Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)

Directors:

Ford Beebe
Robert F. Hill

Writers:

Ray Trampe (original story and screenplay) &
Norman S. Hall (original story and screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 March 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

15 STARTLING CHAPTERS OF FURTHER ADVENTURES ON A NEW PLANET! (original-release posters)

Plot:

When a deadly ray strikes Earth, Flash and his friends return to space to battle Ming the Merciless and his ally the queen of Mars.

Plot Keywords:

Queen | Good Versus Evil | Curse | Atonement | Punctuation In Title

Cast

Buster Crabbe	...	Flash Gordon
Jean Rogers	...	Dale Arden
Charles Middleton	...	Emperor Ming
Frank Shannon	...	Dr. Zarkov
Beatrice Roberts	...	Queen Azura
Donald Kerr	...	Happy Hapgood
Richard Alexander	...	Prince Barin [Chs. 6-15]
C. Montague Shaw	...	Clay King (as Montague Shaw)
Wheeler Oakman	...	Tarnak
Kenne Duncan	...	Airdrome captain (as Kenneth Duncan)
Warner Richmond	...	Zandar
Jack Mulhall	...	Bomber captain [Chs. 4-5, 13]
Lane Chandler	...	Flight commander [Chs. 2-3]
Anthony Warde	...	King Turan of the Forest People [Chs. 7, 11, 13]
Ben Lewis	...	Professor [Ch. 1]

Also Known As:

Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

(15 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

King Features Production

Trivia:

King Features Syndicate released the 3 Flash Gordon serials as well as "Buck Rogers," Red Barry", "Ace Drummond" and other comic strip cliffhangers to US TV in 1951. Because the television show "Flash Gordon" (1954), starring Steve Holland as Flash, was in syndication in late 1953, the three Universal Pictures Flash Gordon theatrical serials were retitled for TV broadcast. Flash Gordon (1936/I) became "Space Soldiers", Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938) became "Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars", and Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) became "Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe". To this day both the 3 original "Flash Gordon" serial titles and the 3 "Space Soldiers" titles are used.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Chapter One, after Queen Azura vanishes from the throne, she gets hailed by her subjects in the workroom before reappearing in their midst. While she was still out of sight, the subjects greeted and bowed to her. They had no way of knowing the Queen was about to arrive.

Quotes:

Emperor Ming: Take him to the Disintegrating Room.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Empire of Dreams: The Story of the 'Star Wars' Trilogy (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Romeo and Juliet Overture

A Very Good Sequel

This is the sequel to the 1936 Flash Gordon serial. Flash and company go from the planet Mongo to the planet Mars. The same cast return with the addition of Frank Shannon as comic relief. Beatrice Roberts plays Queen Azura, "Queen Of Magic". I personally missed seeing Priscilla Lawson as Princess Aura. Charles Middleton is and always will be "Ming The Merciless" This serial is also Jean Rogers last portrayal of Dale Arden. This is a fun serial to watch. 15 thrilling episodes with clay people, forest people, Flash, Dale, Dr. Zarkof and, i do so love her, Beatrice Roberts. Well, girls and boys, buckle up have you're popcorn at the ready and enjoy. John R. Tracy.