The Invisible Man's Revenge

Released in 1944, Universal's fifth Invisible Man film was The Invisible Man's Revenge (IMR) Jon Hall starred again as the invisible man, again with the last name Griffin, but the story is not a sequel. It is more of a recast of Wells' concept. John Carradine plays the role of the mad scientist who invented the invisibility drug. Ford Beebe directed IMR. He was also the director for Univiersal's 1939 serial about invisibility: The Phantom Creeps.

Quick Plot Synopsis
A stowaway sneaks off a ship unloading in London. Robert Giffin is a high strung man with a short temper. He has escaped from a Capetown asylum where he killed three people. He makes his way to the mansion of Sir Jasper and Lady Irene. Years ago, they had equal stakes in an african diamond mine, but Robert was left for dead. He wasn't, but now wants his share, plus some. Irene drugs his drink and his him thrown out. He is taken in by a shifty drunk named Herbert (Leon Errol). The two try to extort Jasper, but it fails. Robert walks the rainy roads and comes to the house of Dr. Drury (Carradine). Doc has many invisible animals. Robert asks if he could make a man invisible. Yes, but… Robert wants invisibility to get revenge on Jasper and Irene. He does terrorize them, forcing Jasper to sign over his fortune to Robert. He goes back to Herbert's little house, but Herbert is bend in his rent. Robert has him go to the pub. In a comic scene, Herbert throws darts for wagers. Robert guides them all to be bullseyes. Robert returns to the mansion. He also wants to woo Jasper's pretty adult daughter, Julie. Jasper points out that he's invisible. What kind of husband is that? Point taken, Robert goes to Dr. Drury's house and watches through the window as doc makes his big German shepherd, Brutus, reappear. The secret is a complete blood transfusion. It kills the host, of course. Doc refuses to help Robert become visible, as this would mean murder. Robert knocks out doc and transfuses his blood. He reappears. Julie's boyfriend Mark, a journalist, calls on doc to investigate invisible man stories. Robert sets the house on fire and flees. Brutus gets loose and chases him. Later, Robert arrives at Jasper's mansion claiming to be an old friend name Field. All is fine while he ingratiates himself, with too much hubris, to Julie. But, he begins to disappear again. He runs upstairs and sets up a trap to get Mark alone and use his blood to become visible again. Mark and Robert fight in the wine cellar. Eventually, Robert knocks Mark unconscious and starts the transfusion. Herbert has Brutus, who bolts for the basement. They are followed by the rest of the cast. They break in the door in time to stop Robert halfway. Brutus jumps on Robert and kills him. Later, the characters summarize and moralize about man not messing in things he shouldn't. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
The concept was not novel any longer, but this retelling of it had a very noir quality which was entertaining. While the chair-moving-by-itself, or the floating-book effects were a bit stale by the fifth film, some of the effects, like the splashed water to reveal his face, were rather good.

Cultural Connection
Noir -- The "film noir" genre became popular in the early 40s. Exact definitions remain elusive, but key features include, a crime drama, moody (or creepy) settings, "dark" characters, who are cruel or heartless, often with no apparent good guy or hero, often dark lighting too. IMR fits many of these features. Director Beebe was more at home in westerns and simple crime stories, but manages to evoke some noir, even if not as artistically as others.

Notes
Saga Connections -- IMR is not a continuation of the original saga. It is a retelling of the first story. The man who becomes invisible is still named Griffin, but is not claimed to be any relation to the first John Griffin. The scientist with the drug, Dr. Drury, is not claimed to have any connection to John Griffin -- the original inventor. Leaving no room for a sequel to the new version, both the invisible man and the inventor are killed.

Neo-Vampire -- An interesting twist to the old story, which would have made for some interesting sequels, was that the "cure" to invisibility was a complete transfusion of human blood (killing the donor). The cure was temporary, however, so the invisible neo-vampire would have to kill again and again to remain "normal." As witnessed by the volume of vampire films, such an angle could have been a steady well to draw from. Sadly, by the late 40s, Universal Pictures was struggling. When IMR was released, Universal was just a year away from the ill-fated merger with Arthur Rank's other interests. Production of B-films, serials and low budget horror/sci-fi were seriously reduced. So, no ongoing stories of neo-vampires.

Minor Mad Scientist -- John Carradine's character, Dr. Drury, is the classic mad scientist. He lives alone in a remote country home. He is suspected by the locals of "performing unholy experiments." He has egotistical dreams of being equal to Galileo, Archimedes, Faraday, etc. And, to stay true to form, he is killed by his "monster." In this case, the unscrupulous and vengeful Robert Griffin, who, since he was in an asylum, is reminiscent of Frankenstein's monster having an abnormal brain.

Hound of the Invisibles -- A nice little touch in the screenplay is how Drury's dog Brutus "haunts" Griffin after he killed the doctor. Griffin's paranoia over the distant baying dog, mixed with his maniacal plans for revenge and wealth, are neatly reminiscent of the madness the original invisibility formula caused. While nothing is said of this, it is apparent. Perhaps the writer, Bertram Millhouser, expected audiences to know this already, so it need not be explained yet again.

