Above: Don Terry defends himself against a "pirate ghost" in this striking scene from THE SECRET OF TREASURE ISLAND (Columbia, 1938).

THE SECRET OF TREASURE ISLAND

Columbia, 15 Chapters, 1938. Starring Don Terry, Gwen Gaze, Grant Withers, Walter Miller, George Rosener, Hobart Bosworth, Joe Caits, Patrick J. Kelly, William Farnum, Sandra Karina.

1938 was a great year for serials. Republic's directors, Witney and English, had hit their stride and were turning out classics like FIGHTING DEVIL DOGS, DICK TRACY RETURNS, THE LONE RANGER, and HAWK OF THE WILDERNESS. Universal was flying high with FLASH GORDON’S TRIP TO MARS and FLAMING FRONTIERS. And Columbia Pictures, abandoning the awkward, talky format of their first two cliffhangers, went full steam ahead for their third serial and first bona fide actionfest, THE SECRET OF TREASURE ISLAND. The serial is just chock-full of good things--energetic performances, bizarre props, unique locations, queer characters, and explosive action. The writers' idea seems to have been to "throw in everything but the kitchen sink", and the no-holds-barred entertainment never lets up for a minute.

The serial begins in that long-ago age when "pirates ruled the sea." The Black Pirate (Harry Cording) is in the process of hiding his treasure on a small island off the coast of Mexico. His men dislike the idea of going ashore, and they prove to be right when a volcano on the isle erupts, sending them off in a hurry. Hundreds of years later, in 1938, the island is now the private property of one Carter Collins (Walter Miller). As we soon learn, Collins has one overpowering goal in life: discovering the treasure of the Black Pirate. He is so crazed with greed that he shanghais men from the mainland and forces them to dig tunnels under the island in search of the buried doubloons. Other inhabitants of the island include Dr. X (Hobart Bosworth), Collins' personal physician; X's nurse Zanya (Sandra Karina); the Professor (Patrick J. Kelly), who reluctantly provides Collins with the deadly devices that guard Treasure Island; Dreer (Yakima Canutt), chief of the shanghaied miners or "Mole Men"; Hawkins (Colin Campbell), Collins' timid butler; and Captain Cuttle, a salty and apparently loony old seadog who has lived on the island longer than anyone else. All of these people (except Cuttle, who takes everything in his own quirky stride) live in terror of Collins, and with good reason. The madman's ruthlessness is quickly demonstrated when he orders new arrival Thorndyke (William Royle) sent to the dungeons for attempting to "spy" on him. Thorndyke works as a reporter for a big California newspaper, however, and editor Westmore (William Farnum) sends star newshound Larry Kent (Don Terry) to Treasure Island to investigate Thorndyke's disappearance. In the meanwhile, Collins' vicious thug Gridley (Grant Withers) has tracked down the other half of a torn treasure map that Collins has held for years. It's in the possession of a Captain Tom Faxton (Warner Richmond), who meets his death when Gridley attacks him in an attempt to steal the map. Gridley doesn't find the map, however, and before Faxton dies, he entrusts the precious paper to postal worker Toni Morrell (Gwen Gaze). Faxton has been a sort of father to Toni, who has never known her real father, and the dying captain tells her to seek clues to the man's identity on Treasure Island. Toni embarks for the island at the same time Larry does, and the two of them come together when Kent rescues the girl from Gridley, who tries to make her hand over the map on board the ship. Reaching Treasure Island, our hero and heroine have to do their best to keep the map out of Collins' greedy clutches while trying to find Thorndyke and Toni's father. As if Collins, Gridley, and Collins' pirate henchmen weren't enough trouble, the ghost of the Black Pirate is ranging the island as well, threatening doom to anyone who disturbs his treasure. In addition, Dr. X and Gridley start out after the treasure on their own, while the Professor lends covert and mysterious aid to Larry and Toni. And just what is Captain Cuttle up to, as he stumps around the island singing ditties that invariably finish with the following refrain:

"And he didn't wake up,
He didn't wake up,
'Cause his throat was cut in the mooooorning!"

