Secret Agent X-9 (1937)

When the crown jewels of Belgravia are stolen, Secret Agent X-9 (Scott Kolk) is sent to investigate. With the help of Shara Graustark (serial icon Jean Rogers) our hero soon discovers this to be no ordinary heist but the work of a mysterious master criminal known only as Blackstone. Bonus Features: Actor Biographies| Chapter Menu| Bonus Serial Trailers. Specs: 1-DVD9 + 1-DVD5; Dolby Digital Mono; 240 minutes; Color; 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - NR; Year - 1937; SRP - $19.99.

Great 1930's Atmosphere

This is one of two serials of the same name, the second being in 1945 with a different plot and cast. "Secret X-9" was a popular comic strip of the day, based on characters created by the great writer of detective fiction Dashiell Hammett.

This was probably the best serial made as early as 1937 until William Witney came along at Republic Studios and raised the bar for the genre, and the best Universal serial until the 1940's. It has the look and feel of a "real" movie, not all stops and starts like so many other serials. It seems more like a typical mystery film of the 1930's, what "Gang Busters" could have been, perhaps. With the action usually continuing right on through the cliffhangers, it has a tight story and is well acted, with endless switcheroos as to who has the jewels or the paper that will lead to them. The sets are very good, especially the waterfront scenes and the pirate ship in the harbor. The fights, which are fairly short though not well choreographed, are less important than the plot, a welcome change from most serials. Unfortunately the chapter endings are not very remarkable, except for one which has a remarkably bad cheat: Chapter 5 ends with X-9 being shot by a hidden gun in a bookcase--he clutches his stomach and keels over to the floor. In Chapter 6 the gunshot misses him completely and instead knicks his pal Pidge.

Scott Kolk had been a Broadway actor who went to Hollywood with the advent of sound. He became a Universal contract player, and was elevated to a title role for the first time in this serial. But stardom eluded him, and not even a name change to Scott Colton could do the trick; he left films in 1938.

Blond and beautiful Jean Rogers (looking a little like Jean Harlow) is even more attractive as the well-dressed, enigmatic Shara Graustark than she was in her role a year earlier as the scantily-clad Dale Arden in "Flash Gordon," although that was the role that made her a serial icon. Monte Blue is far better in the dual role of Baron Karsten, and the criminal known as Brenda disguised as Karsten, then he was when he chewed up the scenery in "Undersea Kingdom." But Henry Brandon ("Drums of Fu Manchu") steals the bad-guy honors as the master criminal known as Blackstone--it's a shame he doesn't get as much screen time as Blue does. Brandon was a fine actor who separated himself from most other serial actors by underplaying his part. Makes you wonder why he never became more famous.

I love the chases in this because of the great 1930's cars involved--beautiful old automobiles. And I hate the wimpy ending. January 9, 2006

"from the King of Serials on DVD...VCI Entertainment ~ 1937 Secret Agent X-9"

VCI Entertainment and Universal Pictures present Dashiell Hammett, Alex Raymond and Charles Flanders comic strip from King Features Syndicate "Secret Agent X-9 " (1937) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of vintage serial loaded with action sequences...the story line opens with daily strips in the style of Alex Raymond but drawn by Charles Flanders at the beginning of each episode...can Secret Agent X-9 stop the notorious jewel thief "Brenda" from stealing the crown jewel of Belgravian...will the evil "Blackstone" hide the stolen jewels in a safe place that will never be discovered...will speedboat chases ever become an American past time after watching this serial...can the Baron Michael Karsten with the help of X-9 unmask the mysterious "Brenda"...the writers of this 12 Chapter Universal Serial must have been burning the midnight oil, cause it's down to the wire cliffhanger...high production and great stunt work from Universal's serial department...there is a great deal of entertainment here for the cliffhanger fans out there.