Requisite Comedy -- Starting with the third film, The Invisible Woman ('40) the humorous-prankster angle of invisibility became a staple. Kitty's "revenge" on her mean boss is the lite and harmless version of IMR's much darker revenge. In the fourth film, Invisible Agent, ('42) the invisible man plays comical pranks on Nazis. In IMR, the invisible man plays a prank on the pub crowd. He guides Herbert's darts to the bullseye, no matter how absurdly thrown. Leon Errol, who plays Herbert almost upstages Jon Hall (who does have to be invisible much of the time). IMR has an interesting balance of comedy and grim drama.

Bottom line? IMR is sometimes described as the weakest of the invisible man films, but it actually holds its own. Granted, the trope is not new any longer, but the noir spin freshens it up. Robert Griffin is not a character to sympathize with, but then, neither are his victims (with the minor exception of Mark, who is shallowly drawn). IMR may not be gang-busters great, but it is decent B-movie entertainment.
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The Invisible Agent

Universal's Invisible Man saga continued in 1942 with The Invisible Agent (TIA). Where the prior iteration in the saga had no reference to the ongoing war whatsoever, TIA was drenched in it. Curt Siodmak provided the screenplay again. The sci-fi element so minimal as to not really qualify as a sci-fi film. However, it is included here on the coat tails of the others. Tall, dashing Jon Hall stars as the invisible man. Jon Hall stars as the grandson of the first invisible Griffin. Ilona Massey co-stars as the beautiful, blonde double-agent and erstwhile love interest. Cedric Hardwicke and Peter Lorre star as sinister German and Japanese agents.

Quick Plot Synopsis
In 1940, the print shop of Frank Raymond is visited by a group of men who turn out to be a Nazi spy, Stauffer, a Japanese spy, Baron Ikito, and their thugs. Frank's real last name is Griffin. He is the grandson of original invisible man. Frank refuses and escapes. The American government asks Frank to help the war effort by sharing the formula. Frank refuses. After Pearl Harbor is bombed, Frank reconsiders. His one condition is that he be the one to take the drug and be the invisible agent in Berlin. He parachutes in, stripping off his clothes on the way down. The German troops are dumbfounded. Frank makes his way to a coffin maker named Schmidt, who sends him on to a woman named Maria. She is being wooed by an SS officer named Heiser. Frank cannot resist some childish pranks. Heiser later reports to his boss, Stauffer, who recognizes the "accidents" for what they really were. Troops are dispatched to Maria's house. They search, but do not find. Stauffer says something about a book of spy names, which was bait to lure Frank to his office. It worked. Stauffer has Frank trapped in his office. Frank escapes by starting a fire and fleeing down the firemen's ladder -- with the spy roster. Ikito is upset with Stauffer for losing the book. The two axis allies have a falling out. Frank calls Maria, signaling his intent to leave Germany. He first goes to Heiser's cell (Stauffer had him arrested for schmoozing his girlfriend.) He tells of Heiser as the surrogate for all nazi-dom, that he deserves to die. Heiser pleads and bargains info for his life. He knows when the attack on America is to take place. Tonight! When Frank meets Maria at Schmidt's shop (who is away being tortured by the Nazis), Ikito and his minions capture Frank with a nat rigged with fishhooks to discourage wiggling. Stauffer figures out what Ikito has done and rains the Legation. Frank and Maria escape in a truck. Ikito kills Stauffer, and them commit hari kari. Frank and Maria are chased to the airport by troops. There, rows and rows of German planes get ready. Frank and Maria steal one and take off. They fly back over the airfield and Frank bombs the rows of planes, thereby thwarting the attack. Their German plane is hit by flak over England, so they bail out. Frank and Maria are now free to be romantic. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
The pace is more akin to a spy-action-thriller, so TIA has that going for it. The "invisible" effects are pretty good. The soaping-up in the bath and applying cold cream scenes worked particularly well. Hardwick and Lorre make excellent evil villains.

Cultural Connection
We're In It Now -- In Univiersal's 1940 film, The Invisible Woman, viewers saw no reference at all to the huge war going on in Europe. That was all changed by the time TIA was released. Post Pearl Harbor, America was in it. As such, the invisible man franchise volunteered to help fight the war, much as Donald Duck and other screen stars were pressed into war service.

Notes
Saga Connections -- Jon Hall plays Frank Griffin, who is said to be the grandson the first invisible man, who is then also said to have been named Frank Griffin. In the 1933 film, the character was named John Griffin. In the second film in the saga, the brother of John was named Frank. How the original John had a son is poorly connected. He is shot and killed before marriage to Flora. A prior marriage, perhaps. Either way, this grandson somehow has become the keeper of the formula, but professes to be no scientist as far as making more or understanding it. By this point in the saga, the nasty side effect of insanity seems to have faded out. The third film, The Invisible Woman ('40) is unconnected to the main saga.

Vicarious Victories -- Not uncommon for war-era films, the script takes the opportunity to browbeat the nazi characters with tongue lashings about how evil they are. TIA is no exception. The nazis are denigrated in the usual subtle ways, but more overtly is Frank's rant at Heisel in his jail cell awaiting execution. "You're only getting what you deserve. You sent thousands of people to these rat holes. Now you're in one yourself. In a few hours you'll be shot. Your kind doesn't just kill men, you murder their spirit. You strangle their last breath of hope and freedom, so that you, the chosen few, can rule your slaves in ease and luxury. You're a sadist just like the others. (Karl all afraid, backed into a corner) You're drowning Heiser. Drowning in an ocean of blood around this little island you call the New Order." (Take THAT, you Nazis.)

