The Shadow of the Eagle

Unless you consider Gene Autry a major mainstream film star, I can't think of another major star besides John Wayne who did movie serials. The Duke did three of them and back then I'm sure he was grateful for the work. The first of them was The Shadow of the Eagle.

Wayne is a stunt flier for a carnival owned by former World War I ace Edward Hearn and daughter Dorothy Gulliver. Back in the war he was shot down and presumed killed. His fellow squadron members where Hearn was known as the Eagle, took the plans for something called an Aero Stabilizer and are building a factory, wouldn't you know it across the street.

But one of these dudes is looking to cut the others out and starts sending threatening messages to the others with sky writing of all things in the name of the Eagle. Talk about telegraphing your punches.

In the manner of serials, Wayne, the daughter, the Eagle, all get in trouble and rescued over and over until the real culprit and the gimmick with the sky writing is unmasked.

I'm told by the way the technology the bad guy uses for his sky writing is certainly available now, but wasn't quite perfected in 1932. What was it, that you have to sit through the serial to find out.

Serials were so frighteningly dumb back in the day. John Wayne must have shuddered if you ever mentioned this one at least.

John Wayne in one of his early credited roles - Craig McCoy, a fancy flier. Dorothy Gulliver is "Jean", and her family is losing the circus if they don't come up with some cash fast. Wayne is the "Ace" who is determined to stop the "bad guys" from using and producing "the invention" stolen from the original "Eagle". Lots of unknowns here. It also seems to be a film made from a twelve episode series. The picture and sound quality are pretty rough. Much use of trick photography effects, to make it look like the plane was lighting the circus tents on fire, and even during the sky-writing itself. Skip this one. Stapled together from a serial series. Written and directed by Ford Beebe. Meh..... goes for 3 hours.

While this is not John Wayne's finest movie, or even his finest serial, for fans of the cliffhanger it delivers plenty of action and pretty good acting.

The main point of this review is to caution you about differences in the two DVD releases, both essentially from the same starting print. Decisions taken by the two different DVD production companies make all the difference in whether you enjoy this film or feel cheated. The two companies are Marengo Films and Platinum Disc.

I first purchased the Marengo print and was so wholly unsatisfied with the editing and production that I went looking for another. I finally found it from a company named Platinum Discs.

The Marengo release chops 5 seconds off the end of the film, leaving out completely John Wayne's closing scene. Also, the text that Marengo substituted for the studio's "The End" text is huge, blocky and computer generated. In short, Marengo has butchered the film for the sake of reducing the total number of VOBs needed to hold the DVD film image.

The Platinum Disc release is the entire original film, not a single frame, more or less. My only disappointment with this version is they appear to have made no effort to clean up dust and scratches.

The irony is that the Marengo print does have slightly more detail and better scratch and dust cleanup, however not enough, IMHO, to compensate for altering the original edit.

Review written May 22, 2011 based on latest available releases from Marengo and Platinum.

The Shadow of the Eagle (1932) is a movie/series that I watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a group of carnival employees who keep seeing messages in the skyline left in smoke by an airplane warning of misdeeds by the Eagle. When the owner of the carnival goes missing the carnival employees believe it is a much bigger act against them and their show. They will work together to discover who kidnapped their boss and who is behind the messages.

This movie/series is directed by Ford Beebe (The Invisible Man's Revenge) and stars John Wayne (True Grit), Dorothy Gulliver (The Galloping Ghost), Walter Miller (The Last of the Mohicans) and Kenneth Harlan (Danger Island).

This movie is recorded in a classic television series with many who done it elements. I adored the carnival setting and the characters were unique and a lot of fun, especially the midget. The dialogue was very good, and the little person's voice and one liners had me cracking up. The flight scenes are also creative and well done. The sped-up scenes are fun too as are the fight sequences and the car fight ending.

Overall, this is very dated but fun movie to watch unfold with unique characters, settings and circumstances. I would score this a 7/10 and strongly recommend watching it once.

Well what d'ya know? Just stumbled across this little caper which brings back happy memories of a childhood long long departed. The year was 1950 and I recall SHADOW OF THE EAGLE, the first time I ever clapped eyes on a very young up and coming John Wayne. (He had fully upped and comed by 1950!) Interestingly, this action-fest was considered somewhat of a "relic" even then!

Shown as a weekly 20 minute serial at our local Saturday Morning Flicks...itself, the major regular event in our home town, I recall Wayne as square-jawed pilot Craig McCoy out to discover the truth behind the disappearance of a fairground owner whose livelihood had been threatened by the nefarious "Eagle." Each episode left a young boy barely able to wait for the following Saturday to catch Craig's latest revelations and discoveries in the dastardly plot. Actually, I can't ever recall the concluding episode.....maybe I had a sleepover the previous night? Maybe I'd finally cracked a date in her pedal-car with the five year old blonde tease next door, in which case poor old Duke was never a chance!