Tag: Marion Burns

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945) ch09 – 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 restrained, Burns’s awesome. It’s all right.

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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Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945) ch08 – 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.

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945) ch07 – Hideout of Terror

There’s a hideout in Hideout of Terror, but there’s no actual terror in that hideout.

Most of the chapter is kidnapped Joan Woodbury being traded between kidnappers. First it’s Jack Ingram, then he gets nabbed by Wheeler Oakman. Ingram gets most of the chapter’s action–he’s got to leave Woodbury in the Hideout to get orders from boss George Meeker–followed by doofuses Syd Saylor and Joe Devlin.

Though Saylor proves a lot smarter than Devlin, which isn’t a surprise. They’re trying to find Woodbury, but only know her car is missing. Eventually main copper Kane Richmond gets involved but he’s no more effective than anyone else. The purpose of Hideout is to stall long enough for Woodbury to get to her mark for the cliffhanger.

Eventually there a shootouts and fisticuffs and chase scenes and an abandoned mine (where Woodbury needs to get). But Woodbury gets almost no lines in the chapter and, even when she’s in the action being pursued, the chapter follows the pursuers.

Makes one forget why the serial’s called Brenda Starr, given how little Woodbury actually gets to do. But if it weren’t called Brenda Starr, it’d just be Bland Columbia Serial, so maybe not.

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 7: Hideout of Terror

There’s a hideout in Hideout of Terror, but there’s no actual terror in that hideout.

Most of the chapter is kidnapped Joan Woodbury being traded between kidnappers. First it’s Jack Ingram, then he gets nabbed by Wheeler Oakman. Ingram gets most of the chapter’s action–he’s got to leave Woodbury in the Hideout to get orders from boss George Meeker–followed by doofuses Syd Saylor and Joe Devlin.

Though Saylor proves a lot smarter than Devlin, which isn’t a surprise. They’re trying to find Woodbury, but only know her car is missing. Eventually main copper Kane Richmond gets involved but he’s no more effective than anyone else. The purpose of Hideout is to stall long enough for Woodbury to get to her mark for the cliffhanger.

Eventually there a shootouts and fisticuffs and chase scenes and an abandoned mine (where Woodbury needs to get). But Woodbury gets almost no lines in the chapter and, even when she’s in the action being pursued, the chapter follows the pursuers.

Makes one forget why the serial’s called Brenda Starr, given how little Woodbury actually gets to do. But if it weren’t called Brenda Starr, it’d just be Bland Columbia Serial, so maybe not.

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) ch06 – Man Hunt

Man Hunt is exasperating. All of it. Copper Kane Richmond, who didn’t have the most fantastic part of the previous chapter’s cliffhanger, gets all the resolution. When the story gets back to Joan Woodbury, her initial shock has worn off and she’s just trying to get Wheeler Oakman to leave her alone. Oakman’s holding Woodbury and cousin Lottie Harrison captive, but he’s not too violent a guy. He just wants the information Woodbury has and it belongs to him after all.

Only he’s not too bright and lets Woodbury get a message along to Syd Saylor. Now, most of Brenda Starr to this point has established Saylor himself isn’t too bright, yet Saylor is able to save the day.

Just long enough for Woodbury to regroup and get kidnapped again.

There’s some more with Richmond, who’s getting to be even more of a yawn and he was an abject bore from chapter one, and villain George Meeker. There are hints the “Big Boss”–the one who only communicates over the radio–might have some secrets he doesn’t want his underlings to know about.

Sounds like a good story for Woodbury; too bad she’s just playing hostage, traded between various elements.

In addition to Saylor getting a moment, which works out (even if it’s Saylor the hero, not Saylor the goof), but William ‘Billy’ Benedict also gets a bit and he’s just too much.

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 6: Man Hunt

Man Hunt is exasperating. All of it. Copper Kane Richmond, who didn’t have the most fantastic part of the previous chapter’s cliffhanger, gets all the resolution. When the story gets back to Joan Woodbury, her initial shock has worn off and she’s just trying to get Wheeler Oakman to leave her alone. Oakman’s holding Woodbury and cousin Lottie Harrison captive, but he’s not too violent a guy. He just wants the information Woodbury has and it belongs to him after all.

