The Adventures of Smilin' Jack, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1-6)

Customer Reviews:

Nostalgic propaganda.......2007-09-04

Movies, radio and especially comic books during World War II were not polite to the Germans or Japanese. Members of the Axis powers were depicted as "Krauts," "Nips," and "Japs." Somehow, Italians were not included. American super heroes battled the Axis and won--every time. The "Japs" wore round spectacles with thick lens, had buck teeth and lemon-yellow faces. The "Krauts" oftn had monacles and clicked their bootheels a lot.

This serial is part of that peculiar ethos, although it wasn't possible to have Japanese with lemon-yellow skin in a black and white film. As such, this isn't bad at all. There's a great deal of piloting and war footage to lend some reality. The plot is simple, as one might expect. Jack gets into an impossible tight spot or two in every episode and manages to get out of them at the beginning of the next episode. There are the usual fistfights, a nice looking young woman or so, and nasty villains who want to destroy everything that is goodness and light. Even Charlie Chan and his number one son are along for the ride--but playing different characters.

I did enjoy this serial. As serials go, it was one of the better ones.

Killer Serial .......2007-03-08

If, like me and a devoted base of hardcore fans, you love the old movie serials of the 1930's and 40's, you'll gladly overlook the mediocre sound and image quality displayed here for a chance to see the famous comic strip hero fly once again. Companies like Alpha Video (who released this and other classiscs like Radar Men on the Moon and the marvelous Phantom Creeps with Bela Lugosi) and VCI (Terry and the Pirates, Captain Midnight) have done fans like us a great service by preserving these otherwise lost treasures. Be warned though, that little care has been taken to improve decaying film quality; these are not the lush digital restorations we see in the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto movies-- blemishes, cue blips, acid rot, sync discrepancies and poor sound are the norm here. If the content interests, you, it's worth the dough, but keep your expectaions low.

A Waste of Money.......2006-02-12

After collecting serials over the years, finally, I have found the absolute worst one I ever purchased. Granted, Universal Pictures was certainly not famous for their serials...the exceptions being: Tim Tyler's Luck and Radio Patrol, just to name two of probably six or seven standouts, but this is the rock bottom. In the hands of a William Witney, this could have been a fantastic work of art. With all of the possibilities in plot and scenery at their disposal, the directors have bogged us down with boring attempts at action, acting and serial music.... plus holes in the plot. What happened to all the set-ups we should have been entertained by at the various exotic locales? What happened to fast-moving adventure and action foundations in serials? What a waste!

Alpha Video's digital DVD restoration is terrible. I actually have better quality on some older VHS serials in my collection.

A thoroughly disappointing experience for almost five hours of waiting for it to get off the ground. Forget it!

Jack Almost Prevents Pearl Harbor.......2006-01-07

This was from Zack Mosley's popular comic strip, one of many tuned into a serial, and long thought to be lost. Jack Martin is a daredevil pilot who gets involved in Far Eastern intrigue just before Pearl Harbor. As played by Tom Brown (1913-1990) Jack no longer has his pencil-thin moustache and seems younger, but Brown does a commendable job here.

This is a very good cast. Perhaps the most interesting casting is Sidney Toler and the great Keye Luke ("Secret Agent X-9," 1945), who played Charlie Chan and his number One Son in numerous movies. Toler was concurrently playing Chan while appearing in this film as General Kai Ling. Luke plays Captain Wing, who assists the general and bails Smilin' Jack out of many predicaments. Marjorie Lord, later known for her role on TV's "Make Room For Daddy," also helps Jack in his endeavors as Janet Thompson.

Rose Hobart is excellent at playing the evil Fraulein von Teufel off against her alter ego Rose Franklin, whom no one suspects. Just as convincing is her agent Kageyama, played by the ultra suave Turhan Bey. The sniping between the German and the Japanese agent is rather humorous. Cyril Delavant almost steals the show as Mah Ling, the Chinese provincial governor whom both sides are trying to entice into revealing a vital wartime secret. He even plays a double role with a small segment as a Japanese agent who will pretend to be him. Mah Ling's loyal servent Wu Tan is played by long-time Asian actor Philip Ahn, and his role grows in importance as the plot progresses.

The plot seems to be more intelligent and well thought-out than is the case with many serials. There are some great and unexpected twists and turns, getting one more emotionally involved than normal with a serial. There's some pretty good archival footage taken early in WWII. I also like Universal's method of prefacing each chapter with one or two new scenes which let us know what's happening before repeating the ending that led up to the cliffhanger, instead of using a written summary as Republic did or an annoying narrator as Columbia did.

Universal's great director Ford Beebe was the producer of this one. Directors Ray Taylor and Lewis Collins had a chance with this to learn how to put together a good WWII spy flick, which may be why their "Secret Agent X-9" (1945) was so good. And like that one, it has the look and feel of a feature movie rather than just a serial. About all that separates this from the best Republic serials is more fights and better cliffhangers.

