Friday, September 20, 2013

Federal Agents Vs. Underworld, Inc.



Brannon's Best
This is one of the best serials directed solely by Fred Brannon, who had some good credits with ther, more talented directors (The Crimson Ghost) but on his own proceeded to oversee the slow decline of the Republic serial before handing off to Franklin Adreon for the final sorry stinkers. Carol Foreman plays the role she plays best, a foreign villianess, and she is here teamed up with Roy Barcroft, who has one of his thuggier roles. The plot concerns Foreman's attempts to obtain both of a pair of golden hands from her homeland is Central Asia. Kirk Alyn, her ever-present nemesis, is the daring G-Man who battles her. There is a good supporting cast (Tris Coffin in a smal role is partiularly good) and enough budget to keep it lively. I enjoyed it for having a lot of colorful settings and dressings on what is really just another guys-in-suits-chasing each-other-around-and-shoting plot. I'd really give it 31/2 stars, or three on a four star scale. Not a desert-island...

"Federal Agents Vs. Underworld, Inc" (1949) ... Fred C. Brannon ... A Republic 12 Chapter Serial"
Republic Pictures present "FEDERAL AGENTS VS UNDERWORLD INC" (1949) (163 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Kirk Alyn, Rosemary LaPlanche, Roy Barcroft, Carol Foreman & James Dale, relive those thrilling days week after week venue brought you to the theater, as you were mesmerized in your seat waiting for the final chapter ... exciting action within 12 episodes from the Republic Serials department, released in November 12, 1948, the plot line is driven by greed, Nila (Carol Forman), the villianous leader of an international crime ring steals a valuable artifact that can give her the power to control men's minds. Federal agents led by Dave Worth (Kirk Alyn) are dispatched to get it back and stop her evil plans ... and the lovely Carol Forman (my favorite serial villainous) in another of her ice cold no nonsense portrayals, but she does it in such an enticing way ... favorite badman Roy Barcroft, as usual gives his best accounting...

Kirk Alyn was a childhood idol
As a kid, I was a hugh fan of Kirk Alyn as the original "SUPERMAN" in the movies. I remember going to a neighborhood movie house to see "Federal Agents vs. Underworld, Inc." for (12) consecutive Saturday matinees. The week to week cliff-hangers kept us on the edge of our seats at the movie house, and we talked about it all week while at school. I was very excited when Federal Agents came out on DVD and had to have it as part of my childhood memories collections. The picture quality is wonderfully restored. It is great, clean, fun! P.S. It only cost 10 cents for a whole Saturday afternoon at the movies. These cliff hangers were played before the scheduled pictures! That's right.....(2) pictures! Thanks for the memories!

Click to Editorial Reviews

No comments:

Post a Comment