The Galloping Ghost (1931)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

B. Reeves Eason

Writers:

Helmer Walton Bergman (story) &
Ford Beebe (story) ...

Release Date:

1 September 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Sport

Plot:

A gambling ring run out of the Mogul Taxi company is intent on fixing college football games. Football...

Plot Keywords:

Game | Football | Gambler | Serial | College

Cast

Harold 'Red' Grange	...	'Red' Grange
Dorothy Gulliver	...	Barbara Courtland
Tom Dugan	...	Jerry - Stuttering Cabbie
Gwen Lee	...	Irene Courtland
Ralph Bushman	...	'Buddy' Courtland (as Francis X. Bushman Jr.)
Theodore Lorch	...	The Crippled Stranger
Walter Miller	...	George Elton
Edward Hearn	...	Clay College Coach Harlow
Ernie Adams	...	Brady - Henchman (as Ernie S. Adams)
Tom London	...	Mullins - Henchman
Frank Brownlee	...	Tom - Cab Company Dispatcher
Edward Peil Sr.	...	Coach of Baxter Team (as Edward Peil)
Joe Mack	...	Lefty, Henchman
Stepin Fetchit	...	Baxter College Locker Room Attendant
Dick Dickinson	...	Mogul Taxi Clerk-Bribed Foorball Player Byrns [Chs. 6-7, 9]

Runtime:

USA:226 min (12 chapters)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Disney Film Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Clay College, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mascot Pictures

Trivia:

The character of "Red Grange" is played by the real life Harold "Red" Grange who, more than 75 years later, remains one of the most famous names in the history of football. The title of this serial was taken from Grange's famous nickname, "The Galloping Ghost."

An excellent serial with a real-life star

The Galloping Ghost is actually a very good serial...though a tad on the hackneyed side in terms of plot and plot twists.

Real-life football player Red Grange makes a good if one-minded hero...he has basically one expression and one tone of voice throughout all 12 chapters of the serial.

The cinematography is excellent...no stock footage of any note is used and the stunts are well orchestrated. Well, the first chapter cliffhanger ending with Red falling out of a plane is a bit on the outlandish side...and there are an inordinate number of fist fights...and his acrobatics in practically every chapter make you think Red Grange was a gymnast instead of a footballer...but other than that, this is a pretty decent serial. It lacks the spit and polish of the Republic serials of the genre's heyday, but for using a sports figure as the star, this serial comes off a lot better than most serials of the early 1930's.