Only he’s not too bright and lets Woodbury get a message along to Syd Saylor. Now, most of Brenda Starr to this point has established Saylor himself isn’t too bright, yet Saylor is able to save the day.

Just long enough for Woodbury to regroup and get kidnapped again.

There’s some more with Richmond, who’s getting to be even more of a yawn and he was an abject bore from chapter one, and villain George Meeker. There are hints the “Big Boss”–the one who only communicates over the radio–might have some secrets he doesn’t want his underlings to know about.

Sounds like a good story for Woodbury; too bad she’s just playing hostage, traded between various elements.

In addition to Saylor getting a moment, which works out (even if it’s Saylor the hero, not Saylor the goof), but William ‘Billy’ Benedict also gets a bit and he’s just too much.

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) ch05 – The Big Boss Speaks

The Big Boss Speaks does not feature a scene where the Big Boss speaking over the two-way radio setup sets off the cliffhanger. Actually, the part of the chapter where the Big Boss does speak has absolutely nothing important to do with the plot. Except in how wrong the Big Boss is about predicting Joan Woodbury’s behavior.

This chapter of Brenda Starr is the one where Woodbury gives up and decides to cooperate with the police. Not even her editor (Frank Jaquet) can believe it. Woodbury’s decision comes right after main copper Kane Richmond accuses her of being an unprofessional, delusional liar. And after the scene where Richmond flubs a line and Fox didn’t do another take (or he did and Richmond’s one flub is the best it got).

So not a particularly thrilling chapter as far as Woodbury’s agency goes.

There is a conversation where Woodbury and Richmond decide they’re going to work together, which turns out to be Richmond taking Woodbury’s leads and Woodbury just going home for the night, but Speaks focuses on Syd Saylor and Joe Devlin having a painful comedy sequence.

Not a good chapter. But it does move fairly well. Brenda Starr gets by a lot on Woodbury’s likability, even if the script doesn’t show her much respect.

Brenda Starr, Reporter (1945, Wallace Fox), Chapter 5: The Big Boss Speaks

The Big Boss Speaks does not feature a scene where the Big Boss speaking over the two-way radio setup sets off the cliffhanger. Actually, the part of the chapter where the Big Boss does speak has absolutely nothing important to do with the plot. Except in how wrong the Big Boss is about predicting Joan Woodbury’s behavior.

This chapter of Brenda Starr is the one where Woodbury gives up and decides to cooperate with the police. Not even her editor (Frank Jaquet) can believe it. Woodbury’s decision comes right after main copper Kane Richmond accuses her of being an unprofessional, delusional liar. And after the scene where Richmond flubs a line and Fox didn’t do another take (or he did and Richmond’s one flub is the best it got).

So not a particularly thrilling chapter as far as Woodbury’s agency goes.

There is a conversation where Woodbury and Richmond decide they’re going to work together, which turns out to be Richmond taking Woodbury’s leads and Woodbury just going home for the night, but Speaks focuses on Syd Saylor and Joe Devlin having a painful comedy sequence.

Not a good chapter. But it does move fairly well. Brenda Starr gets by a lot on Woodbury’s likability, even if the script doesn’t show her much respect.

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) ch04 – A Ghost Walks

Unfortunately, most of A Ghost Walks is missing. What remains–some audio, a couple stills–isn’t really enough to sustain the narrative. After the cliffhanger resolution (not too noisy and apparently not injurious to Joan Woodbury), there’s some treading water while cops Kane Richmond and Joe Devlin catch up to Woodbury and Syd Saylor.

Woodbury and Saylor leave the cops to wrap-up the cliffhanger resolve and head out to investigate a clue. It’s a clue the cops would want, but Woodbury keeps to herself.

There’s a little with Lottie Harrison–turns out Woodbury is throwing cousin Harrison a birthday party only she keeps going out to work on the story.

More than half the chapter is lost, though the subsequent chapter’s recap suggests there’s a big reveal at the end of Walks but as the cliffhanger.

I suppose if a chapter of a serial is going to be lost, it’s best it’s a bridging chapter.