall gravely ill shortly thereafter. In his journal, John documents the harrowing experience of caring for his vulnerable family. Tragically, Alice succumbs to her illness, leaving John devastated. In a heart-wrenching moment, he weeps over her body as a powerful primate named White Eyes, leader of a local ape clan, enters their home. In an instinctual surge, John reaches for his gun but meets a sudden, brutal end at the hands of the beast.
As John Jr. is discovered by the grieving ape Kala, who has just lost her own baby, she makes a life-altering decision. Abandoning her deceased offspring, she claims the human child, lured by his cries, and escapes into the jungle, marking the dawn of a new life for both her and John Jr.
Years later, under the guise of Tarzan, John grows up among the apes, adapting to their ways but constantly facing the menace posed by White Eyes, who sees him as an outsider. Despite his struggles, Tarzan's innate human abilities begin to shine through, allowing him to excel in situations requiring swimming and agility, particularly when danger lurks nearby.
As an adolescent, Tarzan stumbles upon the remnants of his human past when he discovers his parents' former home, a place laden with memories and artifacts that tie him to his origins. When tragedy strikes and Kala is mortally wounded by native hunters, Tarzan's furious retaliation showcases the berserker spirit that lies within him, revealing the raw power of his dual identity.
The jungle is soon disrupted by a hunting party led by the sadistic Major Jack Downing (Nigel Davenport), tasked with capturing primates for research in Britain. A moment of fate brings the wounded Capitaine Phillippe d'Arnot into Tarzan's life, as the young man offers care despite the disapproval of White Eyes. This partnership thrives, revealing Tarzan's extraordinary ability to mimic sounds and learn English, unraveling the secrets of his heritage.
The defining moment arrives when Tarzan challenges White Eyes for leadership of the ape clan. Their brutal confrontation finally ends with Tarzan emerging victorious, solidifying his place among the apes just as d'Arnot earns Tarzan's trust and vows to return the young man home to his family in England.
Upon their return, John is welcomed by his aging grandfather, Lord Greystoke, who is grappling with his own decay and memories. In the midst of this newfound civilization, John encounters Jane Porter, a woman from America engaged to another. Their connection blossoms, as Jane patiently teaches him etiquette and language, igniting feelings that lead to an intimate relationship forged in secrecy.
However, the return to society is fraught with hurdles as John's savage instincts clash with the expectations of the elite. A catastrophic incident during a celebration propels John into a spiral of grief when he faces yet another loss—his grandfather dies in a tragic accident while reveling in youthful nostalgia. This loss drives him to challenge both his identity and the pale veil of civilization he cannot wear comfortably.
His final push toward the wild culminates in a devastating encounter at the museum, where John discovers the horror of his primate kin being studied and displayed as mere specimens. In a moment of unrestrained fury, he frees Silverbeard, his adoptive father, but tragedy strikes once more when Silverbeard is fatally shot by the authorities. This heartbreak awakens the primal rage within him, manifesting the eternal conflict between his dual natures.
As advocates debate John's future and whether he should remain in civilization or be sent back to his primal home, John firmly declares, “One half of me is Greystoke. The other half is wild!” After much turmoil, he chooses the only path he can reconcile: a return to Africa, where his spirit truly lies. There, he encounters a new gorilla and runs off into the depths of the rainforest, leaving behind a world that never felt like home to embrace the wild that is his destiny, watched closely by Jane and d'Arnot.
