Tag: Jack Ingram

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950, Spencer Gordon Bennet), Chapter 2: Atom Man Appears!

Atom Man, complete with his sparkling bucket helmet, does indeed appear in Atom Man Appears!. He and his goons kidnap Tommy Bond (pretty much by accident) and Atom Man gives Bond a villain speech before sending him back to the Daily Planet. The Daily Planet where boss Pierre Watkin doesn’t believe Bond’s story–or he believes “half of it,” so it looks like Watkin being wrong is indeed going to be a regular occurrence in the serial.

There’s some Superman action for Kirk Alyn, including rescuing people from an ocean liner fire. It’s not particularly exciting action, but it does give Alyn something. Although it’s unclear how he has time to write the story up as Clark Kent. Super-typing, no doubt.

And where he types it up is another thing–the set only has one desk for Bond and Alyn to share. The name plate on the desk just changes.

The chapter has Noel Neill swiping a coin instead of putting it in the Planet safe. Lyle Talbot–as Lex Luthor, who doesn’t seem as worried this chapter about the prison guards noticing he’s gone–uses the coins to teleport his goons back to his cave lair. They don’t just teleport Neill to the lair. The goons go after her, leading to some more Superman action for Alyn–including some rather cool sped up shots–and very little for Neill. She just grins a lot.

The cliffhanger’s good, Bond’s not quite as annoying as last chapter, Neill beats up on Talbot’s goons, and Appears moves along at a nice pace. Atom Man vs. Superman is steady, albeit only two chapters in.

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) ch02 – Atom Man Appears!

Atom Man, complete with his sparkling bucket helmet, does indeed appear in Atom Man Appears!. He and his goons kidnap Tommy Bond (pretty much by accident) and Atom Man gives Bond a villain speech before sending him back to the Daily Planet. The Daily Planet where boss Pierre Watkin doesn’t believe Bond’s story–or he believes “half of it,” so it looks like Watkin being wrong is indeed going to be a regular occurrence in the serial.

There’s some Superman action for Kirk Alyn, including rescuing people from an ocean liner fire. It’s not particularly exciting action, but it does give Alyn something. Although it’s unclear how he has time to write the story up as Clark Kent. Super-typing, no doubt.

And where he types it up is another thing–the set only has one desk for Bond and Alyn to share. The name plate on the desk just changes.

The chapter has Noel Neill swiping a coin instead of putting it in the Planet safe. Lyle Talbot–as Lex Luthor, who doesn’t seem as worried this chapter about the prison guards noticing he’s gone–uses the coins to teleport his goons back to his cave lair. They don’t just teleport Neill to the lair. The goons go after her, leading to some more Superman action for Alyn–including some rather cool sped up shots–and very little for Neill. She just grins a lot.

The cliffhanger’s good, Bond’s not quite as annoying as last chapter, Neill beats up on Talbot’s goons, and Appears moves along at a nice pace. Atom Man vs. Superman is steady, albeit only two chapters in.

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950, Spencer Gordon Bennet), Chapter 1: Superman Flies Again

Superman Flies Again establishes a few things I’m very curious to see if Atom Man vs. Superman keeps going with over the course of the serial. Firstly, is Pierre Watkin always completely wrong about everything. Playing newspaper editor Perry White, Watkin calls his staff–Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Tommy Bond–into the office (they can all hear him, not just Superman Alyn, through a closed door about thirty feet away) and makes always incorrect predictions about crises.

He’s wrong at least twice in Flies Again, maybe three times. He also thinks Bond–as Jimmy Olsen–is either incompetent or a liar. Not sure why Bond’s still got a job. Though it’s a shame there’s no HR department at the 1950 Daily Planet because Neill ought to drag Bond in for his sexist banter. So far, all there is to Bond is stupid sexist comments masquerading as jokes (obviously, screenwriters’ fault), a lack of respect from boss Watkin, and impetuousness. Bond’s always trying to fight crooks. They tend to win.

