THE MYSTERIOUS MR. VALENTINE

William Henry

THE MYSTERIOUS MR. VALENTINE (1946). Director: Philip Ford. Colorized.  

Janet Spencer (Linda Stirling of The Crimson Ghost) runs into trouble when a corpse is thrown in front of the car she's driving and she's accused of a hit and run. Private detective Steve Morgan (William Henry of Nearly Eighteen) comes to Janet's assistance, but he actually gets hired by Rita Armstrong (Barbara Wooddell) to find out who her husband's (Tristram Coffin) girlfriend (Virginia Christine) is. Then the husband, who was the dead man's business partner, is also murdered, and Lt. Milo Jones (Thomas E. Jackson) tells Steve to stick to divorce cases and insurance fraud. But Steve is determined to find out who is pretending to be the "Mysterious Mr. Valentine" who keeps phoning Janet and making blackmail demands no matter how often he gets hit on the head and knocked unconscious. 

Linda Stirling with Henry

The Mysterious Mr. Valentine comes off at first like an especially complicated episode of Perry Mason without the courtroom scenes. Things are a bit convoluted at first with characters and incidents being thrown at you in rapid succession. Henry makes a likable private dick, and although she looks a little odd in this (as if she overdid the dieting) Stirling is spirited and energetic, giving a breezier performance than usual. Tristram Coffin (of King of the Rocket Men) is as interesting as ever, and Virginia Christine makes a sexy and conniving mistress. Thomas E. Jackson is especially notable as the lieutenant, who -- thankfully -- doesn't play it gruff and nasty as actors playing cops often do in these roles. This is perhaps the only private eye film I've seen in which the hero actually has to go to the hospital for stitches after he gets conked on the head, although it happens again to him and others later in the film and apparently no one gets a concussion. Virginia Brissac, who was the realtor Mrs. Hammond on the "Sublease" episode of I Love Lucy, plays Janet's housekeeper. Arthur Space also appears in this, albeit briefly. This was Henry's one and only appearance as Steve Morgan; the actor amassed over 250 credits!

Verdict: Minor mystery film from Republic studios with an interesting plotline and some clever touches. **1/2. 

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES

Dennis Moore and Linda Stirling

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (15-chapter Republic serial/1945). Directors: Spencer Gordon Bennet; Fred C. Brannon. Colorized. 

A malevolent visitor from Mars who is inexplicably called the "Purple Monster" (Roy Barcroft) kills scientist Cyrus Layton (James Craven), and inhabits his corpse -- when he isn't in his own body -- as he goes about his deadly business. His main goal is to steal an interplanetary jet plane that will get him back to Mars so he can lead a major invasion force. Working against him are Layton's niece, Sheila (Linda Stirling, and agent Craig Foster (Dennis Moore). Working with the Purple Monster are would-be extortionist Hodge Garrett (Bud Geary) and -- briefly -- the Martian witch Marcia (Mary Moore), who tries to throw Sheila off of a cliff. 

Dennis Moore in a death trap

The Purple Monster Strikes is another lively Republic cliffhanger that moves at a breakneck pace, has an exciting musical score that bolsters every scene, action-packed fisticuffs in which every bit of furniture is broken as the antagonists literally hurl themselves at each other, and some memorable cliffhangers. Foster nearly falls to his death when a ladder is toppled in chapter one; a car in a garage plummets down onto the hero in chapter eight; and a clever phone trap has Foster nearly punctured by sharp rods when iron bars come down from the ceiling. Meanwhile Sheila nearly drowns when she falls into a room through a trapdoor, a room that rapidly fills with rushing water. 

Roy Barcroft and Bud Geary

However, if you're expecting logic be warned that it is not in great supply in this serial. For instance, in the aforementioned sequence there is simply no reason why a kindly professor would have such a secret room under the floor in his laboratory. The whole business with Tony (Anthony Warde), a supposedly blind associate of Garrett's, doesn't make much sense. The actors go through their paces with professionalism, although Stirling mostly seems bored. Handsome Moore is a stalwart hero, however. Craven and Barcroft show why they were both much in demand for serial action. John Davidson appears a couple of times as the Emperor of Mars, as does Ken Terrell as another bad guy. Stuntman and actor Bud Geary had nearly 300 credits in serials, westerns, and other types of movies, generally playing nasty gunsels. 

Verdict: Fun cliffhanger from Republic! ***. 

