THE ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERRIWELL

Donald Briggs as Frank Merriwell

THE ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERRIWELL (12-chapter Universal serial/1936). Directors: Clifford Smith; Lew Landers. Colorized version.

Famed college athlete Frank Merriwell (Donald Briggs) is beloved by most of his classmates aside from the jealous and bitter House Peters (House Peters Jr.) Merriwell's father has been missing for two years, but Frank learns of a ring that may lead to a treasure. While Frank and his pals ponder this, an evil man named Daggett (Ben Hewlet), who always wears a weird mask, is out to get the treasure for himself. Frank and a whole host of classmates -- and his girlfriend, Elsie (Jean Rogers of Flash Gordon) -- travel by boat in pursuit of clues to the treasure. They eventually find the gold but it is alternately stolen by and taken back from Daggett and his desperadoes. Along the way Frank and his buddies find themselves in mortal danger ... 

Ben Hewlet as Daggett

Frank Merriwell, whose adventures originally took place around the 1890s, was once a very famous fictional character with dozens of stories detailing his exploits. These translate well to the serial medium, and make use of several good cliffhangers: a train smashes into an uncoupled runaway engine; Frank and Elsie are nearly crushed by a towering tree when it crashes downward; Frank is attacked by an escaped lion at the circus etc. The pace of the serial is generally swift, but there are duller detours showing us stage acts, assorted parties, and the unfunny antics of class cut-up, the dufus Harry (Sumner Getchell). 

John King and Jean Rogers

There is some strange casting in the serial. As mentioned the character of House Peters is played by House Peters, Jr., the son of silent film star House Peters. Other classmates of Merriwell's are also played by the sons of (at the time) well-known actors, including Wallace Reid Jr. and Edward Arnold Jr. However, Frank's best buddy, Bruce, is played by John "Dusty" King, who displays an excellent baritone singing voice and later went on to play the lead in the serial Ace Drummond. Adventures of Frank Merriwell, even when colorized, remains a bit creaky and forgettable, despite a couple of decent moments. The villain in this is utterly colorless. 

Verdict: You may be wishing this was over long before it's over! **1/4. 

JUNGLE JIM (1936)

LEFT TO RIGHT: Rhodes, Brandon, Hatton and Withers

JUNGLE JIM (/12 chapter Universal serial/1937). Directors: Ford Beebe; Clifford Smith.

"I could send you to the whipping post, too." -- The Cobra.

"That's a mistake you would make only once!" -- Shanghai Lil. 

Jungle Jim (Grant Withers), who arrives on the scene warbling a tune (with dubbed voice), is importuned to go into the African jungle to find a missing heiress, one Joan Redmond (Betty Jane Rhodes). There are two things Jim doesn't know: Joan was raised by an evil brother and sister duo known as the Cobra (Henry Brandon) and Shanghai Lil (Evelyn Brent), and is herself known as the Lion Goddess to the natives; and one of her relatives, Bruce Redmond (Bryant Washburn) is also trying to find her so he can kill her off and acquire her inheritance. The Cobra operates out of a castle in the jungle, and aside from manipulating the natives via Joan, his motives and plans seem rather shadowy, but there's not much love lost between him and his sister. Joan's parents were killed during a ship wreck which is depicted in the first chapter, and features the startling sight of a tiger in the state room. [The serial is full of lively shots of beautiful lions, tigers and leopards, and the stock footage is generally well-integrated.] There's a nifty bit with a rope "bridge" -- actually just a cord of rope over a high chasm -- as well as a rock slide following a volcanic eruption, and neat footage of a tiger battling a gator. The acting from the leads is serviceable, but the serial seems full of missed opportunities. Brandon and Brent make an interesting pair of villains, but they really aren't given that much to do, and while this is fairly entertaining at times, it's not really one of the better Columbia chapterplays. Not to be confused with the full-length feature Jungle Jim, with Johnny Weissmuller playing the same role. Based on the Alex Raymond comic strip. Brent made more of an impression in Holt of the Secret Service four years later.

Verdict: If you've seen one jungle ... **1/2.