Harry Houdini (Quentin Locke), Marguerite Marsh (Eva Brent), Ruth Stonehouse (Zita Dane), Edna Britton (Deluxe Dora), Charles Graham (Herbert Balcom), William Pike (Paul Balcom), Jack Burns (Peter Brent), Floyd Buckley (Dr Q/Brent servant).
Directors: Burton L. King, Harry Grossman. Screenplay: Arthur B. Reeve, Charles Logue. Producers: B.A. Rolfe, Harry Houdini.
Octagon Films, Inc. A 15-chapter serial of 31 reels (chapter one has 3 reels). Copyright 15 December 1918 through 18 February 1919.
SYNOPSIS: A government agent, attempting to get the goods on a phony patents company, takes a job as the manager's secretary.
COMMENT: Continuity in serials is always a bit choppy, but this one is a little worse than most as two complete episodes of the original fifteen are missing. Not only that, but bits and pieces of other episodes have also vanished.
Needless to say, the opening 3-reeler (which is rather slow moving) and the closing chapter (which is almost totally boring) have been preserved in their entirety. We keep waiting for Dr. Q to doff his obvious disguise, but he never does!
Nonetheless, Marguerite Marsh makes a charming heroine and the other players – particularly Ruth Stonehouse, Edna Britton (in her first of only two movies – her second, "A Scream in the Night" was also directed by Burton King from a Charles Logue script) and Charles Graham do their best. And let's not forget the Automaton!
The personable Houdini, the main attraction, performs a dozen fantastic escapes in full view. Kino's tinted DVD rates at least 8/10.
Directors: Burton L. King, Harry Grossman. Screenplay: Arthur B. Reeve, Charles Logue. Producers: B.A. Rolfe, Harry Houdini.
Octagon Films, Inc. A 15-chapter serial of 31 reels (chapter one has 3 reels). Copyright 15 December 1918 through 18 February 1919.
SYNOPSIS: A government agent, attempting to get the goods on a phony patents company, takes a job as the manager's secretary.
COMMENT: Continuity in serials is always a bit choppy, but this one is a little worse than most as two complete episodes of the original fifteen are missing. Not only that, but bits and pieces of other episodes have also vanished.
Needless to say, the opening 3-reeler (which is rather slow moving) and the closing chapter (which is almost totally boring) have been preserved in their entirety. We keep waiting for Dr. Q to doff his obvious disguise, but he never does!
Nonetheless, Marguerite Marsh makes a charming heroine and the other players – particularly Ruth Stonehouse, Edna Britton (in her first of only two movies – her second, "A Scream in the Night" was also directed by Burton King from a Charles Logue script) and Charles Graham do their best. And let's not forget the Automaton!
The personable Houdini, the main attraction, performs a dozen fantastic escapes in full view. Kino's tinted DVD rates at least 8/10.