THE CRIMSON GHOST -- IN COLOR!

The Crimson Ghost in costume

THE CRIMSON GHOST (12 chapter Republic serial/1946). Directors: William Witney; Fred C. Brannon. Colorized. 

The Crimson Ghost, as he calls himself, is one of the members of a scientific committee and is employed by a foreign government. The Ghost is after a "cyclotrode," a device which can "instantly stop any electrically-controlled mechanism," which he uses more than once. His nasty helpmates include Ashe (Clayton Moore of G-Men Never Forget) and Bain (Rex Lease), and the Ghost also employs special collars that sap the will of victims, force them to commit criminal acts, and can even kill them from afar. Aiming to stop him are Duncan Richards (Charles Quigley of The Iron Claw) and his efficient assistant, Diana (Linda Stirling of The Purple Monster Strikes).  

Quigley and Stirling

The Crimson Ghost is a whirlwind Republic serial with a generally good musical score and reasonably adept performances. The true identity of the Ghost is kept secret until practically the final minute of the serial. There are some decent cliffhangers -- a room fills with poisoned gas; a rope is cut, causing Duncan to fall towards the street below; a car smashes into the wall of a boathouse etc. -- although virtually all of them are "cheats," with the characters always jumping out of the way in the last second. However, this doesn't matter as the furious fisticuffs, the extreme nastiness of the villain, and the sheer fun of the serial makes it a winner. As usual, the color adds a new, welcome dimension. 

Verdict: Can't keep that Ghost down! ***. 

JESSE JAMES RIDES AGAIN

John Compton and Clayton Moore

JESSE JAMES RIDES AGAIN (13 chapter Republic serial/1947). Directed by Fred C. Brannon and Thomas Carr.

Jesse James (Clayton Moore of G-Men Never Forget) is on the run from the sheriff along with his buddy Steve Long (John Compton of The D.A.'s Man). Jesse feels his criminal activities have been highly exaggerated and Steve is completely innocent. With Jesse using a fake name, they come to a small town and bunk with an old farmer, Sam Bolton (Tom London)  and his daughter, Ann (Linda Stirling.) When the farm is attacked by a group of masked Black Raiders, Jesse and Steve help fight them off, and Jesse tells a grateful Ann who he really is. These seemingly inexplicable raids against farmers are engineered by James Clark (Tristram Coffin of King of the Rocket Men) and carried out by Frank Lawton (Roy Barcroft) -- they are after the oil that is under everyone's property.

John Compton with Roy Barcroft

In chapter one a riverboat blows up with Ann tied up on board. Chapter 12 features an exciting horse and carriage race between raiders and farmers as the latter try to deliver oil and the raiders try to stop them. The best cliffhanger occurs in chapter 7, when Ann is put inside a cage called a cotton compress and is nearly crushed to death. The performances are all good in this, the action is fast, the fisticuffs are furious, and the serial is fun. This was the first of three Republic serials featuring the character of Jesse James. The follow ups were The Adventures of Frank and Jesse James and The James Brothers of Missouri. 

Verdict: Action, thrills, and two handsome hunks! ***.  

MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND

Roy Barcroft as Captain Mephisto

MANHUNT OF MYSTERY ISLAND (15 chapter Republic serial/1945.)  Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet, Wallace Grissell, and Yakima Canutt. 

Professor Forrest (Forrest Taylor), who is working on a special device, is kidnapped by a man calling himself Captain Mephisto (Roy Barcroft of The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm). Mephisto wants the professor to weaponize his device so that he can use it to rule the world. Forrest's daughter, Claire (Linda Stirling of The Crimson Ghost), and detective Lance Reardon (Richard Bailey) manage to trace the professor to Mystery Island, a former penal colony and stronghold of a pirate (also named Mephisto) that is now owned by four businessmen. Mephisto, a descendant of the original, is actually one of those four men, but he uses a special transformation chair to turn himself into an exact duplicate of the long-dead pirate. Thus, Mephisto always knows the couple's plans ahead of time ... 

Richard Bailey and Linda Stirling

Manhunt of Mystery Island is a terrific, fast-paced and exciting Republic serial, with one excellent cliffhanger after another. There is a splendid bit in chapter seven in which Reardon, engaging in fisticuffs in a skyscraper, saves himself after being punched out of a window by grabbing onto a firehose! Chapter eleven features a thrilling fight between Mephisto and Reardon on shaky wooden platforms built high above the water's edge. There's a rope bridge that is deliberately snapped, plunging the couple to near doom in chapter thirteen. Not to mention our hero being trapped under a wine press, cornered by a destructive ray that threatens to parboil him, caught in a small chamber filling with gas, and so on. The acting in the movie may be merely serviceable, but no one watches these things for great acting. 

