The Masked Marvel (1943)

A superhero called The Masked Marvel battles Japanese saboteurs intent on blowing up America.

Director:

Spencer Gordon Bennet

Writers:

Royal K. Cole (original screenplay), Ronald Davidson (original screenplay),

Stars:

William Forrest, Louise Currie, Johnny Arthur

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Forrest	...	Martin Crane
Louise Currie	...	Alice Hamilton
Johnny Arthur	...	Mura Sakima
Rod Bacon	...	Jim Arnold
Richard Clarke	...	Frank Jeffers
Anthony Warde	...	'Killer' Mace
David Bacon	...	Bob Barton
Bill Healy	...	Terry Morton
Howard C. Hickman	...	Warren Hamilton (as Howard Hickman)
Kenneth Harlan	...	Gas Works Policeman [Ch. 1] / Police Car 7 Driver [Ch. 3]
Thomas Louden	...	Matthews - the Butler
Eddie Parker	...	Meggs
Duke Green	...	Carl - Delivery-Truck Thug [Ch. 1] / Spike - Gas works saboteur [Ch. 1] / Kaler - Roof-top thug [Ch. 8]
Dale Van Sickel	...	Tall Gas-Works Saboteur [Ch. 1] / Station-Wagon Thug [Ch. 3] / Super-X Warehouse Thug #1 [Ch. 8]
Wendell Niles	...	Newscaster [Ch. 1]

Storyline

Warrwen Hamilton and Martin Crane, chief executives if the World-Wide Insurance Company, enlist the aid of the Masked Marvel to find Mura Sakima, a former Japanese envoy, whom they suspect of being responsible for extensive sabotage of war industries. But CRane is secretly in league with Sakima, and they arrange for Hamilton's murder. The murdered man's daughter, Alice, joins the Masked Marvel and his three aides in a campaign to expose and apprehend Sakima. The Masked Marvel is one of four men - Bob Barton, Frank Jeffers, Terry Morton and Jim Arnold; he hides his identity beneath a black mask and only Alice knows he is one of the four investigators.

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Plot Keywords:

japanese | sabotage | murder | insurance company | black mask | 

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Taglines:

WHI IS THIS FEARLESS MAN WHO RISKS HIS LIFE AT EVERY TURN TO THWART JAP ATTEMPTS AT SABOTAGE? (original poster-all caps)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 November 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sakima and the Masked Marvel

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

197 min 197 min (12 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally a title card showing Tom Steele in costume proclaiming that "The Masked Marvel" was the star of the serial was planned for the beginning of each chapter. When that was eliminated, William Forrest became the official star.

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Goofs

Near the end of the first chapter, the Masked Marvel falls off a large fuel storage tank onto a canvas-top truck parked on the ground below. The stunt is "performed" by a dummy, whose hand catches on a bracing girder along the side of the tank, ripping its entire arm out of its coat sleeve.

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Connections

Edited into Sakima and the Masked Marvel (1966)

User Reviews

Holy Unrealistic?

Perplexing? It is never revealed how the Masked Marvel acquired his aura.

He doesn't possess magical powers, super brains, or any particular crime fighting skills. He does sport a mask. But what for? What's he trying to hide? He's truly not much, if all, different from the other three good guys.

One thing is clear. Men's hats must have been surgically attached. No amount of fighting, falling, leaping out of cars or boats, can dislodge the hats.

It appeared all of the serials many pugilists were in tremendous physical condition. How many blows to the chin, back flips, kicks, hurling into walls could you take? They are simply indefatigible.

The Masked Marvel serial makes Steven Segal foes seem like pre-schoolers.