Neill and Alyn don’t get a lot to do in Flies Again; well, Alyn as Clark Kent doesn’t get a lot to do. But there’s a sort of great sequence where he can’t change into the blue tights because Neill’s keeping too close of tabs on him. Unfortunately, director Bennet’s apparently going to be inept at comedy. Otherwise, it’d have been great.

As Superman, Alyn gets to fight with his arch nemesis, Lyle Talbot. Bald-capped Talbot is Lex Luthor, evil genius. Lots of gadgets in this chapter, usually amusing, if only because the regular folk who encounter the gadgets just act like people dematerializing is an everyday thing. Tablot ends up in jail, but can take regular trips out because of his evil genius. Alyn, of course, has no idea.

Either Superman doesn’t break down Talbot’s cave laboratory hideout when capturing him or Talbot gets it set up identically somewhere else.

The Superman flying effects are still mostly the cartoon, but there are some medium shots on Alyn in flight. It seems cool until he uses his superpower of yelling to tell the cops (on the ground) his plans.

The cliffhanger’s obvious but not bad. Some drama and a big explosion.

It seems like Talbot’s antics are going to keep Atom Man chugging along. Though it’s a shame Neill’s never going to slap Bond to shut him up. And Don C. Harvey is a henchman; he ought to be good.

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) ch01 – Superman Flies Again

Superman Flies Again establishes a few things I’m very curious to see if Atom Man vs. Superman keeps going with over the course of the serial. Firstly, is Pierre Watkin always completely wrong about everything. Playing newspaper editor Perry White, Watkin calls his staff–Kirk Alyn, Noel Neill, Tommy Bond–into the office (they can all hear him, not just Superman Alyn, through a closed door about thirty feet away) and makes always incorrect predictions about crises.

He’s wrong at least twice in Flies Again, maybe three times. He also thinks Bond–as Jimmy Olsen–is either incompetent or a liar. Not sure why Bond’s still got a job. Though it’s a shame there’s no HR department at the 1950 Daily Planet because Neill ought to drag Bond in for his sexist banter. So far, all there is to Bond is stupid sexist comments masquerading as jokes (obviously, screenwriters’ fault), a lack of respect from boss Watkin, and impetuousness. Bond’s always trying to fight crooks. They tend to win.

Neill and Alyn don’t get a lot to do in Flies Again; well, Alyn as Clark Kent doesn’t get a lot to do. But there’s a sort of great sequence where he can’t change into the blue tights because Neill’s keeping too close of tabs on him. Unfortunately, director Bennet’s apparently going to be inept at comedy. Otherwise, it’d have been great.

As Superman, Alyn gets to fight with his arch nemesis, Lyle Talbot. Bald-capped Talbot is Lex Luthor, evil genius. Lots of gadgets in this chapter, usually amusing, if only because the regular folk who encounter the gadgets just act like people dematerializing is an everyday thing. Tablot ends up in jail, but can take regular trips out because of his evil genius. Alyn, of course, has no idea.

Either Superman doesn’t break down Talbot’s cave laboratory hideout when capturing him or Talbot gets it set up identically somewhere else.

The Superman flying effects are still mostly the cartoon, but there are some medium shots on Alyn in flight. It seems cool until he uses his superpower of yelling to tell the cops (on the ground) his plans.

The cliffhanger’s obvious but not bad. Some drama and a big explosion.

It seems like Talbot’s antics are going to keep Atom Man chugging along. Though it’s a shame Neill’s never going to slap Bond to shut him up. And Don C. Harvey is a henchman; he ought to be good.

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 13: The Mystery of the Payroll

While most of the thirteen chapters of Brenda Starr, Reporter don’t deal with it, The Mystery of the Payroll is what the whole thing is supposedly about. And it gets solved in the last chapter. Though not really. I mean, it’s solved, but not satisfactorily. In fact, one of the big twists just raising more questions. Luckily, there’s no time to answer them because the serial is over.

