Alani of the Lost Islands

Alani of the Lost Islands is based on an earlier MGM serial The Forgotten Island (which didn't star Lana Rey). The hero was treasure hunter Joe Keel, who was caught in a storm and washed up on the Lost Island, along with some evil rivals; the jungle girl in that one was little more than a perpetual damsel in distress and love interest for Keel, but the producers of this film knew that Alani had to be made of sterner stuff.

The movie opens with Keel (renamed Jack), the evil rivals, and the storm, though. Keel (and the world) first sees Alani as she dives from an high cliff into the pounding ocean and swims out to investigate the wreckage, where she helps him get his makeshift raft to shore. Later, they learn of the rival treasure hunters trying to set themselves up as gods over the natives, and intervene. At one point they're captured and locked in a wooden cage, which is approached by a curious orangutan, who seems to commune or bond with Alani in some way, and break the cage open, freeing them (while the studio didn't follow through with this hint of Alani having mystical powers, the ape, Kimchee, would go on to become a constant companion of both character and actress.

Synopsis written by SunlessNick