"The King of Serials...VCI Entertainment ~ The Adventures of Smilin' Jack (1943)".......2005-11-23

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures based on the Zack Mosely newspaper comic strip present..."The Adventures of Smilin' Jack" (1943) (Dolby digitally remastered), a 13 Chapter cliffhanger from an action packed Universal serial era featuring an outstanding cast with Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor at the helm....story line has the Chinese and American governments mount a joint operation just before World War II, to prevent the Germans and Japanese from taking over the strategic island of Mandon...will our hero Smilin' Jack (Tom Brown) (and where is his famous trademarked pencil moustache) and Janet Thompson (Marjorie Lord) (later in TV sit-com "Make Room For Daddy" with Danny Thomas) be able to thwart the spy ring known as "The Black Samurai"....can Von Teufel (Rose Hobart) the German fraulein be outwitted and her identity be discovered as the leader of this spy ring, along with her head henchman Kageyama (Turhan Bey) ...with the help of Chinese Gen. Kai Ling (Sidney Toler) and Capt. Wing (Keye Luke) can we turn the tide and defeat "The Black Samarai"....remember Toler and Luke are on loan and must get back to their roles on the "Charlie Chan" film series which is the famous detective and his number one son....don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with "Sinking the Rising Sun"....just remember double thrills, chills, mystery and suspense...hitting the bull's eye with excitement...don't miss a single spine thrilling episode..return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

Under director's Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor, producer Ford Beebe, associate producer Don H. Brown, screenplay by Morgan B. Cox, musical director H.J. Salter, dialogue director Jacques Jaccard...the cast includes Tom Brown ('Smilin' Jack' Martin), Rose Hobart (Gertrude Muller, alias Fräulein von Teufel), Edgar Barrier (Tommy Thompson), Marjorie Lord (Janet Thompson), Keye Luke (Capt. Wing), Sidney Toler (Gen. Kai Ling), Cyril Delevanti (Mah Ling/Han Po/his doppelganger), Turhan Bey (Kageyama), Phillip Ahn (Wu Tan), Nigel De Burlier (The Lo-San), James Craven (Commissioner Robert George Hardy), Wheeler Oakman (Freighter mate)........special footnote, actor Sidney Toler was best known as the famous Chinese Hawaiian detective Charlie Chan, Toler accepted the role after the sudden death of Warner Oland who was difficult to replace because of his popularity, Toler's first film was "Charlie Chan in Honolulu" (1938), then the others followed "Charlie Chan at Treasure Island" (1939) (this was Toler at his best), "Charlies Chan in Reno" (1939), "Charlie Chan in City in Darkness" (1939), Charlie Chan in Panama" (1940), "Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise" (1940), "Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum" (1940), Murder Over New York" (1940), Charlie Chan in Rio" (1941), Dead men Tell" (1941), "Castle in the Desert" (1942) all by 20th Century-Fox, the next film series were from Monogram Pictures "Charlie Chan in the Secret Service" (1944), Charlie Chan in Black Magic" (1944), "Charlie Chan in the Chinese Cat" (1944), The Jade Mask" (1945), "The Scarlet Clue" (1945), The Shangfhai Cobra" (1945), "The Red Dragon" (1945), "Shadows Over Chinatown" (1946), "Dark Alibi" (1946), "Dangerous Money" (1946), "The Trap" (1946), Toler's performances gave us his signature acting style, was without a doubt one of the best to play the famous Chinese detective........meanwhile back to our Universal Serial which is always good till the last drop and this serial is no exception...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there...all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and features.

BIOS:
1. Tom Brown
Birth Date: 1/06/1913 - New York, New York
Died: 6/03/1990 - Woodland Hills, California
2. Sidney Toler
Birth Date: 4/28/1874 - Warrensburg, Missouri
Died: 2/12/197 - Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
3. Keye Luke
Birth Date: 6/18/1904 - Canton, China
Died: 1/12/1991 - Whittler, CA

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. The Adventures of Smilin' Jack
2. The rising Sun Strikes
3. Attacked by Bombers
4. Knives of Vengeance
5. A Watery Grave
6. Escape by Clipper
7. Fifteen Fathoms Below
8. Treachery At Sea
9. The Bridge of Peril
10.Blackout in the Islands
11.Held for Treason
12.The Torture Fire Test
13.Sinking the Rising Sun

If you're into vintage serials as I am, why not pick up a copy of the following titles from VCI Home Video:
VCI CLIFFHANGER TRAILERS:
1. Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
2. Adventures of the Flying Cadets (Bobby Jordan)
3. Buck Rogers (Buster Crabbe)
4. Captain Midnight (Dave O'Brien)
5. Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere (Judd Holdren & I. Stanford Jolley)
6. Dick Tracy's G-Men (Ralph Byrd)
7. Don Winslow of the Navy (Don Terry)
8. Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (Don Terry)
9. Drums of Fu Manchu (Henry Brandon)
10.Fighting Kit Carson (Johnny Mack Brown)
11.Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (Buster Crabbe)
12.The Green Archer (Victory Jory)
13.Jungle Girl (Frances Gifford)
14.Jungle Jim (Grant Withers & Raymond Hatton)
15.Lost City of the Jungle (Russell Hayden & Keye Luke)
16.Mandrake the Magician (Warren Hull & Dick Curtis)
17.Miracle Rider (Tom Mix & Tony Jr)
18.The Painted Stallion (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
19.The Phantom (Tom Tyler)
20.The Return of Chandu (Bela Lugosi)
21.Riders of Death Valley (Dick Foran, Leo Carrillo & Buck Jones)
22.Secret Agent X-9 (1937) (Scott Kolk & Henry Brandon)
23.Secret Agent X-9 (1945) (Lloyd Bridges & Keye Luke)
24.Sky Raiders (Donald Woods & Billy Halop)
25.Undersea Kingdom (Ray "Crash" Corrigan)
26.Winners of the West (Dick Foran, Harry Woods, Roy Barcroft & Charles Stevens)
27.Zane Greys "King of the Royal Mounted" (Allan "Rocky" Lane)
28.Zorro's Cliffhanger Collection (Reed Hadley, John Carroll & Linda Stirling)

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "The Adventures of Smilin' Jack" (1943), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '30s, '40s & '50s...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on VHS, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em

Total Time: 265 mins on 2 VHS ~ VCI Entertainment 1701 ~ (9/27/1990)

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