SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE

Rivals turned pals: David Durand; Jackie Cooper

SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE (12-chapter Universal serial/1939). Directors: Alan James; Ray Taylor. Colorized. 

Little "Skeets" Scanlon (Bill Cody Jr.), who longs to be a boy scout, finds a map which he thinks leads to treasure. He and the scouts, led by Bruce Scott (Jackie Cooper), go to a Ghost Town, where they find a fortune -- unfortunately it's counterfeit. Skeets' uncle is a crook so G-Man Hal Marvin (William Ruhl), jumps to the conclusion that Skeets' father, Pat (Edwin Stanley), must be involved in criminal activity as well. In actuality there is a gang of counterfeiters run by Turk Mortensen (Ivan Miller) who not only want some special plates the uncle made but to have Pat help them run off the phony bills. If that weren't enough, there are a group of very weird Indians living in the hills near the ghost town -- they not only hate Whites but are prone to human sacrifice!  

Junior Coghlan, Bill Cody Jr., Vondell Darr, and Cooper

Scouts to the Rescue is a busy and fairly entertaining Universal serial with several enthusiastic players. 17-year-old Jackie Cooper is top-billed and is fine as the stalwart leader of the scouts, although there's nothing in the script that would make him break out in a sweat. David Durand, who played Bette Davis' younger brother in Bad Sister, is swell as the good-looking Rip, who gets in with the thieves but whose conscience gets the better of him. Ruhl, Stanley and Miller are all professional enough, and we've also got Junior Coghlan (Frank Coughlan Jr.) as Ken, another scout, and Vondell Darr as Skeets' older sister, Mary. 

Cody and Durand

The serial is pretty fast-paced, with a lively musical score and some decent cliffhangers: an avalanche of boulders; a makeshift wooden elevator that plummets towards the ground; a stampede of rushing horses. The only problem with the serial is that it may seem bland as compared to the wilder super-hero and science fiction serials of Columbia and Republic studios. On its own terms, however, Scouts to the Rescue is a superior Universal serial. 

Verdict: Jackie Cooper -- still a star at 17! **3/4. 

UNCLE: THE SORT-OF-DO-IT-YOURSELF-DREADFUL AFFAIR

Model A-77 (Willi Koopman) goes on the rampage 

THE SORT-OF-DO-IT-YOURSELF-DREADFUL AFFAIR (1966). The Man from Uncle; season three; episode two. Teleplay by Harlan Ellison. Director: E. Darrell. Hallenbeck. 

Trying to get at some files from the evil organization Thrush, UNCLE agent Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) encounters a strange guardian of the files: a beautiful woman who is impervious to bullets and seems super-strong. She turns out to be a cyborg, mostly artificial but with some human parts. The cyborg's face is modeled on a young lady who was the roommate of "Andy" Francis (Jeannine Riley), who gets involved with Solo and Illya (David McCallum) on their investigation. 

David McCallum and Robert Vaughn

Thrush, which is already a very wealthy organization, wants a billion dollar loan and Napoleon poses as a representative of the bank. Thrush's goal is to build a great many of these cyborgs "to help mankind," although their true purpose will be to act as unexpected soldiers. The scientist behind this is the unwitting Dr. Pertwee (Woodrow Parfrey), while his Thrush liaison is the sensual Margo Hayward (Pamela Curran). Eventually our heroes, along with Andy, manage to get into Thrush's New York headquarters, where they find themselves up against not only the forces of Thrush, but a whole bevy of beautiful and deadly killer cyborgs. 

She-Cyborgs on the loose! 

By the third season of the show, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. had become increasingly absurd and campy, trying too hard to imitate Batman or Get Smart. Nevertheless, some of the third season episodes at least had some amusing entertainment value. While one could argue that "The Sort-of-Do-It-Yourself-Dreadful Affair" is an example of why TV was called the "boob tube," the episode still has several points of interest. It is one of only a couple of episodes scripted by speculative fiction writer Harlan Ellison, for one thing. Underneath the bizarre aspects, there is something unsettling about the premise, as well as the fate of the innocent woman whose face and fabric is stolen after her accidental death. 