Star Gazing -- Jon Hall is new to the role of Invisible Man, but plays him again in the next iteration: The Revenge of the Invisible Man ('44). Ilona Massey, who plays the double agent Maria, will play Elsa Frankenstein in Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman ('43). Cedric Hardwicke played Richard Cobb, the villain in the second film, Return of…. He also played a Frankenstein (Ludwig) in The Ghost of Frankenstein ('42). Peter Lorre plays Baron Ikito -- in not convincing japanese make up. He was more convincingly made up in his many "Mr.Moto" films. Lorre almost steals the show with his oily sinister (and thereby easy to hate) japanese villain. Lorre is, of course, more famous for his roles in The Maltese Falcon and Cassablanca.

AutoTrivia -- For old car buffs, there are a couple of fun nuggets. There is a brief glimpse of a Ford GP T14, six-wheeled jeep. Willys made one too, for the Army. They weren't common, but were not German. In fact, none of the vehicles in the film are German. Although nearly all of them are decked out with swastikas on their doors, just so viewers know the action is taking place in Nazi Germany. The second little nugget is the truck that Frank steals for his getaway to the airport. The medium sized flatbed was given angular flat-sided fenders, and a boxy fake radiator to make it look vaguely like a Krupp or Henschel truck. It is, however, a 1941 Chevy 1-ton -- but with a swastika on the door!

Bottom line? TIA is thin fare for fans of sci-fi. Other than a drug making a man invisible, there's no science involved. TIA is pretty much a war spy "thriller". On that level, it is a fairly entertaining film. The pace moves right along. The special effects are pretty good. The model work (planes) is a bit weak, but that's a minor element. TIA is still worth a watching, just don't expect much sci-fi.

The Invisible Woman

Universal produced another invisible person film late in 1940. This was the same year as their sequel, The Invisible Man Returns (January, 1940). As such, one suspects that IMR was enough of a financial success that Universal sought to crank out a quick variation on the theme. The two stories are completely unrelated. The Invisible Woman (TIW) is a sci-fi comedy romp, light on the sci-fi. Writer Curt Siodmak, who worked on The Return…, is credited with the story for TIW, though other writers with more a penchant for comedy did the bulk of the screenplay.The cast included many talented, if second tier, actors and actresses. John Barrymore, the big famous name, starred as Professor Gibbs.

Quick Plot Synopsis
Richard Russell is a playboy whose penchant for gold digger women has left him flat broke. His long-time butler, George, threatens to quit, city Richard's profligacy. Among those is financial support for a wacky old scientist, Professor Gibbs. It turns out that Gibbs has developed an invisibility machine, but needs a human to test it on. So, he places a want ad in the paper. The ad is answered by Kitty Carroll, a fashion model at a big department store. Kitty and the other models are oppressed by their tyrannical manager, Mr. Crowley. She wants to be invisible for just a few hours so she can kick his butt. Gibbs makes Kitty invisible, but she escapes and goes and tyrannizes Crowley, telling him she is his conscience. The want ad was also noticed by a criminal boss hiding in Mexico. He sends his bumbling henchmen to get Gibbs' machine so he, Blackie, can return to the states. Invisible Kitty overhears all this, but Gibbs ignores her warning. She becomes invisible again. Meanwhile, Richard and George have left for a fishing trip to a remote lodge. Gibbs and Kitty drive up to meet them. While Gibbs is gone, the henchmen steal his equipment. Gibbs somehow makes Kitty invisible again, to prove to Richard that he has a million-dollar invention. Zany hijinx ensue per the usual invisible person gags. Kitty over indulges in brandy, which prolongs her invisibility. Despite early animosity between Richard and Kitty, they begin to like each other. They all return to Gibbs' lab to find his equipment gone He muses that without the special drug, the machine alone will do unpredictable things. Blackie has the machine set up and tests it on his lead henchmen. He comes out with a high girlish voice, but still visible. Blackie sends his henchmen to kidnap Gibbs for the secret. They kidnap Kitty and Gibbs. While in Blackie's hideout, Kitty drinks more alcohol, knowing that this will cause a relapse of invisibility. While invisible, she conks all the villains on the head with a big mallet. Richard arrives at the hideout. She lets him "save" her. Fast forward. Richard and Kitty have been married long enough to have a baby. George is rubbing alcohol on it's back. The baby disappears. "It's hereditary!" The End.

Why is this movie fun?
It's a comedy! Granted, it's not a particularly deep or clever comedy, but it is "good clean fun." Some of the writing gags are amusing, since they're delivered with such straight faces. For instance, George saying: "These days you can't believe your own eyes, even if you don't see anything."

Cultural Connection
War? What War? -- By late 1940, the war in Europe had been raging for over a year. France had fallen to the Nazis earlier in 1940. The Battle of Britain had been raging since mid summer. America was not inclined to get involved in another european war, The bombing of Pearl Harbor would be yet another year in the future. In TIW there isn't even a hint or mention of any war -- no spies, no "foreign powers" trying to get the machine, etc., even though the war was in full swing in Europe. The spirit of American isolationism can be felt.

Notes
Subtle Sexism -- Whereas the two prior feature film Invisible Men had waxed maniacal about ruling the world, when a woman was given the same ultimate power, her big dream is to kick her mean boss in the butt. Women just don't think big, don't ya see? Where the nakedness of the two prior Invisible Men was taken as just a matter of fact, several innuendo and allusions are made over the fact that Kitty is naked while invisible. Also, when Kitty gets drunk on brandy, her big concern is vanity, taking great umbrage that Richard implies that she's invisible because she's not pretty and probably stout. She shows off her legs to prove him wrong. At one point Gibbs says, "You know, if more women were invisible, life would be less complicated."

