Raiders of Ghost City (1944)

During the latter stages of the Civil War, a gang of supposed Confederates, headed by Alex Morel (Lionel Atwill), raid all gold shipments destined for Washington from Oro Grande, California... See full summary »

Directors:

Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor

Writers:

Luci Ward (original screenplay), Morgan Cox (original screenplay)

Stars:

Dennis Moore, Wanda McKay, Lionel Atwill

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Moore	...	Capt. Steve Clark
Wanda McKay	...	Cathy Haines
Lionel Atwill	...	Erich von Rugen, alias Alex Morel
Joe Sawyer	...	Idaho Jones
Regis Toomey	...	Capt. Clay Randolph [Chs. 1-6]
Virginia Christine	...	Countess Elsa von Merck, alias Trina Dressard
Eddy Waller	...	Doc Blair (as Eddy C. Waller)
Emmett Vogan	...	Count Manfried von Rinkton, alias Carl Lawton [Chs. 6-7]
Addison Richards	...	Col. Sewell
Charles Wagenheim	...	Hugo Metzger, alias Abel Rackerby [Chs. 8-9]
Jack Ingram	...	Braddock - Confederate Outlaw
Edmund Cobb	...	Henchman Rawhide
Jack Rockwell	...	Bart - Raider
Ernie Adams	...	Hans Plattner, alias Bill Jasper
George Eldredge	...	Henry / Hank, Saloon Owner

Storyline

During the latter stages of the Civil War, a gang of supposed Confederates, headed by Alex Morel (Lionel Atwill), raid all gold shipments destined for Washington from Oro Grande, California. In the first chapter, "Murder By Accident", Captain Steve Clark (Dennis Moore), is recognized as a Union Secret Service agent by Morel's accomplice Trina Dessard (Virginia Christine), and, with his friend Idaho Jones (Joe Sawyer), is ambushed in the baggage car and sent to almost certain death when the car is un-coupled and plunges down the mountainside. Leaping to safety, in order to be around for the next 12 chapters, Idaho and Steve report to Colonel Sewell (Addison Richards) in Oro Grande, and Idaho introduces himself as a Wells Fargo detective to Cathy Haines (Wanda McKay), the Oro Grande company agent. Steve and Idaho learn that the Morel raiders are only posing as Confederates, and their headquarters are at Morel's "Golden Eagle" saloon. In a raid on the hideout, Steve's brother Jim (Gene ...

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Plot Keywords:

idaho | confederate | spy | captain | prussian | 

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Taglines:

13 CHAPTERS OF GUN-BLAZING THRILLS! (original posters - all caps)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | History | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les pillards de la ville fantôme

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

225 min 225 min (13 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Chapter Titles: 1. Murder by Accident (PCA No. 10141) 2. Flaming Treachery (PCA No.10142) 3. Death Rides Double (PCA No.10143) 4. Ghost City Terror (PCA No.10144) 5. The Fatal Lariat (PCA No.10145) 6. Water Rising (PCA No.10146) 7. Bullet Avalanche (PCA No.10147) 8. Death Laughs Last (PCA No.10148) 9. Cold Steel (PCA No.10149) 10.Showdown (PCA No.10150) 11.The Trail to Torture (PCA No.10151) 12.Calling All Buckboards (PCA No.10152) 13.Golden Vengeance (PCA No.10153)

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Quotes

[posing as Charles Mason, Captain Clark escapes an attempt on his life]
Countess Elsa von Merck, alias Trina Dressard: Mr. Mason, I just wanted you to tell you how glad I am that you're safe.
Captain Steve Clark: Why, thank you, Ms. Dessard. I feel pretty good about it myself.

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Connections

Edited from Road Agent (1941)

User Reviews

"It's Much Bigger Than North Versus South"

This film could only be made in 1944 when we learned coincidentally enough when we were fighting Nazi Germany of a secret Prussian plan to steal American gold and then use it as a down payment to pay for Alaska from Russia and gain a foothold in North America. We were assured that at the very end of this serial because it was only through the work done by the secret agents involved here that we even learned Russia was looking to peddle Alaska that the facts never reached the history books. But now we've opened the archives and this serial tells us what dastardly folks the Germans were back when there wasn't even a united Germany.

I have to give credit to the folks at Universal for imagination if nothing else for this fanciful tale. I'm somewhat amazed that this scheme was starting to jell in 1865, you'd think they'd have put the plan in motion during say 1862 when it was still unclear whether we would have two countries. And never mind the firm support that Prussia did give the Union cause diplomatically which is in the history books.

No less than Abraham Lincoln himself assigns Dennis Moore to go west like Errol Flynn did in Virginia City and find out what's going on with these gold shipments being robbed. At the same time Joe Sawyer is assigned to investigate a murder of a Wells Fargo agent who is also leading lady Wanda McKay's dear old dad. Fate teams all three of them together.

The villains are Virginia Christine who is best remembered as Spencer Tracy's housekeeper in Judgment at Nuremberg and Lionel Atwill. At least Atwill could have said that he actually has a western in his film credits. He's a properly elegant saloon owner of a place in California called Oro Grande where all this is taking place. Christine is a saloon singer in the vein of Marlene Dietrich. Both drift in and out of German accents as the serial progresses.

The events of those last days of the Civil War are woven into the plot including the surrender at Appomatox and the assassination of Lincoln. In fact the Prussian agents use the Lincoln assassination as a means of stirring up the Modoc Indians so they can get away with their loot. It seems as though the great white father in Washington was supposed to send them a telegram and the Indians when they didn't get it took it as a Dis and went on the warpath. That also didn't make the history books.

I suppose we should be grateful this wasn't put in and yet another reason given for the Why We Fight series. This has to be seen to be believed.