Though SECRET OF TREASURE ISLAND can get pretty confusing at times, it makes as much sense as any serial if you actually pay attention to what's going on. It's by no means the confused mish-mash of sloppily constructed junk that certain revisionists and debunkers (posing as serial fans) have tried to make it out in recent years. Most of these "critics" seem not to have even seen the serial, when you compare their comments with what actually takes place on screen. To those who can "just enjoy" serials in general it's a terrific thrill ride in all departments. George Merrick, L. Ron Hubbard, director Elmer Clifton, and George Rosener (who also plays Captain Cuttle) concocted the screenplay, and they do a good job keeping within the serial format while supplying the audience with loads and loads of unexpected developments and unusual situations. Stuntman Yakima Canutt does a great job doubling Terry and superintending the action scenes, which are as good as anything as Republic ever turned out. One of the later chapters features the best serial car chase I've ever seen, while another has a terrific rooftop fistfight involving Terry, Withers, and Ted Adams. The first clash of Terry and Withers aboard ship is also furniture-smashing and spectacular, and the sword fight between Terry and the "ghost" and the hero's later final confrontation with Walter Miller are as unexpected as they are inventive. The writers and director also don't stint on suspense, with many nail-biting situations coming in the middle of chapters rather than waiting to appear at the end. Several chapter endings are of the "startling situation" type rather than the "immediate peril" variety, but there are enough genuine cliffhangers to make anyone happy: Don Terry plummeting into a volcano, heroine Gwen Gaze being forced to walk the plank, and Terry trapped in a flooding dungeon, to name a few.

The leading players give the script all they've got in the way of energy and talent. Don Terry is a two-fisted, dynamic, and dedicated hero with an infectious grin and convincingly tough attitude. You get the impression his reporter character is a born daredevil, and is enjoying every minute of his adventure despite the trying circumstances. Pretty, classy Gwen Gaze is very likable and believable as the heroine, understandably screaming loud enough to rival Fay Wray when threatened with danger but also quite helpful to Terry when she has to be. You really feel for her and worry about her throughout her numerous vicissitudes.

Veteran Walter Miller is great as the deadly Carter Collins, aka the Shark. His character swings back and forth between demented cunning and downright chuckling insanity through most of the serial; he goes entirely batty when he finally discovers the long-sought treasure. Miller manages to be menacing rather than just over-the-top in this tailor-made role, and his death is one of the most grimly appropriate ends met by a serial villain.

Grant Withers matches both Terry and Miller as the ruthless and vicious Gridley. Like most serial bad guys, Gridley never hesitates to threaten brutal violence, but unlike many, he's always quick to carry it out. TREASURE ISLAND was made when this great character actor had just switched from playing heroes to playing heavies, and his earlier heroic vigor coupled with his later murderous nastiness makes Gridley a very formidable figure.

George Rosener, despite the strong team of stars, all but steals the serial as the loony Captain Cuttle, who just might not be as crazy as he pretends. Whether singing his hilarious little ditties about a mysterious Captain who had his throat cut in the morning, or giving "dirty looks and silly replies" to the queries of the other cast members, Cuttle is one of the most off-the-wall characters to be found in a cliffhanger. Rosener wrote himself a plum part, but as an actor he's more than capable of making it memorable.

Elderly Hobart Bosworth, a respectable old thespian going back to the silent era, is a bit bland compared to his co-stars but does a solid job as Dr. X., who starts out as an innocent victim of Collins but develops into a thorough rotter himself. The accented and frozen-faced Sandra Karina, as his accomplice Zanya, is only fair, but her role doesn't call for much performing anyway. Patrick J. Kelly, though given limited screen time, is perfect as the Professor, seeming enigmatic, menacing, comical, and affable by turns. Joe Caits is quite funny as the gabby Salt Water Jerry, a well-meaning but none-too-bright sailor who assists the good guys, and Colin Campbell is marvelously pathetic as the harried butler Hawkins.

Future serial star Dave O'Brien (Canutt's "teammate" in most of the stunt fights) is very self-assured in his small role of a police detective, and Canutt himself plays Dreer, the bitter leader of the "Mole Men." Warner Richmond, usually a sneering villain, is sympathetic and even heroic as the ill-fated Captain Tom Faxton. William Farnum is his usual fatherly and dignified self as Terry's editor, William Royle appears briefly as the luckless Thorndyke, Edward Cassidy plays a liner captain, and Harry Harvey, Reed Howes, and Ted Adams all pop up as Withers' henchmen in some of the later chapters. And Frank Lackteen is (surprise!) a good guy--a Mexican bartender who aids Terry and Gaze.

Yes, SECRET OF TREASURE ISLAND is a real treasure, and remains an example of the cliffhanger at its inventive, unpredictable, and exciting best.