Pamela Curran

Both Vaughn [Solo] and McCallum hold on to their dignity despite the far-out quality of the story, and with her mature sex kitten and sinister persona Pamela Curran makes her mark as Margo. Veteran actor Fritz Feld [The Catman of Paris] is a delight as a representative of the bank, who is nearly apoplectic at all the goings-on, and Naomi Stevens has a funny bit as a phony fortune teller with a bad case of heartburn. The music when the cyborgs go on the rampage is wild. The A-77 cyborgs are played by Willi Koopman (whose first name is misspelled "Willy" in the closing credits), a very attractive actress who had only a few credits, mostly in decorative roles. This episode may well have been inspired by Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, which came out the previous year, and its 1966 follow-up, Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs, both of which were much, much worse than "Do-It-Yourself Dreadful." 

Verdict: Frankly there have been much better episodes of this series, but this one is oddly engaging. ***.

LOVE SLAVES OF THE AMAZONS

Don Taylor surrounded by green-painted Amazons

LOVE SLAVES OF THE AMAZONS (1957). Writer/Producer/Director: Curt Siodmak.

Dr. Crespi (Eduardo Ciannelli of Mysterious Dr. Satan) tries to convince Dr. Peter Masters (Don Taylor) that he not only knows where there are a race of women living near the Amazon, but that they guard a fabulous treasure that is theirs for the taking. The two men set sail but are beset by Fernando (Wilson Viana), who takes over the ship. Fleeing into the jungle, Peter just happens to run into the Amazon women, and is taken to their camp. Many of the women, including the queen (Ana Maria Nabuco), take a liking to Peter, and hope to use him as replacement for Mario (Tom Payne) who has sort of been forced into stud service. Along with Mario, Gina (Gianna Segale) is being held captive by the Amazons. Peter hopes to charm the queen and the others until he can figure out a way to escape ...

Eduardo Ciannelli and Don Taylor

Filmed in Brazil, Love Slaves of the Amazon doesn't quite deliver what the title promises, although it tries. In one scene a dozen or more amazons force Peter into a bathtub with his pants on. The music, contributed by no less than six composers (probably lifted from earlier films), does most of the work, although the performances are generally good. Crespi and Peter are determined to protect the secret of this lost civilization even though the amazons keep people captive and slaughter all male babies at birth! Who cares if modern society destroys these monsters? Siodmak also directed The Magnetic Monster. 

Verdict: Not one of Siodmak's better movies despite moments of interest. **1/4. 

RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON

Commando Cody takes to the air!

RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON (12-chapter Republic serial/1952). Director: Fred C. Brannon. Colorized. 

With their air running out and facing extinction, aliens on the moon, led by Retik (Roy Barcroft), decide to wipe out earth and take it over. To do this they send one man -- that's right, one man -- Krog (Peter Brocco) to our planet, where he enlists the aid of criminals such as Graber (Clayton Moore of The Lone Ranger), to commit acts of sabotage (which in retrospect are kind of pointless without an army to back it up -- however the Radar Men do have a deadly ray weapon).

Bakewell, Wallace, Towne

Up against the moon menace are Commando Cody (George Wallace) who flies through the air with his jet pack, and his associates Ted (William Bakewell) and plucky, brave Joan (Aline Towne), as well as an associate they report to, Henderson (Don Walters). For twelve chapters our intrepid trio try to get material and weapons from the Radar Men (flying to the moon in their own ship on two occasions), while Graber and his buddies try to wipe them out and destroy their rocket. The good guys face explosives, poison gas, ray guns demolishing their planes, automobiles going over cliffs, a flow of molten rock in a moon cavern, and so on in some exciting cliffhangers. While Radar Men from the Moon may not be an outstanding serial, it is nevertheless fast-paced, silly fun with a more than competent cast. Clayton Moore would eventually graduate from villain roles to serial hero. Footage from previous Republic serials, especially King of the Rocket Men,  is sprinkled liberally throughout this cliffhanger.  

Verdict: Whatever its flaws, this is a fun serial. ***. 

FLIGHT OF THE LOST BALLOON

Marshall Thompson and Mala Powers

FLIGHT OF THE LOST BALLOON (1961). Written and directed by Nathan Juran. 