Under director's Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith, producers Ben Koenig, Barney A. Sarecky and Henry MacRae with screenplay by Charles Flanders, Dashiell Hammett, Wyndham Gittens, Leslie Swabacker, Norman S. Hall and Ray Trampe...the cast include Scott Kolk (Agent Dexter, X-9), Jean Rogers (Shara Graustark), David Oliver (Pidge), Henry Brandon (Blackstone), Monte Blue (Baron Michael Karsten), Henry Hunter (FBI Agent Tommy Dawson), Larry J. Blake (Chief FBI Agent Wheeler), Lon Chaney Jr (Maroni - primary henchman), Robert Kortman (Trader' Delaney), Eddy Waller (Lawyer Carp), Eddie Parker (marine guard, FBI Agent and Henchman), George Magrill (freighter crewman), Tom Steele (Policeman, FBI Agent, Henchman - stuntman)...great stunt work by George Magrill, Eddie Parker and Tom Steele...stayed tuned and don't miss each exciting chapter...another great serial provided by Universal Pictures during their heyday in the early '30s...by the way musical score by Franz Waxman (scored "Bride of Frankenstein"), Charles Previn (father of Andre Previn), Karl Hajos, Arthur Morton, Edward Vaughan, Sam Perry...also must make mention that Henry Brandon as Blackstone was always one of my favorite villains had the lead in the 1940 serial "Drums of Fu Manchu"...Brandon was often cast as an Indian Chief as in "The Searchers" (1956) and "Two Rode Together" (1961)...Brandon was quite the versatile actor of his day.

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc One)
1. Modern Pirates
2. Ray That Blinds
3. Man of Many Faces

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc One)
BIOS:
1. Scott Kolk
2. Jean Rogers
3. Ford Beebe (Director)

VCI CLIFFHANGER COLLECTION (Disc One) (now available on DVD from VCI)
1. The Adventures of Red Ryder (Don "Red" Barry)
2. Winners of the West (Dick Foran & Harry Woods)
3. Gang Busters (Kent Taylor, Robert Armstrong & Ralph Morgan)
4. Tailspin Tommy (Maurice Murphy, Patricia Farr, Noah Beery Jr, Walter Miller & Grant Withers)

CHAPTER TITLES: (Disc Two)
4. Listening Shadow
5. False Fires
6. Dragnet
7. Sealed Lips
8. Exhibit "A"
9. Masquerader
10.Force Lie
11.Enemy Camp
12.Crime DOES NOT Pay

SPECIAL FEATURES: (Disc Two)
BIOS:
(Same as Disco One)

VCI CLIFFHANGER COLLECTION (Disc Two) (now available on DVD from VCI)
(Same as Disc One)

Own them now on DVD....if you crave action, drama and plenty of adventure then this is the place for all of the above...also check out another release from VCI Entertainment (King of Serials) and Columbia Pictures present Lee Falk and Phil Davis comic strip King feature "Mandrake the Magician" (1939) (Dolby digitally remastered), 12 Chapters of our favorite magician doing battle with "The Wasp", who is out to steal another scientist invention...will our villain of villains succeed in taking the radium energy machine and use it against Mandrake...can good triumph over evil...don't pass this one up.

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "Secret Agent X-9" (1937), the digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with top notch action and adventure from the "King of Serials" VCI...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 235 mins on 2 DVD's ~ VCI Entertainment 8341 ~ (1/07/2003) October 2, 2005

An Historically Interesting Serial.

Leonard J. Kohl, in his book "Sinister Serials" (2000), declared that this serial "is officially considered lost". Well, thanks in large part to the great collector and preserver of old radio shows and movies, Fred Shay, we now have a clear, clean print of this "lost" serial.

"Secret Agent X-9" began as a newspaper comic strip drawn by Alex Raymond, who had also created "Flash Gordon". Although Dashiell Hammett was apparently hired to help with the plot, he ended up contributing very little. Too bad, because this is one very boring serial. (Universal was just not very good at producing effective stories for this very tricky genre.) The plot has to do with a mysterious jewel thief, the crown jewels of some imaginary country, examining paintings with a ray-beam device to find a bank receipt, boat chases, G-men, etc. It's all rather ho-hum, if you ask me. However, the serial gains in historical significance much of what it lacks in entertainment value, for one of the minor characters is a thug named Marconi who is played by none other than Lon Chaney, Jr. Two years after this serial was released, Chaney would portray Lennie in the movie and stage versions of Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men", and he would go on to become a very popular B-movie star who would also make some significant A-movies.

Each episode on this two-DVD set begins with the serial's titles and credits and, starting with episode 2, a comic strip that outlines what happened during the last episode. This is exactly the way serials were shown in theaters in the "old days", and the way they should be watched today.

Oh sure, sometimes a scene or two is a bit dark, and the framing of the picture is not always perfect, and the crispness of a print made from the original nitrate negative may not be present, still, all in all, this is a top-notch version of a serial that is no longer "lost".

A great addition for anyone collecting old serials, but newcomers to this form of entertainment may wish to begin with one made by Republic Pictures. Now THEY knew how to make a serial! August 17, 2005

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