Robert W. Frazer Movies

Based on the comic book by the same name, the hero takes on a crazed scientist who creates deadly machines for his own villainous schemes. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

The most obvious discrepancies concerning this otherwise well-remembered cliffhanger from genre specialist Republic Pictures are the quite demure-looking leopard outfit worn by the serial's heroine, Linda Stirling, and that Darkest Africa looks suspiciously like the hills of suburban Chatsworth. Apparently, producer William J. O'Connell acquired the leopard costume on the cheap but too late for the title to be changed, and the location never really mattered to Republic's mostly juvenile target audience. Making her serial debut, Stirling's innate athleticism came in handy playing Kay Arnold, an heiress turned Jungle Goddess who helps oil company representative Allan Lane fight off a villainous competitor headed by unscrupulous attorney Fletcher Walton (LeRoy Mason) and his henchman, general store proprietor Tom Daggett (Crane Whitley). The remaining 11 chapters had either Stirling rescuing Lane from one peril after another, or vice versa. Although not quite as independently heroic as serial queens such as Pearl White and Ruth Roland, Linda Stirling came as close as anybody, which of course was Republic's goal all along. Her sex appeal, despite the demure costume, was obvious and although this was not why she had chosen the acting profession, Linda tore into her serial assignments with legendary gusto. Ironically, the native of Long Beach, CA, had begun her career studying with Ben Bard, the widower of Ruth Roland. The serial was re-edited and released in a feature version re-titled Jungle Gold. In 1951, Republic resurrected the entire chapterplay under the title Perils of the Darkest Jungle. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

This Johnny Mack Brown western once more teams its star with leathery Raymond Hatton. The boys are cast as U.S. marshals Nevada and Sandy, assigned to solve a series of frontier murders. The victims are all ranchers, with no apparent connection between the killings. To everyone's surprise but the audience, the mystery villain intends to scoop up all the local land for himself. Christine McIntyre, soon to become the Three Stooges' favorite leading lady, registers well in an unsympathetic role. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This lightning-paced Republic western stars Don "Red" Barry as lawman Tennessee Colby. When sinister forces try to prevent a congressional investigation of shady freight-line activities, Colby swings into action. The problem: Among the bad guys is Colby's best friend, Tommy Logan (Bud McTaggart). The sheriff wavers in his loyalties until Logan adds cold-blooded murder to his list of crimes. This is one film that cries out for comedy relief, which is provided in excess by Emmet "Pappy" Lynn. Dead Man's Gulch manages to pack of passle of plot in its brief 58 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Rough Riders--Buck Jones, Raymond Hatton and Rex Bell--endeavor to provide a wagon train safe passage through Indian country. With Jones heading the caravan and Bell and Hatton working undercover, the threesome discover that the "savages" planning to attack the settlers are actually renegade whites. The criminals' target is the shipment of railroad supplies being carried in one of the wagons. Normally, the third "Rough Rider" would have been played by Colonel Tim McCoy, but when McCoy was called to active duty in World War II, he was hastily replaced by old-time western star Rex Bell. Dawn on the Great Divide was the last film for Buck Jones, who was killed in the infamous Coconut Grove fire shortly before the film was released. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Three Mesquiteers are back in the saddle in Republic's Code of the Outlaws. In this outing, the Mesquiteers are played by Bob Steele (as Tuscon Smith), Tom Tyler (as Stony Brooke) and Rufe Davis (as Lullaby Joslin). Bennie Bartlett costars as the son of outlaw Weldon Heyburn, who refuses to inform on his dad's outlaw gang even after Heyburn is shot dead. Our three heroes try to set Bartlett on the right path-and, incidentally, attempt to round up the gang on their own. Reviewers in 1942 felt that Code of the Outlaws was one of the best "Mesquiteers" entries since the series' salad days of the late 1930s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

