Cast overview: | |||
Kane Richmond | ... | Alan Armstrong / Spy Smasher / Jack Armstrong | |
Marguerite Chapman | ... | Eve Corby | |
Sam Flint | ... | Adm. Corby | |
Hans Schumm | ... | The Mask | |
Tristram Coffin | ... | Drake | |
Franco Corsaro | ... | Capt. Pierre Durand [Chs. 1-4] | |
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Hans von Morhart | ... | Capt. Gerhardt [Chs. 1, 8, 12] (as Hans Von Morhart) |
Georges Renavent | ... | Gov. LeComte [Ch. 3] | |
Rudolph Anders | ... | Dungeon Col. Von Kohr [Ch. 1] (as Robert O. Davis) | |
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Henry Zynda | ... | Ritter Lazar [Ch. 1] |
Paul Bryar | ... | Lawlor | |
Tom London | ... | Crane | |
Richard Bond | ... | Henchman Hayes | |
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Crane Whitley | ... | Hauser |
John James | ... | Henchman Steve |
Alan Armstrong, aka Spy Smasher, battles a Nazi villain known as The Mask, who heads a gang of saboteurs determined to spread destruction across America.
Spy Smasher is a rather good chapterplay. It features a rather obscure character from Whiz Comics (the same book that spawned Captain Marvel). From an adaptation point of view, it isn't very good, but then very few comic book-to-screen adaptations are all that true to the source material.
The cliffhangers are all acceptable and explainable from chapter to chapter (using the "they-don't-show-us-all-the-action" angle)...and the storyline is action-packed. The villain, The Mask, is a typical one spawned of both serials and comics of the times. There also doesn't seem to be a lot of stock footage use (though there is a bit of footage reuse in later chapters).
Kane Richmond isn't too much of an actor, but he is quite adequate here as the dashing identical twins and Spy Smasher. The rest of the cast isn't too noteworthy...nor do they have performances of any real note.
This is definitely a good example of a good movie serial...12 chapters that are worth the time to watch.