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Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) movie poster

Timeline

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1984 · 135 min · English
Directed by
Hugh Hudson
Starring
Andie MacDowell, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, Christopher Lambert, Nicholas Farrell, Ian Charleson

Raised by apes in the African jungle after his parents perish, Tarzan lives a primal life until a group of explorers discovers him. Torn between his wild upbringing and the customs of Victorian society, he must learn to navigate a world vastly different from his own. As he confronts the dangers and intrigues of civilization, Tarzan struggles to reconcile his identity and protect the jungle he calls home.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 The book behind the movie
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

Where can you watch Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Hoopla, Plex and Amazon Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Departure to Africa

    In 1885, young John Clayton and his expectant wife, Alice, embark on a voyage to Africa from Scotland. They bid farewell to John's father, the esteemed Sixth Earl of Greystoke, unaware of the dangerous journey that awaits them.

    When
    1885
    Where
    Scotland
  2. Shipwreck

    Tragedy strikes when the couple's ship wrecks along the coast of Equatorial West Africa. Stranded and alone, John and Alice must learn to survive in the untamed wilderness while grappling with their dire circumstances.

    Where
    Equatorial West Africa
  3. Building a Home

    In the dense jungle, John and Alice work together to craft a humble home high in the trees using wooden remnants from their ship. This labor of love showcases their resolve to create a new life under the daunting challenges of nature.

    Where
    Jungle
  4. The Birth of Jonathan Jr.

    The couple's joy turns to despair when Alice gives birth to their son, Jonathan Jr., but soon falls gravely ill. John records his struggles in a journal, showcasing his dedication to both his wife and newborn.

    Where
    Jungle
  5. Alice's Death

    Tragedy strikes a second time as Alice succumbs to her illness, leaving John heartbroken. In a moment of grief, he weeps over her body before confronting a powerful primate named White Eyes, leading to a fatal encounter.

    Where
    Jungle
  6. Kala Finds John Jr.

    After John's death, the grieving ape, Kala, discovers the abandoned human child. Moved by the infant's cries, she decides to take him as her own, abandoning her deceased offspring and ushering in a new life for John Jr.

    Where
    Jungle
  7. Growing Up as Tarzan

    Years pass, and John Jr., now known as Tarzan, grows up among the apes, mastering their ways. However, he consistently faces challenges from White Eyes, who sees him as an outsider and a rival.

    Where
    Jungle
  8. Discovery of Human Heritage

    As an adolescent, Tarzan stumbles upon the remnants of his family's former home, filled with artifacts from his past. This discovery sparks a conflict within him as he grapples between his human origins and ape upbringing.

    Where
    Old Greystoke Estate
  9. Kala's Mortality

    Tragedy strikes once again when Kala is mortally wounded by native hunters. In a fierce display of rage, Tarzan retaliates against the hunters, revealing the raw power of his dual identity as both human and beast.

    Where
    Jungle
  10. The Arrival of Major Jack Downing

    The jungle is disrupted by Major Jack Downing and his hunting party, who intends to capture primates for research. In this chaos, Tarzan befriends wounded Captain Phillippe d'Arnot, which offers him a glimpse into the human world.

    Where
    Jungle
  11. Tarzan Learns English

    Under d'Arnot's guidance, Tarzan learns to communicate and reveal his exceptional talent for mimicking sounds. This newfound friendship helps connect him to his human heritage and prepares him for his eventual return home.

    Where
    Jungle
  12. Challenge to White Eyes

    In a definitive showdown, Tarzan challenges White Eyes for leadership of the ape clan. Tarzan’s victory solidifies his place among the apes and marks a turning point in his acceptance of his dual nature.

    Where
    Jungle
  13. Return to Civilization

    Tarzan returns to Britain, where he reunites with his grandfather, Lord Greystoke. In this new environment, he encounters Jane Porter and feels an immediate connection, though societal expectations complicate their budding romance.

