THE SEA HOUND

Buster Crabbe as Captain Silver

THE SEA HOUND: Daredevil Adventures of Captain Silver (15 chapter Columbia serial/1947). Directed by Walter B. Eason and Mack Wright.

Captain Silver (Buster Crabbe), who appeared both on the radio and in comic books, sails into adventure on his boat the Sea Hound, along with his pals Tex (Jimmy Lloyd) and Jerry (Ralph Hodges). Ann Whitney (Pamela Blake) is searching for her father (Milton Kibbee), who disappeared while searching for Spanish galleon treasure. Silver and his cronies not only have to contend with the "dreaded killers of the jungle," the Ryack tribe, who use lassos to strangle people, but assorted bad guys [including Rick Vallin] who would like the gold for themselves. Highlights include the "man-eating vine" in chapter five; the boulder that rolls off a cliff in chapter seven; our hero nearly being boiled alive in hot springs in chapter eight; and being tied to water wheels in chapter nine. Sea Hound has its exciting moments to be sure, but it's still on the tame and mediocre side.

Verdict: Anything with a man-eating vine in it can't be all bad. **1/2.