Star Gazing -- John Barrymore is the famous name. One of the three famous Barrymore acting siblings, this film came near the end of his life (ruined by alcohol). TIW was a bit of a slumming job for someone of his fame. Watch for Charles Lane as Mr. Crowley. People who grew up watching 60s TV comedies, such as The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, and Petticoat Junction will recognize him. Also playing a minor role as Mrs. Jackson is Margaret Hamilton -- forever famous as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Also note Shemp Howard as Frankie, one of the bumbling henchmen. Shemp, brother of Moe and Curly, was not part of The Three Stooges act again until Curly's stroke in 1946. TIW was one of Shemp's solo acting gigs.

Bottom line? TIW is lite-fare as far as sci-fi goes. As a slapstick comedy, TIW is good ol' fashioned fun so mild that the kids can watch it. They won't get the oblique references to a naked woman (which is all fine), but they can laugh at frumpy men falling down on their back-sides, or bumbling crooks knocking over tables, etc. TIW maybe isn't worth a protracted search to find, but it came across one's path, it's not a bad way to spend 75 minutes.

The Invisible Man Returns

In 1940, Universal continued their popular Invisible Man franchise with an actual sequel to their 1933 original. Their serial group had put out two chapter plays in the interim (The Vanishing Shadow ('34) and The Phantom Creeps ('39) ), but The Invisible Man Returns (IMR) was their second feature film to capitalize on the original. Since the original invisible man (played by Claude Rains) was killed in the end, they needed a new one. IMR "stars" (if not being seen counts as starring) a very young Vincent Price.

Quick Plot Synopsis
Geoffrey Radcliffe (Price) is soon to be hanged for the murder of his brother Michael. The backstory is that Geoffrey and Michael owned and operated the family coal mine, along with business partner Richard Cobb. Geoffrey's girlfriend, Helen, frets that a stay of execution can't be arranged in time. The mine's physician, Dr. Griffin, visits Geoffrey in jail. Not long after, Geoffrey is reported as having escaped. Inspector Samson of Scotland Yard suspects it may be another invisible man case. Dr. Griffin is the brother of the original invisible man, John Griffin, though he denies working on the formula with his brother. Dr. Griffin did, however, continue his brother's work, but with no greater success. The formula still caused madness. Geoffrey's immanent execution forced its use. Geoffrey, knowing his own innocence wants to uncover the real murderer. He enlists the aid of Helen and Dr. Griffin, though they both worry that Geoffrey is starting to sound maniacal. Geoffrey learns that the mine's alcoholic night watchman, Mr. Spears, was promoted to Supervisor by Cobb. Geoffrey suspects a payoff, so confronts Spears, who admits that Cobb told him to lie and say that Geoffrey killed Michael, when in fact it was Cobb. (This would have left him the sole owner of the mine AND freed up Helen to be courted.) Geoffrey threatens Cobb, who seeks police protection. Geoffrey gets to Cobb anyhow and the two struggle and fight while on a coal bucket conveyor belt up to a high dump point. Samson shoots at where he thinks Geoffrey must be. The bucket dumps Cobb down the chute. Before he dies, Cobb admits to Helen that he killed Michael. The search of the coal yard does not find Geoffrey. He escapes, but comes back, hoping Dr. Griffin can treat his wound. The doctor gives him transfusions, but cannot operate on an invisible man. He holds out no hope. However, the transfusions themselves turn out to be the antidote. Geoffrey slowly appears. Everyone is happy. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
In essence, IMR is a retelling of the original -- which was a good story -- but in some ways better. The "invisible" stunts are similar and hold up fairly well (for the pre-CGI era). What makes this sequel more "fun" is that the protagonist is a more sympathetic character. As a good man framed by the villain, and only out to prove his innocence, viewers care more about what happens to him.

Cultural Connection
Evil Businessman -- The Great Depression certainly added to the villain persona of big business. This was not entirely new, of course. The term "Robber Barons" came from the middle ages, and the practice of already-wealthy noblemen using unethical means to get yet more wealth. The term was used in the late 1800s against equally unethical big businessmen (usually railroad magnates). The bad rich villain in many an old western was a railroad man. The Depression had revived the old trope, so having Richard Cobb cast as the unethical mine owner -- who did not care about the health of his men, and would murder to gain more ownership -- was an easy sell to audiences.

Notes
Price of Youth -- Like Claude Rains as the first "invisible man," young Vincent Price hit the big time as the second one. He was only 29 when IMR was filmed, and barely recognizable (when finally seen at the end) since he did not have his signature mustache yet. His voice is recognizable, but even then, not fully developed to its later (famous) sound.

Disappearing Once -- Vincent Price played the invisible man only once, though he got a cameo (of sorts) at the very end of the 1948 comedy, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. This was just a final gag, and perhaps a hint at a future Universal comedy starring the duo. The final script of that 1951 film, Abbott and Costello Meet The Invisible Man did not feature Vincent Price, but Arthur Franz in that title role. The '51 film borrowed plot tropes (innocent man using invisibility to escape), and even some of the footage from IMR.

