teebillp Reviews

The Fighting Texan (1937)

A Totally Undistinguished B Western

[3/10 · 19 May 2024]

Kermit Maynard, brother of the better known Ken Maynard, starred in 18 westerns made at Ambassador Pictures in late 1930's. The Fighting Texan was one such film. Ambassador, based on a viewing of this flick, was certainly one of the Poverty Row studios.

The film contains only 4 or 5 indoor scenes. Few sets were thus built, which kept the cost of the film low. The entire cast delivers their lines in monotones. During the first half of the film there are way too many times when the characters stand around talking. All the attempts at humor misfire. The action sequences become more frequent and lengthier as the movie progresses and up the excitement level considerably. The film climaxes in a shoot out/gun battle which takes place in the midst of some truly impressive scenery. It is the best part of this movie.

I do not recommend viewing the Fighting Texan. Instead, you would probably like viewing an old Republic western more.

Junior G-Men of the Air (1942)

Another So-So Serial from Halop & Company

[5/10 · 12 April 2024]

Junior G-Men of the Air is the third of three serials that starred the Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys which were made between 1940 and 42. The earlier chapter plays that featured this group were Junior G-Men and Sea Raiders---in that order.

All three films used variations on the same basic plot. A secret organization (a gang of mobsters in the first serial and axis spy rings in the last two) steals a new invention with military applications and kidnaps its inventor. This plot was used ad nauseam in serials during the first half of the 1940's.

Junior G-Men of the Air has its fair share of flaws. Lionel Atwill was cast as the head of a group of Japanese saboteurs. He wears make up designed to make him look Asian and speaks in a mock Japanese accent, both of which can best be described as awful. Frank Albertson portrayed the teenager who headed the Junior G-Men, even though he was thirty-three at the time of filming and his hairline had receded a tad. There was no way in Hell he could have convincingly play an adolescent. Moreover, the miniature work is mostly unconvincing.

This film does contain some credible performances. The Dead End Kids (Billy Hallop, Huntz Hall, Bernard Punsley and Gabriel Dell) are energetic, likable and wisecracking heroes. They make a refreshing change from the bland, stiff actors in their thirties who usually play the good guys in chapter plays. Richard Lane does a nice job as a tough, fast talking and good natured police detective. He is an improvement over the actors (see above) often cast in such roles. Turhan Bey (as one of the baddies) effectively conveys a sense of dread and menace.

Junior G-Men is a good, but not exceptional, serial. I have a sneaking suspicion that the people who find it enjoyable are, like me, fans of the four stars. All others, should probably seek out a better serial. If you are in the mood for a cliffhanger full of fascist intrigue, I heartily recommend Spy Smasher.

Junior G-Men (1940)

Ho Hum

[4/10 · 1 February 2024]

This is the first serial that featured the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys groupings. In the course of this flick, Billy Halop and company join an outfit called the Junior G-men, which is a sort of boys' auxiliary to the FBI. The grownup G-men, for reasons unstated, permit the juniors to most of the actual crime fighting. This chapter play is truly a mixed bag of strengths and weaknesses.

On the plus side, Billy Halop (who is at the center of most scenes) comes on like a teenage James Cagney. His character, at least in the early chapters, is hot tempered, intense, hard nosed and smart mouthed. Halop clearly dominates every scene in which he appears.

Another strong point is the pacing. The plot moves briskly through the twelve chapters and never seems to slow down long enough to become dull. This in part is due to the fact that the script avoids the so called recap chapters which plagued many Universal serials. Such chapters. Consist mainly of various characters sitting around and talking over what has happened earlier in the film.

Yet another strength is that the heroes are not the usual bland twenty or thirty-something actors wearing suits, ties and fedoras. Instead, the youngsters carry most of the action and bring a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to their performances. Unfortunately, there are few serials contained adolescent protagonists.

On the minus side the script is heavily cliched. The plot is the typical serial story about criminal organization (the Flaming Torches) intent on conquering the U. S. In order to achieve this end, this band of thugs kidnaps a scientist who has created a powerful new explosive. Brand, the leader of the evil doers, spends almost the entire movie sitting behind a desk issuing orders and threats to his underlings. God only knows how many chapter plays used these same plot devices.

Cy Kendall, the actor who played Brand, does not display a commanding and menacing presence suitable for the leader of a criminal band. None of Brand's henchman are not at all memorable.

The cliffhangers were nothing special. These consisted of the usual car crashes, explosions, elevator accidents and falls from high places. Far too many of the cliffhangers consisted of the heroes simply standing up and walking away from the falls, explosions etc.

Finally, we come Huntz Hall. When this movie was made the folks at Universal were apparently aware of his skills as a comic. Several scenes were written in which Hall was supposed to provide comic relief. These include scenes where he had a cream pie shoved in his face, learned to drive and rubbed some sweet smelling solution on his body like men's cologne which started to smoke. Unfortunately, none of these scenes were one damed bit funny.

Do I think you should watch this flick? I would recommend this serial only to people, like me, who enjoy the Dead End Kids, East Side Kids etc. Films. To everyone else, I would say that there are far better serials available for viewing.

Sea Raiders (1941)

It's All too Much

[5/10 · 20 November 2023]

I am a long time fan of the Dead End Kids, Little Tough Guys, East Side Kids and Bowery Boys flicks. When I decided to watch Sea Raiders, I had high hopes that it was an enjoyable and well made serial. Well, all I can say is that this a twelve chapter serial that felt like it was fifteen episodes long.