After what should be an action-packed cliffhanger resolution (it isn’t, though there’s at least some action in a long shot), the story moves back to the newspaper office. Joan Woodbury is in trouble again with boss Frank Jaquet for disobeying copper Kane Richmond. Pretty soon, there’s a deus ex machina reveal and the wrap-up begins.

I suppose it’s efficiently executed; there’s quite a bit of wrapping up to do, even if none of it involves Woodbury. Given how poorly the serial leaves her, it’s probably better she didn’t get any of that material. It’s mostly Syd Saylor and William ‘Billy’ Benedict.

This chapter might be Benedict’s least annoying performance in the serial. He’s not a constant drag on the proceeding like usual. Or it might just be the “final chapter” energy.

Payroll is a disappointing end to a disappointing serial. It might have been nice, at least once, for Woodbury to take the titular Reporter job seriously instead of just being an adventurer.

Of course, the same goes for inept copper Richmond.

Brenda Starr, Reporter is a drag. Mystery of the Payroll might have been able to brace it after the last few chapters’ general competence. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 12: Murder at Night

Murder at Night features two murders at night. It doesn’t, however, have much night. Ira H. Morgan’s day-for-night photography is so inept, most of the action seems like it’s taking place late afternoon. The visual cues run contrary to the script, which has all the action taking place over hours.

So, basically, no one sleeps in Brenda Starr. Cousin Lottie Harrison stays up all night in case Joan Woodbury comes home and needs a meal cooked for her (and any guests).

Oddly enough, the script introduces a whole new element–there’s a mole for the bad guy at Woodbury’s newspaper. Woodbury doesn’t even know the bad guy’s identity. Everyone thinks George Meeker is on the up-and-up, not realizing he’s running a gang for the still unseen (and not really heard from lately) “Big Boss.”

There’s some energy from the finale chase scene, which does set up a real cliffhanger, but the chapter–penultimate or not–is more of the same from Brenda Starr. There are double-crosses, there are betrayals, there is repetitive dialogue. Practically all of Wheeler Oakman’s dialogue involves begging Woodbury to turn him over to the cops; she always refuses, with her reasons getting thinner as the chapter progresses.

The chapter also has a pointless flashback to another chapter. Time killer.

There’s a lot to wrap up in the final chapter–the “Big Boss,” the mole, the secret code (presumably the location of some stolen money)–and Starr needs to use all its remaining time wisely, which seems highly unlikely given the serial to this point.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 11: On the Spot

This chapter has Joan Woodbury not just getting out of a trap, she executes a great plan for it too. A surprising one. Not a lot of surprises in Brenda Starr, Reporter, so getting any of significance–even this late (On the Spot is the penultimate penultimate chapter)–is nice.

Overall, it’s not a bad chapter. Too much with idiot cop Joe Devlin. Starr’s either got condescending super-cop Kane Richmond (who hasn’t solved a single thing… though neither has Woodbury) or idiot Devlin. On the Spot gives Devlin the illusion of more to do, but then cuts away when it’s his turn.

Syd Saylor’s playing the same type of part–dimwit sidekick–but he’s at least good at it. And his character isn’t as much of a dimwit.

After the escape sequence, it’s all about Ernie Adams scheming until the cliffhanger. Of course Woodbury has inserted herself into that situation; she’s tried to call for back up, but William ‘Billy’ Benedict messes it up.

There are a lot of thin characters in Brenda Starr but Benedict’s got the worst. Whenever he shows up on screen, the serial becomes practically intolerable. I’m not sure if anyone could play the role of office numbskull with charm, but Benedict doesn’t.

Still, it’s a lot better of a chapter than the serial usually puts out.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 10: A Double-Cross Backfires

Brenda Starr is rallying in its last third–A Double-Cross Backfires is a solid serial chapter. Sure, Joan Woodbury gets interviewing and kidnapped duty, but there’s some good action and some actual suspense.

The chapter opens in Marion Burns’s house–rigged for her psychic scam–and no one except Burns can find their way through it. Lots of curtains, false walls, all sorts of stuff. Perfect location for a thrilling shootout, even if Fox’s direction is boring.