Curt Writing -- Sci-fi writer Curt Siodmak was part of the screenplay team. Siodmak had written some early techno-sci-fi screenplays, such as F.P.1 Doesn't Answer ('32) and The Transatlantic Tunnel ('35). He would go on to fame as the creator of The Wolfman franchise. He would also be part of the next Invisible films in this study, The Invisible Woman and The Invisible Agent ('42). In IMR, Siodmak followed the Hollywood formula of including the beautiful woman, love triangles, and even some light comedy scenes.

Bottom line? IMR is better than the average sequel. In some ways, it is better than the original (as sacrilege as that is to say about adaptations of H.G.Wells' works). This is primarily for IMR having a more sympathetic protagonist. Since he's a nice guy (kind to his workers, etc.), his fate (madness? shot?) matters more to viewers. The special effects are (by then) routine, and in a few cases, not quite as well done. Still, IMR is worth watching.

The Phantom Creeps

In 1939, Universal put out another serial with a sci-fi spin. In some ways, The Phantom Creeps (TPC) was a recast of the earlier serial, The Vanishing Shadow. Both featured an invisibility belt. Both had scientist labs with sparky things. Both had "amazing" techno-gadgets. Both had a super robot. But TPC was the "dark side." version. Instead of the hero (or heroes) using the gadgets to thwart crime, they were used by the evil scientist -- Bela Lugosi, a.k.a. The Phantom -- to commit crimes. TPC ran as a serial, in twelve chapters. But post-Laemmle Universal was struggling for money. To maximize income on their investment (which was not high), they also released a feature-film version of TPC with all the overlap and redundancy cut out.

Quick Plot Synopsis
Dr. Zorka (Lugosi) works in his lab. His servile assistant, Monk, is an escaped convict. Zorka's estranged wife Ann tries to talk him out of being a recluse, but he scoffs. Ann's friend, Dr. Mallory, worries that Zorka's amazing inventions may fall into the wrong hands, so alerts federal agent Bob West. He flies to Zorka's house, but finds the lab empty. Zorka is using his alternate basement/cave lab. West also encounters the pesky reporter, Jean Drew. Zorka shaves his beard and escapes. He picks up a hitchhiker who looks vaguely like him. There is a car crash and the hitchhiker dies. Zorka plants his ID on him so people think Zorka died. Actually, he sets up a downtown lab near a nest of international spies. He has to use one of his stun-disks and spiders to silence Ann, lest she identify the body as not him, but the plan goes awry. The plane crashes as Ann is killed. The source of Zorka's power is a rare and glowing meteorite fragment he found in Africa. It has the power to destroy the world. Zorka uses his invisibility-belt to learn what the foreign agents are up to. The agents get Zorka's meteorite-in-a-box due to Monk's sagging loyalty. Zorka steals it back via his inviso-belt. Zorka also has a gas which renders people vulnerable to his Z-ray gun. With that and his robot, he plans to fend off all comers. Zorka sends his robot to crush Bob. Monk thinks to betray Zorka and escape, but fails. The both escape. Now a car load of spies are after Zorka too. Back at the basement lab, Zorka plots his defense. Monk sabotages the robot. This turns out to be a platoon of doughboy soldiers who surround the house and go in wearing gas masks. The robot attacks, but is blown up. Zorka uses the inviso-belt to escape the cordon of troops. He and Monk flee to the airport and steal a biplane. Several squadrons of Army Air Corps biplanes scramble to chase him. Monk wants to give himself up. He and Zorka struggle (in a biplane), so not too surprisingly, they crash and Zorka's meteorite fragment blows up. Bob and Jim are given medals, but both fawn over Jean as the real hero. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
Bela Lugosi. He breathes life into the otherwise pedestrian script. He makes the consummate evil scientist villain. TPC has the usual 30s sci-fi gizmos, which are fun. The invisibility effects, though less frequent, are still fun too.

Cultural Connection
Things were not going well in Europe in 1939. The Nazis were ascendant and flexing their muscles, making everyone (rightfully) nervous. The threat from "international" (meaning European) spies was an easy sell. The trope of the spies using a language school as a front, harkens back to the days of World War One, when America was paranoid that the Kaiser had legions of spies in America. They were imagined to be hiding wherever the German language was spoken: bakeries, beer halls, ethnic neighborhoods, sections of states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And of course, language schools. "If they have nothing to hide, why don't they just speak English!" -- so ran the logic of the day.

Notes
Nuclear Prototype -- Even though the atom had not yet been split, the mindset was already in place for nuclear weapons. Dr. Zorka's meteorite contained some rare and exotic power source which could also "destroy the world." The script writers were ahead of their time.

Almost Invisible -- TPC borrowed its style of invisibility from The Vanishing Shadow ('34), in that sometimes the invisible person cast a shadow. At other times, the invisible person still left a faint glowing smudge, which the other characters seemed to see. In this effect, Universal was not re-inventing any wheels, but going with a proven formula.

Recycled Footage -- Serials, as a marketing gimmick, were more profitable in the days of silent films. The advent of 'talkies' increased production costs to the point that serials were more of a break-even proposition. As long as they boosted feature film sales, that was fine. To help reduce costs, studios recycled expensive action footage. In TPC, watch for a repeat of the scene where the hero and heroine drive through the blasting zone. This was borrowed from The Vanishing Shadow. Several chase scenes were recycled too, which explains why the 1939 characters get into rather old cars, not new late-30s models. They needed to match the recycled footage. Note the recycled burning-Hindenburg footage. Watch the aerial footage scenes and note how many different makes of biplane appear.as Zorka's stolen plane. Continuity took a back seat to savings.

