IN THE NICK OF TIME

IN THE NICK OF TIME: Motion Picture Sound Serials. William C. Cline. McFarland; 1984.

This is a labor of love written by someone who lived through the period of the great serials and shares his love and enthusiasm for them on every page. He also goes behind the scenes to look into the lives and work of everyone from the leading men and ladies to the composers, stunt men, supporting players, and master villains, with a section devoted to those players who “graduated” from the serials – John Wayne, for instance – to become super-stars. Although the book drags in spots, it is generally engaging and entertaining, and the filmography of all sound serials in the back of the book is alone worth the price of admission. Some great black and white photos. One quibble – Cline sometimes gives away the identity of the secret mastermind in certain serials – Boo! Hiss! [Of course the book was published before the great DVD revolution when so many serials are now available.] Otherwise this is a worthwhile book for cliffhanger fans indeed.

Verdict: Great fun! ***