In this Chadwick Pictures comedic melodrama, George Walsh, younger brother of director Raoul, plays "Blaze" Derringer, who has been expelled from college and has consented to his father's offer that he will not return to their Texas ranch estate until he has earned $5000 on his own, to which his father would then add two ciphers. The athletic Walsh performs his own stunts as he gains respect from those about him during a series of adventures, picks up a sidekick played by Tom Wilson (in blackface) while riding a freight car, in flight after unexpectedly scoring a knockout in a prize fight where he was installed as a ringer. During all of this desperate activity, Blaze has rescued the crown princess of the island nation of Bargonia, played by Wanda Hawley, from the hands of the law during a police raid of a cabaret speakeasy, and the two naturally fall in love. Since the princess is voyaging back to Bargonia to become its queen, Blaze must follow her if their love is to be shared, and he and his right-hand man continue with their travails there, linking with the rather odd saxophone playing American consul (Dan Mason) and confronting the villainous prime minister, Count Verensky, played by Frank Leigh, whose lust is balanced for the princess and the crown. This combination of romantic adventure and costume farce than proceeds, as it should, to a conclusion which will be satisfactory to most. The rugged Walsh, who later enjoyed a successful career as a radio and television pitchman, is very effective in this work as his pleasant poker face is suitable for the at times frenetic activity, and he comments humorously with a minimum of expressivity about events occurring about him. Although Hawley's career died along with silent cinema, she was for a time the most popular film actress and the very petite, baby-faced blonde is a good match for the virile Walsh in this well-produced affair. Ralph Spence claims the quick-moving screenplay, and has, as well, a primary responsibility for the often witty titles, while including a cinematically rare reference to Washington's Farewell Address ("Beware of foreign entanglements"). Director Richard Stanton, in this his final film, gives a workmanlike effort and his reputation for success with extras and crowd scenes stands solidly as all are obviously having a grand, but relative, time. Rosa Rio performs the original score on the Wurlitzer, and adds many a witty grace note to bring a smile. The island nation of Bargonia is cast well by a vision of Santa Catalina Island, just off the Southern California coast. The sequences are edited crisply, also by Ralph Spence, providing just the right pacing for this goofily enjoyable and pleasantly patriotic motion picture.