When Dr. Joseph Faraday (Marshall Thompson) learns that the fiance, Sir Hubert (Douglas Kennedy), of Ellen Burton (Mala Powers of The Unknown Terror) -- daughter of explorer Adam Burton (Robert W. Gillette) -- has disappeared in Africa, he suggests a novel and quicker way of traversing the continent to find him: by balloon. But when it comes time to go, a mysterious man and guide known only as the Hindu (James Lanphier) arranges it so that Ellen goes along with him and Faraday instead of Adam Burton. Along the way the intrepid trio encounter a drunk cannibal queen and her cohorts, a flock of screeching attacking birds, bad-tempered gorillas, and a hostile 7 or so foot native named Golem (Felippe Birriel). On an island in Lake Victoria, the Hindu reveals his true colors. It all has to do with the ancient treasure of Cleopatra. 

James Lanphier

I suspect that Flight of the Lost Balloon was rushed out to compete with the following year's Five Weeks in a Balloon, as anything associated with Jules Verne -- who wrote Five Weeks -- was considered fair game after the success of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth. The movie is perhaps too low-budget to take advantage of its plot and scenery, with most of the trip by balloon -- which is never "lost" -- occurring via a mediocre blue screen process. 

Douglas Kennedy with Mala Powers

The actors are another story, as they handle the material with aplomb, especially James Lanphier as the very sinister Hindu, who is perfectly willing to torture Ellen to get her fiance to reveal the location of the treasure. Douglas Kennedy is also quite effective as the greedy Sir Hubert, who would rather spend years in captivity than give up the fabulous treasure he has been searching for. There's a good musical score by Hal Borne, but there isn't enough of it to drum up some excitement in key moments. Despite a lot of activity the film still threatens to become a bit tedious at times. Nathan Juran also directed First Men in the Moon and many others. NOTE: According to the Internet Movie Data Base this was an uncredited and very loose adaptation of Five Weeks in a Balloon, but 20th Century-Fox, who were working on their own version, forced them to remove all references to Jules Verne. 

Verdict: Rocket ships and subs are more fun than balloons. **1/4. 

FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON

The huge cast of Five Weeks in a Balloon

FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON (1962). Produced and directed by Irwin Allen. 

Balloonist Fergusson (Cedric Hardwicke) wants to explore Africa by air but also has a deeper concern: beating a group of slave traders to a certain uncharted territory so that it can be claimed for England instead of by them. The balloon eventually fills up with a riot of motley individuals: the fussy Sir Vining (Richard Haydn at his fussiest); Fergusson's handsome assistant Jacques (Fabian), who handles the engine; American ne'er-do-well reporter Donald O'Shay (a miscast Red Buttons); rescued slave, Makia (Barbara Luna); another rescued slave, Susan (Barbara Eden); and even the slave trader himself Ahmed (Peter Lorre). There are way too many people on this balloon!

Buttons, Luna, Fabian

Five Weeks in a Balloon is the second film version of Jules Verne's first novel of the same name. Flight of the Lost Balloon, made the previous year, is a cheaper copy with very different plot points. Released by 20th Century-Fox in CinemaScope, Five Weeks has much better production values. Unfortunately this adaptation is just as loose and silly. After The Brothers Four warble the title tune over the credits, Fabian reprises it twice -- I can't get the damn thing out of my head. It is slightly better than the title tune for Flight of the Lost Balloon. Instead of a drunken fat cannibal queen as in Flight, this version offers an equally fat and drunken sultan. There's a sandstorm that doesn't really amount to much, a few wild animals, minor romances, and a fairly exciting climax in the forbidden city of Timbuktu. 

Chester aka Duchess: a "simian sot!"

Fabian [Bus Stop] actually manages to give a decent performance, although there is absolutely nothing of the 19th century about him, especially his hair style. I had trouble understanding a lot of Hardwick's mushy speech. Hadyn seems to essentially be playing the same part he played in The Lost World and many other films. Eden and Luna are reasonably competent and decorative. Peter Lorre is too cute by far for a rather loathsome and conscienceless slave trader. The slave trade is condemned but not very forcefully and black natives are never mentioned. Henry Daniell shows up briefly as a Sheik, and Herbert Marshall is the prime minister. Chester the Chimp plays the Duchess, who likes her liquor. "A simian sot," Hadyn declares her. Score by Paul Sawtell and photographed by Winton Hoch. 

Verdict: The surplus of silliness works against it. You keep hoping some dinosaurs will show up to enliven things! **1/4. 

THE GOLDEN MISTRESS

THE GOLDEN MISTRESS (1954). Director: Joel Judge (Abner Biberman). 

