Tarzan, reared in the jungle by apes following the death of his parents, Lord and Lady Greystoke, is discovered by an English search party which includes Clayton, who hopes to inherit the Greystoke title and fortune, and Jane Porter, whom the apeman saves from the jaws of a lion. Although Jane has fallen in love with Tarzan, she reluctantly accompanies the search party back to civilization after hearing Clayton's false report that Tarzan has been killed. Tarzan follows his beloved Jane to California, where he rescues her from bandits and makes a rather unsuccessful attempt to mingle with the cream of San Francisco society. Clayton conspires with La Belle Odine, a beautiful dancer, to lure Tarzan away from his sweetheart, whereupon Jane, believing that Tarzan has been unfaithful, breaks their engagement. Brokenhearted, Tarzan returns to Africa, but when Jane learns of Clayton's duplicity, she follows her lover back to the jungle.