The main plot deals with a group of axis agents (the Sea Raiders) that operate in the US who sink munitions ships and attempt to steal an experimental torpedo boat. In addition to the primary plot, this move contains six subplots, two sets of young lovers a courting. William Hall and Mary Field form one of these couples while John McGuire and Marcia Ralston comprise the other. Additionally, the early chapters, contain comic shticks about about a bumbling cop (Hall) and an Italian immigrant grocer. There are thirteen different actors who have substantial speaking parts. Really, the script for Sea Raiders can best be described as overstuffed.

Keeping track of all these characters and subplots slows the pace of Sea Raiders to the point of sluggishness. Consequently, the serial is never really very exciting. Nonetheless, the acting is competent and appealing. Reed Haley is quite effective as the slick and menacing lead villain. However, the cast is so large that some of the actors (Bernard Punsley, Joe Recht, Gabriel Dell and Ralston) have little to do. Had these five characters been edited out of the script, the film could have proceeded at brisk pace. The idea of having rough around the edges teenagers ( Punsley, Huntz Hall, Dell, Hally Chester, Recht and Billy Hallop)) serve as the main heroes (instead of the usual bland leading man in his twenty or thirties common to serials) is a refreshing change.

I like this serial but I think this is due in large part to my fondness for the Dead End Kids/Little Tough Guys/etc. Consequently, I recommend Sea Raiders only to fans of Halop and company. Non-fans will probably find this serial dull viewing.

King of the Royal Mounted (1940)

Mounties vs Nazis in the Great North Woods

[9/10 · 8 September 2023]

"King of the Mounted" is definitely a high water mark for Republic serials. Released in 1940 the film deals with the attempts by the agents of an unnamed power (which is obviously Germany) to steal Compound X, a chemical formula recently discovered in the Canadian wilderness, which can be used to make super weapons.

Because of the time in which this serial is set (the backwoods of Canada in the early 1940's) it is able to make use of mid-20th century technology (such as planes, trains, radios and a submarines) and action usually found in westerns (like chases on horseback, gun battles with six shooters and a forest fire).

The acting in the film (especially that of Allan Lane and Harry Cording) is solid. The miniature work is excellent. The stunt work is stunning in a few chapters. The final chapter has two unexpected plot twists. The photography on the print I viewed was sharp, clear and undamaged. The pace of this chapter play never seemed to drag .

"King of the Royal Mounted" in terms of overall quality is on a par with Republic's "Spy Smasher" which makes this serial something of a must see.

The Invisible Monster (1950)

Ugh!

[4/10 · 11 March 2023]

What a mess! This serial has 3 major faults.

First, the premise is lame. A mad scientist (Stanley Price) known only as Phantom Ruler invents an incredibly bulky, and therefore difficult to transport, ray gun. This device will render an individual invisible when he or she is wearing clothes soaked in some sort of chemical solution. His plan is to steal $250,000, and use it to create a private army of invisible soldiers to overthrow the government of the US. Even in 1950 bucks, 250k was not enough to fund a coup de tat. The ray guns are so difficult to move about that they would be useless on the battlefield.

Second, Price (in the role of the leading villain) does not project anything resembling menace or authority. George Meeker, who plays one of Price's henchmen) had a long career in films. He often played smooth talking hoodlums. Meeker, I believe, probably was a better choice to play Phantom Rule.

Third. The photography is crisp and clear but does nothing to help create an aura of danger, intrigue, mystery etc.

This serial was made after Republic Studios adopted a policy of limiting all serial episodes to a running time in the 13 minute range. This keeps the action moving at a brisk pace and is a welcome innovation. This is the serial's one true strength and the only reason I awarded four stars (instead of three) to this film.

It shouldn't take long to find a better serial than Invisible Monster next time you are in the mood to watch a chapter play. I heartily recommend that you do so.

Buck Rogers (1939)

Slightly above average

[6/10 · 2 July 2022]

This a good, not great, serial from Universal. It does pale in comparison to the Flash Gordon serials which were also produced at the same studio..

The performances of the principal actors are a mixed bag. On the plus side, Buster Crabbe, while not a great actor, is suitably likable and stalwart as Buck. Constance Moore's Wilma Deering is a composed rebel officer and, despite appearing throughout the film in a baggy one piece jump suit and what looks like a bathing cap, is quite attractive. Jackie Moran's Buddy is enthusiastic and energetic without being annoying, as many actors in his age group were in the late 30's. On the minus side Philson Ahn's performance as Prince Tallen can best be described as wooden. Anthony Warde's Killer Kane spends the serial doing little more than speaking in a bear growl voice and threatening to send people to the "robut room"---i.e the robot room.. It's easy to see why Warde was relegated to smaller roles playing the henchman of the main villain in serials and B movies (usually in a convincing manner) after he appeared in this flick.

The film was clearly made on a smaller budget that the Flash Gordon serials. Most of the action takes place on six sets (the rebels base, two rooms in Kane's fortress and two sets on Saturn). The rocket ships look like steam irons and emit an irritating buzzing drone while in motion. Most of the cliff hangers consist of a horrendous crash from which the good guys emerge unscathed.

Despite its shortcomings I found this serial enjoyable. It never seemed to drag; the acting of Crabbe, Moran and Moore was appealing. There really are far worse serials out there. Buck Rogers is not a classic, but it is worth watching.

Spy Smasher (1942)

One of the Best

[18 June 2022]

This is an extremely well made serial. The cast is capable and the script is fast paced. Each chapter seems to contain at least one unexpected plot twist. There are no resolutions to cliff hangers which consist of the hero standing up, brushing himself off and walking away after experiencing a cataclysmic explosion, crash, fire, cave in, etc. Highly recommended.