In Haiti Bill Buchanan (John Agar of Bait) is behind in payments for his boat. He is beloved by some of the people for bringing an anti-toxin to them and saving lives. A scoundrel named Carl Dexter (Abner Biberman) has stolen an idol from natives and wants to team up with Bill to find a lost treasure. Carl sends his daughter, Ann (Rosemary Bowe), to talk to Bill and he winds up dumping her in the ocean. Eventually, after her father's death at the teeth of a shark, Ann and Bill do team up to see if they can find the treasure on a mysterious island that may not even exist. But there's no guarantee that either of them will come back alive. 

John Agar and Rosemary Howe (Stack)

The Golden Mistress is a 99 cent item filmed in Haiti, and for much of its length it resembles a travelogue with some interesting locations. Soaking up local color is one thing, but Mistress doesn't know when to end a scene and move on to something more entertaining. The picture meanders -- it's full of incident but the story isn't told in a compelling fashion, and after awhile you may lose patience. There's a brief flurry of excitement at the very end, but this doesn't last long.  John Agar gives a charismatic and solid performance as the captain, who like most men in these old adventure movies, is chauvinistic. Rosemary Howe was a former model who in this is barely passable as an actress. (She has trouble showing emotion when her father is eaten by a shark.) She gave a much better performance in The Big Bluff but wisely married actor Robert Stack the following year and left the business. 

The supporting cast is of more interest. Jacques Molant is Ti Flute, a likable teen native who is the cabin boy or first mate, depending on who's asking. Andre Narcisse is Iznard, the Houngan or high priest whose son, Christofe (Kiki), is saved by Bill when the boy's foot is caught inside a clam. Abner Biberman, who plays Carl Baxter, also directed the film under a pseudonym. His credits were mostly in television. Considering the location, some of the native cast members and other elements, it's a shame that Golden Mistress doesn't emerge as a more memorable motion picture. 

Verdict: Not much more exciting than a bad Jungle Jim movie. **. 

COBRA WOMAN

Maria Montez and Jon Hall

COBRA WOMAN (1944). Director: Robert Siodmak. 

Ramu (Jon Hall), betrothed to Tollea (Maria Montez), learns that his beloved has been kidnapped off their island home and taken to her birthplace, Cobra Island.  Her grandmother, the queen (Mary Nash), wants Tollea to take the throne from the High Priestess, Naja, who happens to be Tollea's evil twin.  Ramu sails to Cobra Island with his adoring buddy Kado (Sabu), to bring Tollea back, but they have to contend with Naja, who likes to sacrifice her people to a volcano, as well as her nasty associate, Bartok (Edgar Barrier). Ramu does receive some assistance from the mute Hava (Lon Chaney, Jr.), but will it be enough to reunite the lovers? 

Evil High Priestess: Montez

Arabian Nights, starring the trio of Jon Hall, Sabu, and Maria Montez, was so successful that they were reteamed for two other pictures, of which Cobra Woman is the third and last. Mildly entertaining, it was a step downward for the group, being similar to say, a Jungle Jim movie, only in technicolor and with better production values. The best scene is the wild and vivid "Cobra Dance" that is performed with a live cobra! Montez delineates her two different characters in the broadest of strokes, but she is fun spitting commands at her subjects and others. Mary Nash probably makes the best impression, although she has to compete with chimp Koko, who is given her own theme music. Universal recognized the publicity value of Montez' scantily-clad persona, so she is top-billed in this film whereas it was Hall in Arabian Nights. The co-screenwriter for this was Richard Brooks, who went on to write and/or direct some better-known Hollywood films such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

Verdict: Montez' Hollywood career was fast running out. **1/2. 

DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE

Bennett, Sharpe and Quigley

DAREDEVILS OF THE RED CIRCLE (1939/12-chapter  Republic serial). Directors: John English; William Witney. NOTE: This is a colorized version. 

Harry Crowel (Charles Middleton) has escaped from prison and disguised himself as industrialist Horace Granville (Miles Mander), who is kept prisoner in a cell in his own basement. Opposing Crowel are the three circus daredevils Tiny Dawson (Bruce Bennett of Mystery Street), Burt Knowles (David Sharpe) and Gene Townley (Charles Quigley of The Crimson Ghost). The fellows get involved when Gene's little brother Sammy, (Robert Winkler), is killed in a fire at an amusement pier started by Crowel's henchmen. With the assistance of Granville's granddaughter Blanche (Carole Landis), the Daredevils do their best to stop the nefarious plans of the sinister Crowel. 