    Where
    England
  14. Tragic Accident

    During a celebration, tragedy strikes when Lord Greystoke dies in a tragic accident. This loss profoundly impacts Tarzan, forcing him to confront his identity and the alien nature of civilization that he struggles to fit into.

    Where
    England
  15. Choosing the Wild

    After witnessing the horrors of his primate kin being displayed in a museum, Tarzan's primal rage awakens. He asserts his identity, declaring his desire to return to Africa, where he ultimately embraces his true inheritance as he fades into the wild.

    Where
    Museum, England

Last updated: October 25, 2024 at 10:44

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Timeline questions answered

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does the ape Kala take the human baby as her own?

Kala adopts the infant after losing her own baby to a predator. When she hears the human child's cries, maternal instinct compels her to abandon her dead offspring and claim the vulnerable infant. This act of substitution fills the void left by her tragedy and sets the foundation for Tarzan's ape upbringing.

  • kala
  • tarzan
  • baby
  • adoption
  • ape mother
Q2

Why does Tarzan return to Africa at the end of the movie?

Tarzan returns to Africa because he cannot reconcile his dual identity within Victorian civilization. The final triggers are his grandfather's death and witnessing his ape kin being displayed as specimens in a museum, which unleashes his primal rage. He declares that one half of him is Greystoke and the other half is wild, ultimately choosing the jungle where he truly belongs.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Tarzan struggling with civilized manners and feeling like an outsider among humans.

  • tarzan
  • africa
  • return
  • jungle
  • identity
Q3

How do Tarzan's biological parents die in the jungle?

John and Alice Clayton survive a shipwreck but become stranded in Equatorial West Africa. Alice dies from illness after giving birth to Jonathan Jr. (Tarzan). John is then killed by White Eyes, the ape leader, when he tries to defend himself while grieving over his wife's body. The infant is left orphaned in the jungle.

  • parents
  • death
  • john
  • alice
  • shipwreck
Q4

How does Lord Greystoke die in the film?

Lord Greystoke dies in a tragic accident during a celebration at the Greystoke estate. The elderly earl, attempting to relive his youthful past, falls to his death. This loss devastates Tarzan, who was just beginning to form a connection with his remaining family.

  • lord greystoke
  • grandfather
  • death
  • accident
  • england
Q5

Why does Tarzan struggle to adapt to Victorian society?

Tarzan struggles because his savage instincts clash with the rigid expectations of Victorian upper-class life. He cannot suppress his primal nature, which manifests as uncontrolled aggression and inability to conform to social etiquette. The film shows him feeling like a permanent outsider in a world that cannot accept his true self.

Foreshadowing: His early scenes in the jungle already display his violent reactions when apes threaten his family.

  • civilization
  • society
  • victorian
  • adaptation
  • instincts
Q6

What triggers Tarzan's rampage at the museum?

Tarzan discovers gorillas from his clan being studied and displayed as scientific specimens in a museum. This horrific sight of his adoptive family reduced to mere exhibits unleashes his primal rage. He attacks the displays and frees Silverbeard, but the ape is fatally shot by authorities during the chaos.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes established Tarzan's deep bond with the ape clan and his protective nature toward his family.

  • museum
  • silverbeard
  • specimens
  • rage
  • freed
Q7

How does Tarzan defeat the ape White Eyes?

Tarzan challenges White Eyes for leadership of the ape clan in a brutal confrontation. Despite White Eyes seeing Tarzan as an outsider throughout his upbringing, Tarzan ultimately kills the aging leader in combat. This victory solidifies his place among the apes and marks his acceptance of his dual nature.

Foreshadowing: White Eyes has been Tarzan's nemesis since childhood, viewing him as a rival and threat.

  • white eyes
  • ape
  • battle
  • leadership
  • victory
Q8

What is Tarzan's connection with Jane Porter?