Mad Scientist -- Bela Lugosi's Dr. Zorka is the stereotypic mad scientist. He is a technical genius, but is the outcast recluse (with a basement lab!). He has a minion-helper whom he treats badly -- thus establishing his inner badness. He talks of ruling the world. Some Zorka quotes along these lines: "With science and genius combined. Nothing can withstand its power." -- "You are attempting to destroy the greatest genius the world has ever known -- now let the world beware my vengeance." -- "One by one, my enemies will be disposed of, until I am the master of the universe!" No lack of self-esteem among mad scientists.

Angry Robot -- Almost standard equipment for serial mad scientists is their huge, unstoppable robot. Dr. Zorka's was given a large humanoid head with a very angry expression -- for no practical reason. When it walked, it had the usual mechanical whirrs and grinding sounds.

Faux Equality -- At the end of the film, when the two G-men are being awarded their medals, the screen writers insert a bit of feigned feminine equality. Both heros, who did all the punching, shooting and being beaten up by a robot, say they think Jean deserves their medals as the "real" hero. All Jean did aside from drive the car at one point, was whine, be annoying and intrude.

Bottom line? TPC is great nostalgic fun, as long as viewers are willing to accept B-level production values. Bela Lugosi's flamboyant performance is, alone, worth watching TPC for.

The Vanishing Shadow

On the heels of its success with The Invisible Man ('33), Carl Laemmle's Universal Pictures created a serial in early 1934, with an invisible man as the primary gimmick. Actually, it was an invisibility device, so several people were able to be invisible at various points in the story. The Vanishing Shadow (TVS) was a very early (if not the first) science fiction serial. TVS was full of amazing electronic gadgets, ray guns and even a giant unstoppable robot!

Quick Plot Synopsis
Chapter One: Accused of Murder -- Stanley Stanfield and Professor Van Dorn team up to create an invisibility device. Stanley "rescues" a pretty woman from traffic. He and Gloria become immediate friends. Stanley confronts Wade Barnett, a crossover evil-industrialist and mobster, over sale of Stanley's stock in The Tribune. In the scuffle, Barnett's gun goes off, shooting his accountant. Stanley flees, thinking he's killed Cadwell. Barnett's thugs pursue Stanley, but he escapes with the Invisible Ray Device (IRD). Again they chase him in cars. Stanley tries to beat a speeding freight train to a crossing, but fails. Crash!
Chaper Two: The Destroying Ray -- Stanley jumped out of the car just before the crash. Van Dorn brings Stanley back to his hideaway lab in the country. Gloria (who turns out is Barnett's estranged daughter) reports Cadwell is not dead. Van Dorn demonstrates a new hand-held device: The Destroying Ray. The thugs stake out Gloria's house. When Stanley and Van Dorn arrive, a fight ensues. Stanley is in danger of being zapped with the deadly ray.
Chaper Three: The Avalanche -- Stanley escapes the ray, but the thugs escape with Gloria as hostage. Stanley uses the IRD to listen in at Barnett's office and finds out where Gloria is being held. Stanley uses the IRD to get into the mansion and free Gloria. The thugs are confounded, but recover and give chase. Stanley and Gloria drive right through a construction blasting zone as the charge goes off. Boom!
Chapter Four: Trapped -- Gloria and Stanley are showered with dirt and rocks, but made it through the blast. They get to Van Dorn's hideaway lab. He shows off another invention, a Heat Ray (which acts like a cutting torch) Van Dorn puts Stanley's Tribune stock (which Barnett wants) in his super safe. The thugs followed them, so a fight breaks out again. Stanley gets locked in the safe which has an anti-oxygen gas defense. Stanley gasps for air.
Chapter Five: Hurled From The Sky -- The thugs leave, and Gloria uses the heat ray to cut the safe lock and free Stanley in time. Barnett kidnaps the Tribune's editor (and other majority stock holder). Stanley learns that he's being held on an island. He and Gloria, chased yet again by the thugs, get to the airfield and steal Barnett's plane. While they fly away, one of the thug's shots hits an aileron cable. The plane crashes into the sea.
Chapter Six: Chain Lightning -- It turns out that Gloria jumped with the only parachute. Stanley made a controlled ditch in the sea, so is fine. He and Gloria are rescued men in a speedboat. McDonald, freed from the island, meets with Stanley and Gloria. They resolve to never sell out to Barnett. Meanwhile Van Dorn has upgraded his super safe to include paralyzer lightning at the door. Gloria inadvertently gets trapped by it.
Chapter Seven: The Tragic Crash -- Stanley rescues Gloria from the lightning. Barnett's thugs now have Van Dorn prisoner at The Pines. Stanley rescues him with the IRD. As they flee in another chase scene, Gloria swerves to avoid another car, sending theirs careening off a cliff.
Chapter Eight: The Shadow of Death -- Turns out they all survived the crash (?) The thugs capture Stanley and Gloria, but Van Dorn escapes via the IRD. Dorgan (chief thug) ties up Van Dorn and steals the IRD. He uses it to get the jump on Stanley and McDonald and steals all their stocks.
Chapter Nine: Blazing Bulkheads -- It turns out Dorgan stole the wrong stocks. Oops. Van Dorn has worked up a counter weapon to the IRD. It shocks and paralyzes Dorgan. Gloria uses the IRD to overhear that Stanley is captive aboard a ship. Carless thugs cause a fire aboard, where Stanley is tied up.
Chapter Ten: The Iron Death -- Gloria and Van Dorn rescue Stanley. Gloria learns where her father has hidden Stanley's stolen stocks. Van Dorn shows off his remote controlled robot. The thugs burst into the lab, but Van Dorn's robot chases them out.
Chapter Eleven: The Juggernaut -- Van Dorn's robot chases the thugs away. Van Dorn becomes maniacal about getting Barnett. Stanley uses the IRD and the heat ray to cut his stocks out of Barnett's safe. Stanley and Gloria are recaptured and taken to The Pines. Van Dorn has his robot attack. It grabs Stanley in a death grip.
Chapter Twelve: Retribution -- Dorgan tries to extort Barnett. When he brings the $50,000 to The Pines to get Gloria, things go bad. Barnett called the police. When they appear, Dorgan shoots Barnett. The police shoot Dorgan. Barnett apologizes to Gloria for being a bad father. He dies. Stanley and Gloria get married. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
TVS is full of fun 1930s-style gizmos and gadgets that appeal to one's inner 8-year-old. The visual trick of the invisible person still casting a shadow allows for some fun visual effects. (How do you suggest movement of an invisible person?) Cliff hanger serials are, by nature, fun viewing. A sci-fi serial is even more so.