Daredevils of the Red Circle is a good and exciting serial, even if the fisticuffs in this are perhaps not as lively as in other Republic cliffhangers. Still there are good sequences: a raging flood in a tunnel; a factory pool that catches fire; and especially a locked garage that fills with gas. As expected Charles Middleton offers the best performance as Crowel. 

Verdict: Some thrilling fun -- in color! ***. 

THE SUCCESSOR

THE SUCCESSOR. Burt Schiller. Originally published in 1966. Aardvark Press Edition; 2022. 

Back in the day when I was a teen and The Man from UNCLE was my favorite TV show, I picked up a paperback in my local stationary store called The Successor because the plot made it almost sound like an episode of that show. The hero, Benjamin Seeker, inherits almost everything from his father, not knowing that his father was the founder and head of a criminal cartel called Unicorn (which reminded me of THRUSH, Uncle's nemesis). Seeker is pretty much told that he either takes over the organization or he'll die because he knows too much. For most of the book he tries to dodge or get away from Unicorn operatives with homicidal intent while trying to make up his mind what to do. 

I knew The Man from UNCLE could be weird -- it eventually degenerated into a foolish out and out comedy before getting back on track, too late, for the fourth season -- but The Successor even out-weirded that show. I mean in one of the early chapters Ben is kidnapped by two Unicorn operatives nicknamed "Ma and Pa Kettle." Ben is put into a bathtub where the mentally-defective "Pa" -- thinking Ben is a baby -- objects when "Ma" starts man-handling Ben in a way that no one should ever touch a baby. Definitely not ready for prime time! And that's only the start!

The wildest chapter is entitled "Killer Nuns," in which a group of women, who may or may not be actual nuns, force Ben to make love to them in order for them to release him and two other captives. Typical of sixties "spy"-types, although Seeker is not really a spy, Ben is absolutely irresistible to all women and horny for all of them as well. (The back cover copy reads "women want to smother him with kisses. Men want to riddle him with bullets," carried over from the old paperback edition.) One of the Unicorn operatives is Father Dunn, who leads the "nuns." Another is called Gorgon, who weighs 300 pounds and runs around in his underpants!

Okay, The Successor is obviously not a work of serious intent, and it is by no means politically correct, although I always thought it had a very good basic premise. However, it is so bizarre and amusing at times that I can see why a small press has brought out a new edition of the novel, written by an ad man named Burt Schiller (as far as I know this was his only book).

Verdict: This is by no means everyone's cup of java -- its weirdness both works for and against it -- but you gotta love any book that has killer nuns in it! **3/4. 

KOMMISSAR X: KILL PANTHER KILL

Brad Harris and Tony Kendall escape from a trap

KOMMISSAR X: KILL PANTHER KILL (aka Kommissar X - Drei blaue Panther/1968.) Director: Gianfranco Parolini. 

Jo Louis Walker (Tony Kendall) and Captain Tom Rowland (Brad Harris) re-team to investigate the case of twin brothers (Franco Fantasia) who are in the stolen gem business. As usual, there's an amusing love/hate relationship between the two men as they dodge bullets, romance gals, and get involved in a terrific and protracted karate fight where they manage to defeat all of their opponents in record time. There's a flying jet pack like something out of James Bond, but generally this "Kommissar X" adventure is not a typical eurospy film, and the 007-isms are kept to a minimum. The best sequence has Walker trapped when his leg is caught in some mud and he appears to be flattened by a bulldozer, distressing Rowland, who is gratified to find him alive. This high-spirited flick is one of the better Kommissar X adventures. 

Verdict: Playful and fun. ***. 

SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW

SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004). Director/writer: Kerry Conran.

