Drums of Fu Manchu

Atmospheric, exciting, and with a sequential storyline (no!), this serial, IMHO, edges out Flash Gordon (Space Soldiers) and Hawk of the Wilderness as best serial of all time. Some prefer caped comic book heroes, but we have here a coherent plot, a hugely sinister villain (not to mention his dreadful daughter, Fah Lo Suee), and unforgettable cliffhangers, one after another. If you haven't seen this, you don't know what a serial can be.

I still enjoy Zorro's Fighting Legion and Perils of Nyoka more, but the story, acting and international atmosphere( the scene on the China Clipper is straight out of James Bond) make this serial a class A production. The final scene suggests a sequel as does the mystery of whether Fu Manchu's daughter was actually killed. But WW2 changed our racial profiling, shifting from China to Japan. No more Chinese bad guys, but Pearl Buck movies. But, if a Fu Manchu seemed far fetched at the time, 911 changed that. The Islamic world has several.This may actually be an insult to Fu Manch whose determination and sincerity almost arouse our admiration. Or maybe it is Brandon's brilliant acting.

I saw this serial years ago. It was one of the first seen as a child of eight. It was unique. It fits of course, the formula of Republic Pictures Studios and was a welcome change to the many plots seen in those days, so often repeated and used over and over. Many suspenseful moments. We enjoyed going back the next week to the movie matinee. The swinging pendulum was a big part of the suspense as it got closer and closer. I searched for years to buy this for my collection and still don't have it. I was clearly one of the best saturday cliff-hanger serials.

One of the best serials ever made because of superior acting, especially Henry Brandon as Fu Manchu, the atmospheric photography and the script, which is superior than the usual simplistic scripts associated with cliffhangers. Some great special effects, especially the chapter one cliffhanger, as well as the sinister ending to chapter 5, which raises goosebumps. This movie is available on VHS and DVD, and is well worth the time.

"Drums of Fu Manchu" is another of the great serials turned out by Republic Pictures in the early 40s, in the days before the studio started relying on extensive stock footage in order to cut costs. This entry though, has the look of a big budget. It contains the expected superior Republic stuntwork and action sequences. It includes a spectacular train wreck (with no apparent sympathy for those who would have been killed), a giant realistic looking octopus and the swinging pendulum torture device borrowed from Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum". The story involves the diabolical Fu Manchu's (Henry Brandon) efforts to secure the long lost scepter of Genghis Khan with which he hopes to gain control of various Himalayan tribes which in turn will lead him to eventual world domination. Opposing him are his long time nemesis Sir Nayland Smith (William Royle) and his young partner Allen Parker (Robert Kellard).

Fu Manchu is aided by his sinister daughter Fah Lo Suee (Gloria Franklin) and a band of "Dacoits", who are lobotomized zombie like creatures (complete with fangs) that obey Fu Manchu's orders without question. Over the course of 15 action packed chapters, Fu Manchu and Sir Nayland and Allen follow the clues to the location of the scepter from America to the Chinese mainland. Each foil the other's attempts to find the scepter at every turn. Finally, the scepter is found and Fu Manchu and his adversaries try to outsmart each other amid several exciting chapter ending cliff hangers until justice is finally served in Chapter 15.

Henry Brandon's career dated back to the Laurel and Hardy 1934 comedy "March of the Wooden Soldiers (as Henry Kleinbach). He makes a perfect Fu Manchu. He was a tall and imposing figure and with the aid of oriental makeup, was a truly menacing figure. Although a sequel was planned to this serial, it was shelved when the U.S.A. entered WWII. Brandon enjoyed a long and varied career playing mostly villains until the late 80s. He is perhaps best remembered for his role as the Indian chief "Scar" in John Ford's "The Searchers" (1956).

Robert Kellard was along to handle the action as Sir Nayland Smith was a middle aged character, The fact that Kellard resembled Republic's ace stuntman David Sharpe was no coincidence either. Sharpe visibly doubled Kellard in the action scenes. Also in the cast are George Cleveland as Parker's father, John Merton (barely recognizable as a fang-toothed Dacoit) and Dwight Frye (underutilized again) as a museum director.

An excellent serial. Too bad they never got to make the sequel.