Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island

Movie serials were traditionally 12 or 15 chapters, depending on the production schedule. Republic, Columbia and Universal all supplied their distributors with four serials a year. Republic usually stuck to the 12 chapter format, releasing their summer season serial in 15 chapters. That's so the theaters could start running the first chapter in late May, right before school ended, and wrapping it up by the first week of September. Columbia maintained a 15 chapter serial schedule throughout its career. Universal produced 13 chapter serials. Robinson Crusoe on Clipper Island was the first and only 14 chapter serial in movie history. It came about before the serial was completely finished. The film was shot on Santa Cruz Island, near Santa Barbara. The producers discovered they had gone over budget and to keep the rental cost at $12-15 per chapter, they wrote two additional chapters using footage that had already been used and writing two new "takeouts" or end of the chapter perils. The writer assigned to do this as his first task at Republic was Barry Shipman, who would later write many of the Republic serials and also write the Durango Kid series.

Secret Agent Mala is sent to Clipper Island to investigate the goings on on Clipper Island where some unknown group is trying to prevent a dirigible transport company from setting up a refueling station.

One of the first Republic serials is an odd mix of the new Republic studio and the old Mascot, hence the animal co-stars) is a footnote in serial history as the only 14 chapter sound serial. To be honest this would be a really great serial except that Republic's decision to have non actor Mala as the lead pretty much sinks the show. Its not so much that he's bad, rather he clearly is in over his head speaking stiltedly and acting stiffly. The casting of Mala is the difference between an okay serial and a very good one. If you can forgive a poor lead this is worth a shot.

Watched by George Lucas as a kid, these serials - including Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were the inspiration for Star Wars. Typically swash-buckling, with cliffhangers at the end of each episode, there was little room for character development, it was all about action and suspense.

The episode with the jump off the gangplank was surely the inspiration for the Sarlaac Pit scene in Return of the Jedi?

I also watched them as a kid in the 1980's when they were re-shown on British TV.

Well worth watching, like all these old serials. This is where it all began.