This is an unfortunate attempt to recreate the excitement and craziness of the old Republic serials with some high-tech effects and computer imagery (so much of it that the movie almost resembles a cartoon). The movie takes place not in the future but circa World War Two, and features a battle between the heroic Sky Captain (Jude Law), a Blackhawk-type mercenary, and the evil Dr. Totenkopf, who attacks New York City with giant robots, and forces scientists to create strange animals (including, inexplicably, an elephant shrunken to the size of a stuffed toy). Totenkopf's plan is to build a space ark that will take his animals off into the cosmos while the Earth itself is vaporized. Helping Sky Captain is the intrepid reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) and – in what amounts to a bit – female pilot Franky Cook (Angelina Jolie). Giovanni Ribisi is the captain's pal and associate Dex, who is kidnapped at one point. Although there are some fine FX and interesting scenic design and a few exciting moments (including the climax on the space ark) Sky Captain is never as entertaining as any of those old Republic serials, and both continuity and story are stilted, to say the least. Law is better in the heroic part than one would imagine, and Paltrow is also good as his partner-in-peril. The tongue-in-cheek script has some amusing moments, but after awhile its cliches become wearisome. In an improbable bit of stunt casting “Sir Laurence Olivier” is billed as Dr. Totenkopf, although the character turns out to be dead and is only seen as a withered corpse. Did the producers use Lord Olivier's voice? Who cares? Nothing could make this production particularly memorable.

Verdict: As expected, there were no sequels. *1/2.

NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF

NIGHT OF THE WEREWOLF. The Hardy Boys # 59.(1979). Franklin W. Dixon (house pseudonym). 

In this excellent adventure story for kids of all ages with many interesting facets, the boys investigate a supposed werewolf curse affecting the son of a construction contractor. At the same time some of the man’s buildings have been sabotaged, meaning he could go out of business. One of the fellow's employees is a native American who is hoping to find a missing bejeweled axe that belonged to his ancestor. A phosphorescent wolf – shades of Hound of the Baskervilles  -- appears at different times to menace assorted characters. There are many suspenseful and exciting sequences that range from dark forests to isolated mansions to high beams on skyscraper frames. In addition to Frank and Joe Hardy, we have lovable, chubby Chet Morton, who develops a crush on the contractor's pleasingly plump daughter. 

The first 58 books in the Hardy Boys series were published by Grosset and Dunlap, who lost the contract to the Wanderer books division of Simon and Schuster. The series continued in both paperback and hardback format for quite a few years. It was then replaced with The Hardy Boys Case Files, a somewhat edgier series for older readers. When that series wrapped up its run, we had The Hardy Boys, Undercover Brothers, where they became agents and the stories often were turned into trilogies. Currently Frank and Joe still have their own series in "The Hardy Boys Adventures" (as well as a new television program). The cover of Night of the Werewolf is typical for the time as if portrays the boys as looking a little too young and much less tougher and competent than they actually are in the stories. 

Verdict: One of the better of the post-58 books in the series. ***.  

THE SECRET CODE

The Black Commando

THE SECRET CODE (15 chapter Columbia serial/1942). Director: Spencer Gordon Bennett. 

Lt. Dan Barton (Paul Kelly) is framed for sabotage and goes on the run. He tries to ingratiate himself with a gang of Nazi saboteurs and prove that he is trustworthy. Putting on a mask and dark outfit, he also runs about as the Black Commando, doing things he can't do as Barton. A sticky situation develops when the one man on the force who knows the truth about Barton is killed, but he still has supporters, including Sgt. Pat Flanagan (Clancy Cooper) and reporter Jane Ashley (Anne Nagle), who suspects Barton is the Commando. In both guises, Barton tries to foil the nefarious plots of the saboteurs while remaining close enough to get the information he requires to stop them. 

Anne Nagel and Paul Kelly

A superior Columbia chapterplay, The Secret Code has lots of action and exciting cliffhangers: Dan trapped by a deadly gas which causes an explosion; a fall off a skyscraper; trapped in webbing on a dock and nearly crushed by falling crates; and forced to shoot Flanagan in chapter thirteen. The bad guys employ a desk that lowers into the floor to reveal their secret headquarters, and at one point try to use radio bombs in one of their nasty schemes. Stalwart Paul Kelly and the fruity-voiced Anne Nagel give very good performances, handling this material with just the right touch. Trevor Bardette [Jungle Girl] plays the secret leader of the spies. Spencer Gordon Bennett also (co) directed The Purple Monster Strikes and many other serials.

Verdict: Snappy serial material. ***1/4. 

FLYING G-MEN

James Craig, Robert Paige and Richard Fiske

FLYING G-MEN (15 Chapter Columbia serial/1939). Directed by James W. Horne and Ray Taylor. 

