Commentaire par JohnHowardReid

This 52-minute cut-down of a 15-chapter serial of 31 reels entitled "The Lost City", really is a primitive production. True, a fair bit of money has been spent on sets and extras—$1 million, according to movie publicity (we don't believe it!)—but the script is as childish as they come and the acting, with the one exception of Hector Dion's smilingly courteous villain, incredibly hammy. The worst offender is undoubtedly Juanita Hansen whose frizzy hairstyle and eye-popping dramatics have to be seen to be believed. Following her close in the ham acting stakes is our good friend, George Chesebro, playing the hero here for a nice change, and playing him most ineptly. Mind you, he isn't helped by the make-up he's forced to wear: a ghost white face with blackened eyes yet!

Mr Martin's idea of direction is simply to plonk the camera down somewhere and let the players act in front of it. The effect is like an old-fashioned stage tableau. The photographer has done his occasional best to put a bit of life into the proceedings by posing the actors in a few scenes against a stark black background. This is certainly more effective than the cheesy sets usually employed throughout.

As might be expected of a cut-down, continuity is somewhat haphazard, even though the titles make wan attempts to disguise the many awkward transitions. Occasional print damage doesn't help.