Phantom Raiders

Phantom Raiders was the second (the first being 1939 Nick Carter - Master Detective) and the last film directed by Jacques Tourneur about the adventures of a popular detective Nick Carter whose character was created still in the end of the 19th century and who served as a protagonist of several films before this one during the silent era. Here yet again Walter Pigeon plays the main part of invincible detective and is joined once more by his peculiar assistant Bartholomew known as the Bee-man (hilariously played by Donald Meek). They were destined to reunite only once again the same year as Phantom Raiders to film Sky Murder but this time under the direction of George Seitz.

In Phantom Raiders Nick Carter answers the duty call while on vacation and is sent to Panama to investigate the mysterious sinking of several cargo ships near the Panama coast where he is joined by his eccentric assistant Bartholomew who as usually provides sometimes a valuable help and on other occasions creates havoc though always remaining handy. Soon they discover that a nightclub owner Al Taurez is involved, but very soon our heroes discover to their disappointment that he's a bit tougher then appears to be at first sight. A little weaker than its predecessor - Nick Carter-Master Detective, The Phantom Raiders is still a decent viewing experience. 6/10

Conceived in the 19th century by Ormond G. Smith and realized as a literary character by several writers, detective Nick Carter has had a long life in newspaper serials, novels, movies, radio series and comics. From his first appearance in September 1886, Carter has evolved according to the times, and it would not be a surprise for a revival in this century with new adventures and cases to solve. In 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer launched a trilogy with Walter Pidgeon in the role of Carter, composed of "Nick Carter, Master Detective", and the following year by "Phantom Raiders" and "Sky Murder", all three based on original scripts.

«Phantom Raiders» (known in Latin America as "Nick Carter in Panama") has the peculiar distinction (for Panamanians) of being set in the city of Colón, on the Atlantic coast of Panamá, and belonging to a group of films that use the country as exotic location and little else. As in many productions imagined in Los Angeles, the cities below the Rio Grande are rather rural villages, with music combining Spanish cadences, rancheras and Cuban rhythms. The first establishing shots are places on the other ocean (Pacific), giving way to the Colón of Culver City, a Moroccan-looking set with hotels and a club for cheerful sailors and women called La Cita Café, where much of the plot takes place.

That bizarre mishmash seems a hint of what continues, an agile and funny plot of sabotage (although there are countless dead on the road... or at the bottom of the Caribbean sea) which, fortunately, has nothing to do with Asian or Eastern European spies trying to destroy the Panama Canal. No, this time it is a knife-throwing villain from San Francisco, one Al Taurez (Joseph Schildkraut), who sinks ships from his office in Colón, by exploding bombs ingeniously located on the vessels, in order to collect insurance. But his greed betrays him, because, when the third ship is sunk in the course of a fortnight, the insurance company Llewelyn's of London hires Carter to solve the case.

In addition to the traps that Taurez tends, in which Carter falls and escapes from, with the usual elegance of Pidgeon, the plot is dotted with humor and spark, thanks to the interventions of the "bee man" Bartholomew (Donald Meek), Carter's assistant; and from a Mexican prostitute named Dolores Arango (played by Hungarian Steffi Duna), who entangles everything, including her boyfriend (Nat Pendleton), a jealous former boxing champion who wants to finish Carter off. The direction is aptly handled by Jacques Tourneur, the man behind the classics «Cat People», «I Walked with a Zombie», «Out of the Past» and «Night of the Demon», which guarantees a pleasant 70-minute ride. Enjoy.

Phantom Raiders portrays a crime that is all to possible today, blowing up ships set off by electrical devices. However this was 1940, the era of the wisecracking detective and his sidekick neatly wrapping up the mystery in a little over an hour. What sets this film apart from other movies of the same type is its crackling good dialog, an insidious villain,(Joseph Shildkraut),the suave Nick Carter,(a clean shaven Walter Pigeon), his assistant, Mr Bartholomew (beautifully played by Donald Meek), the innocent ingénue(the captivating Florence Rice). Speaking of Florence Rice, she literally lights up the screen when she is on. At the same time vulnerable, adoring. Listen to the way she says "I love him", talking about her boyfriend, it will melt your heart. Highly recommend!

As B-films go, PHANTOM RAIDERS is just a slight cut above a serial cliffhanger, the kind that the poverty row studios churned out in the '30s and '40s. Surprisingly enough, this one comes from MGM and has a certain gloss.

It's fast moving, neatly developed and, except for some unnecessary comic interludes, provides a satisfying look at the pre-WWII era. Nick Carter (Pidgeon) is assigned to find out who is blowing up cargo ships in Panama for insurance money. We learn early on that the culprit is the cruel and cunning Joseph Schildkraut, always one step ahead of the authorities until the very end.

Donald Meek has a rather annoying role as a bee-keeper who happens to be Carter's sidekick. His unlikely role is a departure from his usual "meek" roles but it becomes tedious after some comic interludes in a mystery that tries to blend corny humor with suspense. Thankfully, the good supporting cast includes Florence Rice, John Carroll, Cecil Kellaway and Nat Pendleton.

Not bad, but easily a programmer you can afford to miss. Obviously made before Walter Pidgeon became a big name at Metro via being teamed with Greer Garson in a series of successful films.

The other two entries in the Nick Carter detective series focused on spies or Fifth Columnists; this one is about an evil insurance scam whereby cargo ships, with their crews, are blown up. Llewelyn's of London, the insurer of the ships, hires Carter to investigate. Joseph Schildkraut as the suave but vicious gangster leader behind the bombings easily outshines the rather uninspiring performance of Walter Pidgeon as Nick Carter. The most striking scene in the whole movie is the brief scene showing the crew of the cargo ship amiably chatting with one another moments before their ship is blown up. An incredible scene. As with the other two entries in the series, this one has an excellent supporting cast with Florence Rice, John Carroll, Nat Pendleton, Cecil Kellaway, and Schildkraut. Donald Meek is on hand as Carter's sidekick, the wacky Mr. Bartholomew. It's a matter of taste whether one finds the Bartholomew character annoying or welcome comedic relief. Either way, he certainly is a memorable character. I think this is the best of the Nick Carter movies and certainly worth a watch, but the series itself is not as good or entertaining as many another B detective series.