Five years ago four pilots known as the Skyhawks became famous when they flew around the world. Now saboteurs are operating in America and one of them decides to take on the identity of the Black Falcon to fight them. One of the four -- Ed McKay (William Lally), who was planning to test a new bombing device -- is killed almost immediately, leaving behind a beloved sister, Babs (Lorna Gray of Exposed) and little son, Billy (Sammy McKim). The three other men are Hal (Robert Paige), Bart (Richard Fiske) and John (James Craig), who are assisted at times by Babs and little Billy. 

James Craig as one of the G-Men

Flying G-Men is an entertaining Columbia chapterplay with no great cliffhangers as such but plenty of fast-paced action both on the ground and in the air. Not too much suspense is generated over the identity of the mastermind behind the sabotage, whose unveiling happens relatively early on. The notion of keeping the hero's identity secret was used earlier in The Lone Ranger and later on in The Masked Marvel, but there isn't much suspense worked up over that, either. No matter, the serial is still fun. Lorna Gray has little to do in the serial but would get more attention when she played the villainess in The Perils of Nyoka. Although the theme music is pretty snappy, the score in general is overdone, like something out of a silent movie with a piano playing along. Our heroes fly about in certain chapters in a "pick-a-back" plane which has one aircraft attached to the top of another. 

Verdict: Entertaining Columbia serial thriller. ***. 

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (2019). Director: Jon Watts.

"No one listens to you unless you've got a cape or lasers shooting from your fingers." -- Mysterio. 

While on a class trip to Europe, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), better-known as Spider-Man, encounters a do-gooder who calls himself Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), and helps him and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) stop attacks by elemental creatures. However, Mysterio -- always a bad guy in the comic  books -- turns out to be behind the attacks and now Spider-Man has to stop his deadly plans while managing to stay alive and protecting his classmates. As with the last Spider-Man film, this is very much a Disney-type movie, and doesn't bear that much resemblance to the comic books, just as the multi-cultural supporting cast -- Maryjane is now Eurasian and so on -- are barely related to the originals, even in personality, which is a much bigger problem than their diversity. Long-time Spider-Man fans may find this all disconcerting although I imagine people who are new to the character won't give a damn. There are some good FX and a few exciting scenes as well as a certain degree of tedium. Holland is okay as Peter; Gyllenhaal is uneven as Mysterio; Jackson's overly gruff Nick Fury is merely tiresome. Jon Favreau shows up as "Happy" Hogan from the Iron Man films; you can miss him. Although he does look like a teenager, Holland is actually in his twenties. 

Verdict: Cutesy super-hero flick with some good moments. **1/2. 

ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT

Joyce Taylor and Sal Ponti (Anthony Hall) 

ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT (1961). Produced and directed by George Pal. 

Greek fisherman Demetrios (Sal Ponti, here billed as "Anthony Hall") finds a woman floating in the sea and discovers she is supposedly Princess Antillia (Joyce Taylor) of Atlantis. Demetrios and his father, Petros (Wolfe Barzell), think she must be out of her head, but she eventually importunes Demetrios to set sail beyond the Pillars of Hercules and on to Atlantis. There Demetrios thinks he will be showered with riches and marry Antillia, but instead -- unbeknownst to the princess -- he winds up a slave, as do all foreigners. Demetrios can win his freedom if he survives the Ordeal of Fire and Water, but even if he does he will have to contend with evil Zaren (John Dall), the true power behind the throne, who wants to wage war on other countries with his laser canon. Then there's that pesky volcano that keeps trembling in the background ... 

Atlantis sinks!

I first saw Atlantis the Lost Continent when I was a kid, loved it, have seen it several times since, and still get a kick out of it every time I watch it. The film has been utterly excoriated in many circles as the worst film George Pal ever made, which I personally find ridiculous. The film is fun, colorful, entertaining, well-acted by the leads (neither Taylor or Ponti may ever have been tapped to do Shakespeare, but they are perfect for this picture) and most of the supporting cast, the FX work is quite good for the time, and there's a bang-up finish involving the volcano and that runaway laser cannon. Not to mention the exciting Ordeal of Fire and Water in which Demetrios must face a bull of a man in a pit in an arena which is first full of fire and then flooded with water. 