Jane Porter, an American woman visiting England, teaches Tarzan etiquette and language. Despite her engagement to another man, a romantic connection develops between them through secret meetings. Jane sees past his savage nature and helps him navigate civilization, making his decision to leave even more bittersweet.

  • jane
  • porter
  • romance
  • love
  • england
Q9

How does Silverbeard the ape die?

Silverbeard is the elderly ape whom Tarzan frees during his museum rampage. Although Tarzan liberates him from captivity, Silverbeard is fatally shot by authorities while attempting to escape. His death symbolizes the tragic cost of civilization's exploitation of the natural world.

Foreshadowing: Silverbeard was shown as one of the apes Tarzan respected in the jungle.

  • silverbeard
  • ape
  • death
  • museum
  • shooting
Q10

Why does Captain d'Arnot bring Tarzan to England?

After being wounded and cared for by Tarzan in the jungle, d'Arnot develops a friendship with the young man. He learns that Tarzan is the heir to the Greystoke estate and vows to return him to his family. d'Arnot believes Tarzan deserves to know his human heritage and rightful place in aristocracy.

Foreshadowing: d'Arnot discovers Tarzan's true identity through documents and the discovered family estate.

  • d arnot
  • england
  • greystoke
  • family
  • return
Q11

Why does Tarzan grow up among apes instead of in civilization?

Tarzan grows up among apes because both his biological parents die shortly after his birth in the jungle. The ape Kala, grieving her own dead infant, adopts the human child and raises him as her own. This creates Tarzan's unique dual identity from the start.

  • jungle
  • apes
  • raised
  • adopted
  • kala
Q12

Why is discovering his parents' old home significant for Tarzan?

As an adolescent, Tarzan discovers the remains of his biological parents' treehouse, complete with their belongings and journal. This confrontation with his human past ignites an internal conflict between his ape identity and his emerging human heritage, creating the central tension that drives his character arc.

  • heritage
  • parents
  • home
  • discovery
  • journal

Movie threads

More Movies Like Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about being torn between two worlds like Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

Stories of characters split between conflicting cultures, identities, or homes. If you liked Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, explore these movies about characters caught between two cultures. These similar stories feature identity crises, culture clash, and the bittersweet struggle to find a place to belong, often with a steady, character-driven pace.

  • melancholic
  • yearning
  • introspective
  • somber
  • grieving
  • identity crisis
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, introspective
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow a character who is pulled between two distinct environments or identities—such as nature vs. civilization, tradition vs. modernity, or a past life vs. a future one. The plot revolves around their attempts to navigate both, leading to a climax where they must make a definitive choice, often resulting in a bittersweet resolution where something is gained and something else is lost.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a central theme of duality and identity conflict. They create a similar emotional experience of alienation and yearning, balanced with a steady pacing that allows for deep character exploration. The mood is consistently melancholic and somber, focusing on the profound cost of finding one's true self.

Somber epic stories of tragic inheritance like Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

Epic journeys defined by loss, heritage, and a somber search for identity. Find movies similar to Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes that explore themes of tragic legacy and inheritance. These films feature a melancholic tone, dealing with the loss of parents, a search for belonging, and a bittersweet coming-of-age journey within a dramatic, steady-paced narrative.

  • tragic
  • somber
  • grieving
  • melancholic
  • primal
  • inheritance
  • Tone: somber, tragic, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, epic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is typically triggered by a profound loss or the discovery of a hidden heritage. The protagonist embarks on a physical and emotional journey to claim their inheritance, which is often intertwined with tragedy. The story unfolds at a steady pace, allowing for reflection on grief and identity, and culminates in an ending that acknowledges the sacrifices made to secure their place in the world.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their focus on legacy, loss, and the somber process of coming to terms with one's destiny. They share a melancholic and tragic mood, a medium to heavy emotional weight, and a steady pacing that gives gravity to the protagonist's epic, yet personal, struggle. The tone is consistently bittersweet, finding beauty in sorrow.

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Every angle

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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