Red Barry

The cast is excellent! Buster Crabbe is a pleasure to watch, and he's easy to root for. Same goes for the beautiful Frances Robinson, who adds a nice humorous touch at times. She somehow looks a little different here than she does in Tim Tyler's Luck, the 1937 serial one year earlier than this one. I think she looks even better here. Wade Boteler as Inspector Scott, Buster's boss, is clearly enjoying his role, and you will too. Lots of other good performances.

Also, lots of plot complications, as we have three different groups fighting for possession of the $2 million in bearer bonds (a huge fortune in 1937, of course!). And that doesn't include the intrepid Red Barry, who is the personification of doggedness.

The big drawback to this story, is that the bonds bounce from group to group like a crazed ping-pong ball, and that gets to feeling tiresome, especially by about episode 8 or 9 of the 13. I realized that these serial plots work better when the treasure, or the secret formula, etc., doesn't get found until the final episode. Here the desired object literally changes hands multiple times in just about every episode! There is a big plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all; that was nicely done. Also, great old 1930's cars! And nice scenes on the Universal back lot. Some filler scenes in a vaudeville theater show some of the greatest juggling you will ever see!

You would think Universal/Filmcraft with their top Serial Star Larry 'Buster' Crabbe would be a worth while watch, wrong. Based on the RED BARRY comic strip by William Gould I would expect a strong plot and two-fisted action, that does not occur in this Serial.

Two/2 Million Dollar$ from China too buy War-Planes is the MacGuffin. Four/4 parties compete for it and like a game of musical chairs it rotates between the four/4. Not much of a plot device and this Serial is almost as boring as HOLT OF THE SECRET SERVICE (1941) Columbia Pictures. Except 'Buster' Crabbe is far more engaging then Jack Holt and Evelyn Brent. Fortunately it runs only 13 Chapters rather then the 15 of H.O.T.S.S.

For those with a Historical bent, China's motivation for the War-Planes is too help repulse a invader. Though they are not mentioned it is obviously Imperial Japan. The second Sino-Japanese War having started in 1937 and in Chapter one/1 background news-reel footage clearly shows who the aggressor was. It is worth one/1 watch, but solely if you are a Serial fan.