 John Dall and Frank DeKova

John Dall (in his last film, only appearing on Perry Mason thereafter) practically steals the movie as Zaran, with the man's smiles being even more lethal than his sneers, his every utterance a treacherous double entendre. Berry (sic) Kroeger is nastiness personified as the surgeon who turns men into animal-human hybrids, and Jay Novello [Soldiers of Fortune] once again exhibits his amazing versatility as the Greek slave, Xandros, who is slowly metamorphosing into a bull. However, Frank DeKova, who plays Sonoy, the astrologer, sounds about as "Atlantean" as Fanny Brice! Edward Platt is given the thankless role of the pious priest, Azor, another in a long line of characters who point out the evils of Paganism while never acknowledging that Christianity has its own set of  negative aspects. William Smith plays the Captain of the Guard but isn't given enough time or close-ups to really register. Paul Frees not only does the narration but dubbed three of the actors. 

Berry Kroeger sizes up Sal Ponti

MGM didn't give George Pal a huge budget, so there's some stock footage and short cuts in the movie, but that's not exactly an unusual avenue to take. I love the beast men attacking Berry Kroeger, the priest taking care of Zaren, the disintegrater beam that atomizes some people and merely skeletonizes others, the metal submarine that sneaks up on the couple in their boat, the impressive destruction of Atlantis, Demetrios flinging mud at the princess, and the princess telling off Zaren, who has stolen power from her father: "You would think you wore his crown!" Say what you will, for me this is a neat picture.

Verdict: A hoot! ***. 

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE

John Russell and Chick Chandler

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE 1955 - 1957 syndicated television series.

This half hour show lasted two seasons and concerned the exploits of two adventurers who would do just about anything and go anywhere if the pay was right: Tim Kelly (John Russell) and Toubo Smith (Chick Chandler). The show used old sets from Republic films and serials as well as a lot of adroitly-employed stock footage. Russell and Chandler -- the former tall, handsome and macho, with a splendid physique, the latter short and plucky -- complimented each other perfectly.

Chandler and Russell

In one first season episode Kelly suggests that Toubo is getting too old and tired, should settle down and marry, he's over the hill. "A friend shouldn't say that to a friend," says an offended Toubo. "Who says you're a friend," replies Kelly "We travel around together," protests Toubo. To which Kelly replies, "I'm just keeping you out of trouble." The viewer honestly doesn't know if Kelly is joking or not, but in an episode in the second season, Kelly clearly risks his life to save his buddy's when the latter is nearly sacrificed to natives, so there's no doubt that there is a genuine bond of friendship between the two men.

John Russell before his Lawman TV series mustache

Soldiers of Fortune was not a classic series, but it was entertaining and (via stock footage and standing sets) managed to send the boys all over the world. Among the more memorable "A" episodes were the following: a woman is plagued by a voodoo cult in "Drums of Far Island;" a Chinese salesman in Limehouse is embroiled in a smuggling plot in "Hatchet Man;" sabotage holds up construction of an underwater tunnel in Cuba in "Sandhogs;" and the boys go undercover on a cargo ship with a sinister crew in "Crew of the Dolly D." 

Chick Chandler

Out of fifty-two episodes I have managed to see all but five, but at least half are of B+ quality. Guest-stars include Henry Brandon ("Greatest Beast" -- was an oil man killed by a Tibetan monster?); Jay Novello ("Vanishing Island" -- that  occasionally rises to the surface and holds a treasure); Beverly Garland ("Lady and the Lion" -- intrigue on an African film set); Jean Byron ("Tattooed Lady of Torima" -- a beautiful woman runs a diamond racket in Columbia); Michael Emmet ("Skull of the Inca" -- an educated native returns to headhunter land to find treasure and encounters giant lizards from One Million B.C. instead). 

"City of Doom" with Pamela Duncan

Also Grant Williams ("Lady of Rajmahal" -- a rajah's frightened wife wants to leave home with some priceless art treasures); Adele Jurgens ("Danger Sisters" -- two gals with a knife-throwing act get into trouble in Tangier); and Pamela Duncan ("The City of Doom" -- a maharajah's sister fears that a cult that is against progress will eventually destroy the city). Many episodes featured women whom at first seemed warm and sympathetic and turned out to have a dagger up their sleeves, and duplicitous characters of both sexes abounded. 

Verdict: Basically a fun if imperfect series that was easy to take. **1/2.