Cultural Connection
Prohibition -- A quiet subtext within TVS is that period in American history when liquor was illegal: "The Great Experiment." While Prohibition does not play a significant role in the plot, it shows up on the edges. For one, Barnett turns out to be a rum runner as well as a corporate mobster. Dorgan tells his fellow thugs that the ship (on which they imprison Stanley) is where Barnett keeps his bootleg liquor. This would have meant more to 1930s audiences than it does today. Note too, the shifty, but undefined, business of the speedboat that picks up Stanley and Gloria from the ditched plane. "Forget you ever saw us," they say. Stanley gives a knowing wink and smile. More run runners. The law was so unpopular that breakers of it had little criminal stigma. Actually, Prohibition may have been repealed as TVS was being written. The 21st Amendment (repealing the 18th) became effective in December of 1933.

Notes
Faint Stars -- TVS did not feature notable stars. Onslow Stevens, who played Stanley, had a long film career, but was usually in westerns. Ada Ince, who played Gloria was the usual "looker", but not strong on acting talent. She only did a few films. James Dinkens, who played Van Dorn, was a stage actor since the turn of the century. This was actually his second to last film. He died later in '34. Many of the cast had careers of "uncredited" and bit parts.

Sparkmaster -- Carl Laemmle knew how to work successes into more. TVS combined the visual effects gimmicks of The Invisible Man, but Laemmle also pulled in the popular trappings of the mad scientist -- his lab full of sparky things. Ken Strickfaden was the uncredited hand behind those gizmos in the lab that sparked and spun in Frankenstein's lab (1931). Viewers can see the similarities between the two labs. Van Dorn's sparky things don't actually appear to DO anything. They just spark and whir and hum awesomely. Strickfaden would go on to provide more sparky things for Bride of Frankenstein ('35) and another sci-fi serial, The Lost City ('35)

Robot As Pre-Nuke -- Mechanical men had appeared in silent films, but Van Dorn's robot may be the first sci-fi robot of the Talkies era. The robot has an odd beak nose, and clanks and whirrs as he moves. His workings were presumed to be very mechanical. When Van Dorn works on him, viewers see rotating cams and push-rods inside the access panel. Stanley asks Van Dorn why he keeps inventing things that are so destructive (Destroyer Ray, Heat Ray, killer robot, etc.), Van Dorn says they have peaceful uses too. Even before the atomic age, we can see the roots of the nuclear dilemma. Nuclear energy might have peaceful uses, but it's destructive power is the unsolvable problem.

Mad Scientist -- Akin to H.G. Wells' invisible man, the huge advantage that Van Dorn's inventions bestow, shows the seeds of corruption. He easily imagines the power his gizmos have to dominate. When temporarily crazed by a glancing head wound, be becomes the stereotypic mad scientist, complete with maniacal laugh, and bent on revenge. Overall, Van Dorn is rather like Ian Flemming's "Q", but taking a more active role in the adventures.

Do No Harm -- Notable in TVS is the lack of actual violence. It gets threatened a lot, and the thugs fire their revolvers a lot, but no one is actually killed until the last of Chapter 12. Even then, it's the double-crossing Dorgan who is killed by the police, for shooting Barnett. Stanley, like many serial heros, doesn't use a gun, but relies on his wits and his fists. Even Van Dorn's powerful Destroyer Ray only manages to wither a couple of houseplants. There are many fist fights, but like childhood game fights, everyone comes away okay.

Bottom line? TVS is old fashioned movie serial fun. Several viewing sessions are better than one. Twelve episodes of 20 minutes each makes for four hours of viewing. The pace is brisk enough and the action plentiful enough, there's just a lot of it. The sci-fi gadgets and labs full of sparky things, are fun for fans of 30's sci-fi. Don't expect a deep or cerebral plot. This was matinee fodder for the youngsters.

