BROTHERS OF THE WEST

Tom Tyler

BROTHERS OF THE WEST (1937). Produced and directed by Sam Katzman.

Ed Wade (Bob Terry) is riding shotgun for a man named Chandler who fears a payroll robbery. When Chandler is shot and killed, Ed is taken prisoner by crooked lawyer Jeff Tracey (Roger Williams), who heads the gang. Tracey is engaged to Celia Chandler (Lois Wilde), who is convinced that Ed murdered her father, a charge devoutly denied by Ed's wife, Annie (Dorothy Short of Captain Midnight). Ed's brother, Tom (Tom Tyler of The Talk of the Town), a detective with the Cattleman's Protective Association up north, cuts short his move to New York City to come and save his brother.

Once upon a time Tom Tyler was a big cowboy hero for Republic pictures, but today he is better known for the classic serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel, in which he played the costumed super-hero. Tyler's career was cut short by health issues -- he only lived until fifty -- and hence he never became a big competitor for Roy Rogers, who also had a natural charm and smoothness that Tyler, at least in this film, lacks. Tyler, however, is handsome and does have the requisite toughness to handle the fight scenes, especially a lively one in the exciting climax. This is one of only five films that were directed by the prolific producer, Sam Katzman. He handles the material well enough that you wonder why he didn't direct more pictures.

Verdict: Adequate performances and a fast pace make this modern-day western easy to take  -- or leave. **1/2. 

THE TALK OF THE TOWN

Ronald Colman and Jean Arthur

THE TALK OF THE TOWN (1942). Producer/director: George Stevens.

Leopold Dilg (Cary Grant) has been falsely accused of setting fire to a warehouse and killing the watchman, so he breaks out of jail. He hides out in a house that has just been sold to law professor Michael Lightcap (Ronald Colman), who shows up a day earlier than expected while Nora Shelley (Jean Arthur) is fixing things up. Wanting to be able to feed Dilg while he's hiding in the attic, Nora takes a job as Michael's cook and secretary, while Leopold comes downstairs and introduces himself as the gardener. This strange trio will have to contend with the authorities as they tear the town apart looking for Dilg, who is right under their noses. Meanwhile, which man will Nora ultimately wind up with? You may not find yourself caring all that much, because the script for Talk of the Town is, frankly, beneath the talents of its three wonderful leading players, all of whom are at the top of their game (although one could argue that Grant is a little too insouciant considering the desperate situation he's in).The movie begins with a very cinematic opening depicting Dilg's escape, but then there's an abrupt change in tone as what started out as a melodrama turns into a screwball and borderline slapstick comedy; then there's another shift into melodrama. This might have worked in some of Frank Capra's pictures, but this is an uneasy blend of some genuine laughs with a more serious underlying tone, and the two never quite jell. Glenda Farrell is less obnoxious than usual as the girlfriend of Clyde Bracken, played by Tom Tyler [The Phantom] of serial fame. Edgar Buchanan, Leonid Kinskey, Charles Dingle and Rex Ingram [The Thief if Bagdad] have smaller roles. George Stevens also directed Woman of the Year and many other, much better pictures.

Verdict: Tries to be Capraesque, but fails -- although the leads are all great! **.

THE MUMMY'S HAND

THE MUMMY'S HAND (1940). Director: Christy Cabanne.

Archaeologist Steve Banning (Dick Foran) and his foolish pal Babe Jenson (Wallace Ford), along with magician The Great Solvani (Cecil Kellaway) and his spirited daughter, Marta (Peggy Moran), travel from Cairo to try to find a tomb and the treasure that goes with it. They come afoul of High Priest Andoheb (George Zucco), who has awakened Kharis, the mummy, by the use of a fluid made from tanna leaves. This film began the tradition of the mummy, still in its bandages, slowly stalking people in the night. There's perhaps a little too much comedy relief, but the performances are good -- especially Zucco and Eduardo Ciannelli as his father -- and there's plenty of atmosphere. Kharis has a similar origin to Im-ho-tep of The Mummy with some differences -- Kharis tried to revive his dead beloved and was buried alive, but his tongue was cut out as well. Frankly, this is much more entertaining and creepier than The Mummy. Marta is not the reincarnation of a princess, thank goodness. Tom Tyler, who was the title hero in The Adventures of Captain Marvel, plays the mummy and plays him well. Followed by The Mummy's Tomb.

Verdict: Minor-league, perhaps, but fun. **1/2.

THE PHANTOM (1943)

THE PHANTOM (1943). 15 chapter Columbia serial. Director: B. Reeves Eason.

Tom Tyler (Adventures of Captain Marvel) stars as The Phantom, or more accurately, the son of the aged original Phantom who has him take over when he's downed by a poison blow dart. In addition to some scientists searching for a lost city containing a treasure – the map has been divided into seven sections – The Phantom has to contend with a bunch of murderous gunrunners, not to mention the usual native uprisings. The Phantom leaves a skull mark on the cheeks of those he defeats in battle and can create illusions in the minds of his foes. We are also introduced to the most unprepossessing jungle “goddess” --actually a fire princess – ever seen in the movies; it turns out that she's a phony and is actually a cheap dancer. There are some more than acceptable cliffhangers – an alligator approaches The Phantom as he struggles to escape quicksand, and there's a battle high on a rope bridge which snaps – and some intriguing cinematic interplay between a quick-killing gunsel and his very angry – and equally homicidal – employer. All in all, however, The Phantom is a bit disappointing and is only a fair-to-middling serial. Jeanne Bates is the heroine. Tyler is not bad at all as The Phantom. He also played the mummy in The Mummy's Hand.

Verdict: Has its moments. **1/2.

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL

THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941). Directors: William Witney; John English.

Noticing and envying the success of Superman, in the 1940's Fawcett Comics came out with their own super-strong guy and named him Captain Marvel. This character's tremendous success made DC Comics (publisher of Superman, Batman etc.) nervous, so they initiated a law suit, which was initially dismissed. Eventually it was Fawcett's lack of faith in the continuing viability of super-hero comic books – and the enormous court costs -- that wiped the good captain and his “marvelous” associates off the newsstands. Fawcett settled out of court and discontinued its entire comic book line. But not before Republic pictures made a serial based on the comic book. [Ironically, decades later DC Comics acquired the rights to all the Fawcett Comics' characters, including Captain Marvel, and began publishing new adventures of the character, making it clear once and for all that they should never have won that law suit.] In the comic books the facial features of Captain Marvel were based on Fred MacMurray's, but MacMurray was too big a star at the time to appear in a Republic serial so “B” western player Tom Tyler got the job while Frank “Junior” Coghlan got the plum assignment of the captain's young alter ego Billy Batson.

Adventures of Captain Marvel, despite the usual assortment of dumb moments and lapses in logic, is a stupendously entertaining chapter play that moves quickly and features some outstanding sequences (the best of which has Captain Marvel about to be sizzled in a flash flood of molten lava at the end of the fifth chapter out of twelve). The identity of the villain, The Scorpion, isn't telegraphed, and some suspense is worked up over his unmasking. The stunts, fisticuffs, and other action scenes (courtesy of co-director William Witney) are all first-rate. Now available in a crisp DVD print, this is highly recommended for super-hero and action fans, and kids of all ages.

NOTE: If you love classic cliffhanger serials, go directly to the cliffhanger page of Quirk's Reviews Online by clicking here.

Verdict: One of the great classic cliffhangers! ***1/2.