Lost City of the Jungle

I will no doubt get slammed for writing this because there is still a dedicated group of fans who just love these old movie serials. I'm aghast that these things back in the day passed for entertainment. Lost City In The Jungle is a perfect example.

This serial was made at a moment in time when at the end of World War II and before the Cold War really went into deep freeze it was thought that the United Nations could develop into a world government with a chance for world peace. The good guys in this film are the United Peace Foundation and while they have no troops they do have agent/operatives like Russell Hayden dedicated to tracking down those who would bring about war for their own profit.

One of those is Lionel Atwill who faked his own death and is now in the remote country of Pendrang somewhere in the Himalayas. Under an alias he's financing archaeologist John Eldredge's expedition to uncover a lost city. What Atwill looking for is something called Meteorium, a radioactive substance from which he can construct a defense against the atomic bomb. He gets and develops his counter weapon any country he does business with will rule the world. I've got to say the man dreams big.

But not if Hayden and the United Peace Foundation have anything to say about it. The Foundation has a man on the ground in Keye Luke in Pendrang's capital of Zalabar. The capital has an unofficial ruler in Helen Bennett who runs a the gambling action and even controls the local law enforcement. Imagine if the folks in Shangri-La had brought in casino gambling and this is what you have. What I couldn't figure out is that if Pendrang is as remote as the serial makes it out to be, just where does the fresh money come in which is necessary for casinos to survive?

That was one of many things that had me puzzled throughout all 13 chapters of Lost City Of The Jungle. Of course the good guys win they always do.

I felt sorry for Lionel Atwill though. Dying of cancer and having problems getting roles after the sex party scandal in his home came to light, it's a shame that this was what he had to go out on. Not as bad as his colleague Errol Flynn whom he supported in Captain Blood with Cuban Rebel Girl, but not worthy of his talents.

Serials themselves are thank God, a lost art form, Lost City Of The Jungle is no better or worse than others that I've seen.

This is your typical cliffhanger adventure serial of the time. Sneering bad guys, daring heroes, exotic locations, and a fun over-the-top plot.

This was the pulpy fiction of men's magazines brought to life (with much less sex and violence, considering the censors). And while it lasts, it's a fun watch.

There are a couple things that make this one notable, though.

One is the casting of Charlie Chan's Number One Son and Asian American acting pioneer Key Luke as one of the good guys working undercover in a hotel. As usual, he gives a good performance and it's just nice to see him acting, especially in a time where most non-white faces were just background characters. Here Luke plays a role and is involved in the plot, not just a servant or something similar.

The second is that this production had to overcome the sudden death of Lionel Atwill, one of its named stars, during production.

Some clever editing and reshoots were done, lessening Atwill's role, installing his character's secretary as main villain, and using stock footage and disguises to finish the story. It is an inventive way to overcome the death of one of your main actors, but the seems do show occasionally, and it also shows how callous studios were at the time.

The film also makes use of stock footage a lot to overcome budget limitations, but it's edited into everything well enough that you'll only notice if you look for it.

As a science fiction adventure writer who loves pulp novels and writes them himself, this is a grand bit of research into an era of silly cinema that we just don't really get anymore.

Well worth a watch if you find a decent copy!

I have a peculiar fondness for bad movies of this era. This is less credible than "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe." Lionel Atwill is a lesser villain than Charles Middleton's "Ming of Mongo." Still audiences thrilled to Himalayan avalanches and other exotic locales. If you want authentic high adventure, this is not for you. If you want to be a pre-teen waiting for "Destry Rides Again" to come on the screen while you're wolfing down a 10¢ box of popcorn, you'll love it. Hokeyness personified.