The Invisible Man

Before exploring further, it seems like a good time to look back at a classic and some of its sequels. In 1933, Carl Laemmle jr.'s Universal Pictures further solidified their dominance of the sci-fi / horror market with this adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel. James Whale, who directed two of the Frankenstein films, directs The Invisible Man (TIM) with similar skill. Claude Rains stars as the "Invisible One" -- this being his big break into stardom, even though his real face is seen only briefly at the end. Universal would go on to make several sequels, though with other stars.

Quick Plot Synopsis
A man trudges along a snowy country road to the town of Iping. At the Lion's Head Inn, he orders a room. Everyone in the pub is silent at the man, his whole head bandaged. His brusque manner and odd appearance set the rumor mill in motion. Elsewhere, Flora frets to her father, Dr. Cranley, about her fiancee, Jack, who has disappeared for a month. An assistant of Cranley's, Dr. Kemp, makes overtures to Flora, but she's too distraught for wooing. Back at the inn, Jack is working on an antidote to his invisibility formula, but is regularly interrupted by the meddlesome Jenny. Jack throws her and her husband out. The call the constable. Jack flaunts his invisibility to the constable and crowd, causing a stir in the media. Kemp hears this on the radio, but Jack snuck in his room. Jack tries to enlist Kemp to be his partner for a "Reign of Terror." He has Kemp drive him back to Iping to retrieve his notebooks. While there, Jack kills a police chief conducting an inquest on the rumors of an invisible man. Kemp, fearful, plays along, but that night, calls Dr. Cranley, then the police. Flora tries to coax Jack into letting her father find a cure, but the arrival of the police set Jack to running again. He promises to kill Kemp at 10:00 tomorrow, as revenge. The police hatch a plan to catch Jack using Kemp as bait, but plan to sneak Kemp out of the police station disguised as a bobby. The plan fails, as the cordon is imperfectly kept. Kemp is dropped off at his house. He then drives away to the mountains, but invisible Jack is in his car. He chokes and ties up Kemp, then pushes him and his car off a cliff. On his way back from that mischief, Jack hides in the hay inside a farmer's barn to get some rest. Early in the morning, the farmer hears the hay snoring. He rushes to tell the police. As they arrive in force, a light snow falls. They light a fire on the barn to smoke out Jack. They can see his footprints in the snow as he rushes to the line of policemen. The chief inspector shoots where Jack's body must be. A body-shaped print appears in the snow. In the hospital, the doctor says there's no hope. Flora goes to have a few last words. Jack laments at meddling in things man shouldn't meddle with, then dies. He becomes visible again, in death. The End.

Why is this movie fun?
Wells' story is great, Sherriff's screenplay does it justice. The special effects hold up reasonably well for their age. The pace is brisk and there is enough action that the screenplay does not devolve into talky scenes.

Cultural Connection
Universal launched another great story franchise (even if not as famous as their Frankenstein or Dracula series) Not only would Universal capitalize on the popularity of invisible people stories, others would create their own. The trope "had legs" enough to spawn remades and television seres, even into the 21st century.

Notes
Based on the Book -- H.G. Wells' novel was published in 1897. Unlike Shelley's Frankenstein, there were no movie versions until Universal produced this film in 1933. They had R.C. Sherriff adapt Wells' story into a screenplay. Hollywood being Hollywood, Sherriff added a lovely lady as love interest. (Wells seldom wrote in romantic "others") He adapted the Kemp character to be a would-be rival. Wells went into much more explanation about how the invisible formula worked, dwelling on indexes of refraction and such. Sherriff's version cited a fictional drug named Monocaine, said to drain all color from objects -- but also cause madness. Well's Griffin went mad with power-lust. Sherriff's version blamed drugs -- a functional enough subtext. All in all, though, Sherriff stayed fairly faithful to the original.

Cautionary Tale -- Like many (if not most) pre-Cold War films, the moral of the story is a cautionary tale on the dangers of science -- chemistry in this case. Kemp tells Flora that Jack was meddling in things man shouldn't meddle with. On his death bed, Jack confesses to Flora, ""I wanted to come back to you. I meddled in things that man must leave alone." Pre-war audiences were both excited by the advances of science, but still had a healthy concern over what might go wrong.

Cold War Prelude -- Wells' original and Sherriff's version make a good prelude to the nuclear problem to come after the war. Mere men, when given an enormous advantage (whether it be invisibility or nuclear bombs) tend to let the power go to their heads. What starts out as a boon for mankind, becomes a means to world domination.

Star Gazing -- Claude Rains stars in what was his big break in movies. This, even though it was primarily his voice that anyone experiences. It was for his voice that James Whale wanted Rains to have the role. Collin Clive (who played Dr. Frankenstein in Whale's 1931 film) was suggested for the role, but Whale preferred Rains' voice. Another notable star is Henry Travers. He plays the kindly Dr. Cranley. Travers played in many films, but his legacy is Clarence the misfit angel in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). From how he plays the role, Cranley could believably be what Clarence was in life. Una O'Conner plays the innkeeper's wife. She was cast as comic relief. Her annoying shriek-screams must have been more amusing in the 30s. To modern ears, they're just annoying. Watch for a brief scene with John Carridine, who would become a mainstay of 50s B-movies. He plays a cockney villager who calls the police with a plan to catch the invisible man by squirting ink around until you hit him with some. Carridine's role is uncredited, which is mostly what he had at that early stage in his career.

Bottom line? TIM is a must-see for movie buffs, even if sci-fi is not their favorite. This film is the ancestor of many and well worth the effort to find it and watch it.
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