DOCKS OF NEW ORLEANS

John Gallaudet and Roland Winters

DOCKS OF NEW ORLEANS (1948). Director: Derwin Abrahams.

Simon LaFontanne (Boyd Irwin of The Invisible Killer) comes to Charlie Chan (Roland Winters) for help when he fears for his life. Watch out -- whenever someone comes to Chan or any other Great Fictional Detective afraid they'll be killed, you know their hours are numbered! Sure enough, LaFontanne is killed by poison gas in his own office. Suspects include the bitter chemist Oscar Swenstrom (Harry Hayden); LaFontanne's partners in the chemical syndicate, Von Scherbe (Stanley Andrews) and Castanaro (Emmett Vogan); the officer manager, Thompson (Rory Mallinson); and the mysterious Countess Aguirre (Carol Forman) and her sinister associates, Grock (Douglas Fowler) among them. Chan is assisted in the case by Capt. Pete McNally (John Gallaudet), who is involved with the victim's niece, Rene (Virginia Dale). If there's anything wrong with the film, it's that it's essentially a remake of the first Mr. Wong [!] movie, Mr. Wong, Detective, and even has the same killer [with a minor added twist]. Mantan Moreland and Victor Sen Yung are along for the ride, and we even have Birminghan Brown's cousin, Mobile Jones (Haywood Jones), although their antics are kept to a minimum. Roland Winters seems less Oriental than Toler and Oland, but he's quite effective as Chan. Of the rest of the cast, the best impression is made by Carol Forman of The Black Widow.

Verdict: Okay if it hadn't been recycled. **.

THE LONE RANGER serial

THE LONE RANGER (1938) 15-Chapter Republic serial. 

Directed by John English and William Witney. 

"Hi Yo Silver -- Away!" 

A massacre of Texas Rangers has only one survivor, the "lone ranger" who's rescued by Tonto (Chief Thundercloud). Now the evil Captain Smith, posing as Colonel Jeffries (Stanley Andrews) is behind many nefarious acts in the district -- he hopes to become the "dictator of Texas" -- and is out to get his adversary, The Lone Ranger -- if he can figure out who he is. There are five rangers, any one of which could be the masked man. Let's not forget pretty Joan Blanchard (Lynn Roberts) and the little kid who hero-worships LR (and is not a bad actor to boot). Frankly, I didn't find The Lone Ranger to be quite the classic I was hoping for, although Lone Ranger and western fans might give this serial higher marks. There are some exciting moments, however, such as a thrilling chase after a stagecoach in chapter 12, culminating in a harrowing dive off a cliff. And yes, Giacomo Rossini's wonderful overture from his final opera William Tell makes exciting -- if bizarre -- background music. Stirring conclusion, too, as the true Lone Ranger is finally revealed. 

Verdict: Didn't every kid want to ride Silver? **1/2.