After an opening scene at a Washington DC cocktail party where it is demonstrated that "loose lips sink ships", the plot proper gets under way, wherein a group of six men conspire to undermine America's war effort. What is the connection between these six men, all of them outwardly respectable members of Washingtonian society? Hero Don (Clayton Moore) and heroine Alice (Joan Barclay) suspect that the answer lies with the mysterious, wryly philosophical Dr. Melcher (Bela Lugosi), a world-famous plastic surgeon. It turns out that Melcher is part of an elaborate espionage scheme hatched by the dreaded Black Dragon Society of Japan. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Veteran action and western director Spencer G. Bennet certainly opens this the second of Monogram's eight "Rough Riders" oaters on a suspenseful and unusual note. On a dark and stormy night, a lone rider enters a secluded and seemingly vacant ranch house to find the slain bodies of the occupants and a hastily scribbled note bearing the legend: "Rustlers did this. I recognized Bill Cook with them. Take care of my baby. Mary Gibbs." Although the remainder of The Gunman from Bodie doesn't quite measure up to this suspenseful and evocative opening sequence, it is still a crackerjack little western, well-played by its trio of heroes, Buck Jones, Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton. The three "Rough Riders" are special agents assigned to look into a series of rustlings near the small town of Larabie. Working undercover as the notorious titular criminal, Jones discovers that the head of the rustlers is none other than supposedly-solid citizen Robert Frazer, who employs both the local sheriff (Max Waizmann and most of the hands at valuable Circle "B" Ranch. As the pretty owner of the ranch and her handsome foreman, Christine McIntyre and Dave "Tex" O'Brien(who sings "Little Tenderfoot"to the abandoned babe) supply the romantic interest, while Tim McCoy and Raymond Hatton perform their assigned, and well-known, roles in their accustomed ways. But The Gunman from Bodie belongs squarely to Buck Jones, who combines strength with sentiment as the undercover agent discovering an abandoned baby in one of the more haunting opening sequences in B-Western history. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

The Pals of the Pecos are our old pals The Three Mesquiteers, portrayed herein by Robert Livingston (as Stony Brooke), Bob Steele (as Tucson Smith) and Rufe Davis (as Lullaby Joslin). Once again hopscotching in time, the Mesquiteers finds themselves in the year 1858. Attempting to help establish an overland stagecoach service, the three protagonists are challenged by progress-hating villain Stevens (Robert Frazer). Tossed into jail on a trumped-up charge, the Mesquiteers escape in time to see that justice is served. The leading lady duties in Pals of the Pecos are handled by June Johnson, a pretty amateur who disappeared from films not long afterward. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Three Mesquiteers are back in Republic's Gangs of Sonora. The story is set in Wyoming, just before statehood was bestowed upon the territory. Town boss Sam Treadwell (Robert Frazer) doesn't want his little fiefdom to enter the Union, and does everything he can to prevent this eventuality, including the murder of the local newspaper editor. The dead man's cudgel is taken up by his fearless wife Kansas Kate Connor (Helen MacKeller), but her crusading efforts are undercut by her own son (Bud McTaggart), who is in league with Treadwell. This is the dilemma which Mesquiteers Stony Brooke (Robert Livingston), Tucson Smith (Bob Steele) and Lullaby Joslin (Rufe Davis) must solve in 56 minutes flat. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Talented B-picture director Joseph H. Lewis wasn't yet in the "auteur" class when he helmed the PRC quickie Criminals Within. Eternal juvenile Eric Linden plays Greg, an Army draftee accused of stealing a top-secret document. Escaping from the stockade, Greg tries to clear himself by exposing the real criminal, who turns out to be a foreign spy. He is aided in this endeavor by intrepid girl reporter Linda, played by the talented Ann Doran in one of her few feature-film starring assignments. The "gimmick" in Criminals Within is a dangerous new explosive formula-and this was four years before Hiroshima! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Bantam-weight western star Don "Red" Barry, Republic's answer to James Cagney, is perfectly cast in One Man's Law. When plans to build a railroad are threatened by an outlaw gang, hero Jack (Barry) arrives in town to set things right. Jack's reputation as a two-gun terror with a price on his head has preceded him, thanks to his garrulous pal Nevady (Dub Taylor). Only trouble is, the reputation is totally fabricated: Jack is a peace-loving soul who originally came to town looking for a job as a cowhand. Soon, however, Jack begins to live up to his phony rep, donning a sheriff's badge and routing the baddies. It would appear that someone at Republic had seen Universal's Destry Rides Again more than once before embarking upon One Man's Law. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi