MASK OF THE DRAGON

Sheila Ryan and Richard Travis

MASK OF THE DRAGON (1951). Director: Sam Newfield.

In Korea Lt. Dan Oliver (Richard Emory) is asked to take a package containing a Jade dragon back to the United States. He has barely arrived when he is murdered and his luggage searched. Oliver's partner, Phil Ramsey (Richard Travis), investigates his murder along with Ramsey's gal pal, Ginny (Sheila Ryan). Ginny isn't thrilled when Phil shows an interest in blonde singer Terry Newell (Dee Tatum), who appears on an L.A. TV show and was in love with Oliver. While Phil kibbitzes with Lt. McLaughlin (Lyle Talbot), sinister art dealer Kim Ho (Jack Reitzen) and his associates Murphy (Sid Melton), Kingpin (Karl Davis) and Simo (Charles Iwamoto, billed as Mr. Moto) try to find the Jade dragon and beat up or dispose of anyone who gets in their way. Major Clinton (Michael Whelan) is convinced that Oliver was up to some funny business, a notion that infuriates Phil.

Curt Barrett and the Trailsmen

Mask of the Dragon was undoubtedly made back to back with Travis' earlier film Fingerprints Don't Lie, as it has the same director, writer, stars and virtually the same cast in both pictures. It is an even worse movie, however. At one point the action stops dead so that we can be treated to the song stylings of Curt Barrett and the Trailsmen, who aren't terrible but do little to add to the intrigue. Mask of the Dragon seems cobbled together from outtakes, with a script hastily scribbled on toilet paper to make use of the footage and the cowboy singers used to pad out the running time. Like other mystery films Travis starred or co-starred in, Dragon was cut down to half an hour and shown on television as part of a mystery series. Dudley Chambers' organ score is another minus. The actors do the best they can. 

Verdict: Even singing cowboys can't save this. *1/2.