Verdict: Suspenseful, intriguing and often thrilling Republic cliffhanger. ***1/4.  

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES

Linda Stirling and Dennis Moore

THE PURPLE MONSTER STRIKES (15 chapter Republic serial/1945). Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennett and Fred C. Brannon.

A man from  Mars (Ray Barcroft), the first wave of an invasion force and who calls himself the "Purple Monster," kills Dr. Layton (James Craven) and periodically takes over his body to use in his nefarious schemes. (Apparently his animating the corpse of Dr. Layton also prevents obvious decomposition.) Unaware that her uncle is actually a Martian invader, Layton's niece Sheila (Linda Stirling) and her associate, Craig (Dennis Moore), an insurance investigator, find themselves persistently in deadly conflict with the Purple Monster and a variety of earth gangsters headed by a man named Garrett (Bud Geary).

Dennis Moore about to be incinerated

The Monster first wants the rocket ship invented by Layton, then goes after a deadly "annihilator," as well as a Dimensional Magnet and a Stabilizer. Naturally Craig and Sheila do their best to keep these weapons out of the hands of the Monster and his men. At one point the Monster brings in a female Martian named Marcia (Mary Moore), who kills and takes over the body of poor Helen (Rosemonde James), a scientist's assistant who's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sheila and the Martian witch have a "cat fight" on top of a cliff that doesn't go well for Marcia in chapter twelve. The Monster reports to the Emperor of Mars (John Davidson), who isn't certain that Barcroft is the right man for the job.

James Craven and Dennis Moore

The Purple Monster Strikes is full of lively fight scenes and a variety of cliffhangers. Sheila is almost shot into space inside a rocket in chapter one. Craig nearly falls off a ladder between two buildings when it totters and crashes into a wall in chapter two. There is a watery death trap for Sheila in chapter six and Craig is nearly squashed by a falling auto hanging on an overhead pulley in chapter eight. A moving wall pushes Craig towards bars lined with spikes in chapter ten. Dennis Moore is swell as Craig and has one of the best voices of any leading man. Stirling is decorative and reasonably adept as well. Craven and Barcroft are enthusiastic supporting players. There is no scene showing Sheila's remorse when she learns that her uncle has been dead all this time! Craven played a scientist who forms an alliance with an invading Martian in the later Flying Disc Man from Mars.

Verdict: Crazy but lots of action and fun. ***. 

THE CRIMSON GHOST

The Crimson Ghost played by ?

THE CRIMSON GHOST (12 chapter Republic serial/1946). Directed by William Witney and Fred C. Brannon. 

A masked figure called the Crimson Ghost is secretly one of the board members of a scientific society. Professor Chambers (Kenne Duncan) has invented the cyclotrode, the "most powerful offensive weapon in the world" and the Ghost can't wait to get his hands on it. The cyclotrode can neutralize virtually all forms of energy. The Ghost and his associates Ashe (Clayton Moore) and Bain (Rex Lease) enact various schemes to either steal the cyclotrode or make a duplicate, doing their best to loot armored cars and purloin some heavy water. Their efforts are stymied by Duncan Richards (Charles Quigley), who is not only a physicist himself but a security man. His associate Diana (Linda Stirling) proves an able helping hand on more than one occasion.  

Linda Stirling and Charles Quigley 

The Crimson Ghost is an exciting and briskly-paced serial, with lots of Republic's trademark furious fisticuffs and furniture-smashing battles. Our hero falls from a wire he's traversing in chapter three, almost succumbs to poison gas pumped into a locked room in chapter four, and apparently falls from a high window into an alley with a thud in chapter eleven. Chapter six is especially action-packed, featuring a plane crash, a battle by cliff side, and the explosion of a bridge. The Ghost is, as usual, an  utterly ruthless, amoral and sociopathic criminal and his henchmen are little better. Quigley makes a stalwart hero in this; Linda Stirling had more to do in earlier serials such as Zorro's Black Whip and The Tiger Woman, when she was the leading lady.  Quigley was in a number of serials and B movies. 

Verdict: Punches and thrills galore. ***.