And Burns is rather good. She’s underutilized, but at least she’s underutilized in a supporting role as opposed to Woodbury, who’s underutilized in the ostensible lead part.

The action scene has Kane Richmond chasing a bad guy’s cab and then climbing a roof to duke it out with him. Again, not great direction from Fox, but good enough to get it through. Richmond’s still a condescending jackass overall, however.

Maybe the most salient factor in the rallying is Ernie Adams. He’s a stoolie who all of a sudden has a bunch more to do. Adams knows how to act a scene where the director isn’t going to give him anything. He’s a delight.

So, Backfires doesn’t.

I just wish Brenda Starr had this level of energy and inventiveness (and the strong supporting cast–not the tiresome cops and newspaper sidekicks) throughout.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 9: Dark Magic

Dark Magic fully introduces Marion Burns’s psychic character. She showed up at the end of last chapter, but she really didn’t get much to do outside her act. The act, which has everyone panicked this chapter, involves her accusing bad guy Jack Ingram of murder. Then all the lights go out and she, her assistant (Wheeler Oakman in disguise) and Ingram all disappear.

It’s not entirely clear how those events warrant a police investigation, but Kane Richmond sure is going to try to make them.

The chapter opens with him dismissing Joan Woodbury as usual, but maybe for the first time since he agreed they’d share information. They don’t. He strong-arms her for information or just tries to get her fired.

Newspaper editor Frank Jaquet doesn’t back Woodbury up at all. Though, to be fair, it’s not clear she’s a particularly good reporter. Brenda Starr, Reporter is noticeably lacking any evidence of Woodbury’s journalistic skills. Her investigating skills aren’t terrible, though she does get suckered here.

Burns is the best performance in Brenda Starr so far. She’s sick of being lackey to Oakman and Ernie Adams; she (rightly) doesn’t trust them. Leads to some desperate measures, which Fox doesn’t direct well, but Burns still manages the scenes.

As Brenda Starr captures go, it’s not terrible. Syd Saylor’s amusing this time, William ‘Billy’ Benedict’s restained, Burns’s awesome. It’s all right.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 8: Killer at Large

Yes, there’s a Killer at Large, but there are lots of them. The entire gang out bad guys is loose. Brenda Starr’s has all bad ideas when it comes to titling.

And, you know, scenes. There’s a scene between lowlifes Ernie Adams and Wheeler Oakman and the conversation repeats itself. It’s almost surreal, the exposition starting again immediately once Oakman finishes with the initial delivery. Maybe if Adams were getting Oakman to confirm what he’s saying, but he’s not.

In addition to Adams and Oakman gabbing, there’s another scenes with Frank Meeker and his gang. None of the criminals seem particularly motivated, which is kind of fine; the less time thinking about Brenda Starr, the better.

Woodbury starts the episode a damsel in distress. She ends it going to a night club with the rest of the cast. They’re not sitting together, but screenwriters Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton really want to get everyone together.

Not for narrative purposes, unfortunately, just time wasting ones.

The chapter doesn’t even try with a cliffhanger though. Cliffhangers aren’t Brenda Starr’s thing.

CREDITS

Directed by Wallace Fox; screenplay by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton, based on the comic strip by Dale Messick; director of photography, Ira H. Morgan; edited by Charles Henkel Jr.; music by Edward J. Kay; produced by Sam Katzman; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Joan Woodbury (Brenda Starr), Kane Richmond (Lt. Larry Farrell), Syd Saylor (Chuck Allen), George Meeker (Frank Smith), Wheeler Oakman (Heller), Cay Forester (Vera Harvey), Marion Burns (Zelda), Lottie Harrison (Abretha), Ernie Adams (Charlie), Jack Ingram (Kruger), Anthony Warde (Muller), John Merton (Joe Schultz), William ‘Billy’ Benedict (Pesky), and Joe Devlin (Sgt. Tim Brown).

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