''The Mystery Squadron'' (aka ''Mystery Squadron'') is a 1933 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

12-chapter

Mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

film serial A serial film, film serial (or just serial), movie serial, or chapter play, is a motion picture form popular during the first half of the 20th century, consisting of a series of short subjects exhibited in consecutive order at one theater, gene ...

, directed by

Colbert Clark Colbert Clark (August 31, 1898 – May 4, 1960) was an American screenwriter, film director and film producer. He particularly specialized in making western films.Tuska p.196 As a producer at Columbia Pictures, Clark was responsible for resum ...

and David Howard. The film was produced by

Nat Levine Nat Levine (July 26, 1899 – August 6, 1989), was an American film producer. He produced 105 films between 1921 and 1946. He was personal secretary to Marcus Loew, formed Mascot Pictures in 1927, and merged Mascot with Herbert Yates's Re ...

, and stars Western star Bob Steele,

Guinn "Big Boy" Williams Guinn Terrell Williams Jr. (April 26, 1899 – June 6, 1962) was an American actor who appeared in memorable westerns such as '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), and '' The Comancheros'' (1961). He was nicknamed "Big Boy" ...

Lucile Browne Lucile Ruth Browne (March 18, 1907 – May 10, 1976) was an American film actress. She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1935 films '' Texas Terror'' and '' Rainbow Valley''. Personal life The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris L. Browne, ...

Purnell Pratt Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography * ''The Great ...

and

Jack Mulhall John Joseph Francis Mulhall (October 7, 1887 – June 1, 1979) was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years. Early years Mu ...

. ''The Mystery Squadron'' made an impressive use of a great deal of aerial footage to enliven the action.

Plot

At an air show, ace flyers Fred Cromwell ( Bob Steele) and his partner, Bill "Jelly Bean" Cook (

) perform aerial feats that prove they are the greatest aviators around. A

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

being built by Stephen Gray ( Lafe McKee), the owner of a construction firm, comes under attack from the

mysterious Mysterious may refer to: * ''Mysterious'' (album), a 1988 album by Shizuka Kudō * "Mysterious" (song), a 2005 song by Jentina * "Mysterious", a song by Scorpions from the 1999 album '' Eye II Eye'' * Mysterious Walker Frederick Mitchell Walk ...

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

, the "Black Ace", and his "Mystery Squadron" of pilots. With Gray facing financial ruin, he asks Henry Davis (

), the dam's foreman and ex-stunt pilot to hire Fred and Bill. The identity of the Black Ace is so secret that it is even concealed from his own men in the Mystery Squadron. Fred and his partner, Bill seek to unmask the Black Ace and stop his attacks on Gray's power dam. The Mystery Squadron is headquartered in a secret cave near the dam. A rich gold mine is threatened by the dam's construction and a number of individuals behave suspiciously, including Lafe Johnson (

), a rival contractor, Martin ( Edward Peil, Sr.), the hotel owner, Collins ( J. Carrol Naish), a construction employee for Gray and Dr. Flint ( Robert Frazer). When the Mystery Squadron strikes again, Fred finds Davis tied up in his car. Davis explains he has been held captive by the raiders. Fred and Bill finally confront Davis with evidence that he is the Black Ace. Davis panics and takes off in his aircraft only to be shot down by Fred and his partner.

Cast

* Bob Steele as Fred Cromwell, old stunt pilot friend of Henry Davis *

as Bill "Jellybean" Cook, old stunt pilot friend of Henry Davis *

as Dorothy Gray *

as Henry Davis, dam foreman and ex-stunt pilot *

as Lafe Johnson * Robert Frazer as Dr Flint * J. Carrol Naish as Collins * Edward Peil, Sr. as Martin *

Bob Kortman Robert F. Kortman (December 24, 1887 – March 13, 1967) was an American film actor mostly associated with westerns, though he also appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy comedies. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1914 and 1952. ...

as Bracken * Lafe McKee as Stephen Gray

Production

Up to four

Travel Air 2000 The Travel Air 2000/3000/4000 (originally, the Model A, Model B and Model BH were open-cockpit biplane aircraft produced in the United States in the late 1920s by the Travel Air Manufacturing Company. During the period from 1924–1929, Tra ...

s, commonly known as the "Wichita Fokker", a popular aircraft used in Hollywood features, were used in various aerial sequences. Most of the attacks by air, however, were shot with miniatures on diorama sets.

Stunts

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

George Magrill George Magrill (January 5, 1900 – May 31, 1952) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 320 films between 1923 and 1952. Magrill performed on stage before he began to work in films. Besides his acting, Magrill worked as a s ...

Reception

Hans J. Wollstein in his review of ''The Mystery Squadron'' wrote, "... Mystery Squadron contains many well-made aerial fights and stunts but is also filled with all kinds of silly and seemingly unnecessary gaffes. When a dart carrying a warning note is thrown through a window, for example, that same window is shown in the following shot as not only securely closed but covered by an undamaged lace curtain." and ".. (Williams') supposedly comical craving for jellybeans quickly becomes tiring."

Chapter Titles

# The Black Ace # The Fatal Warning # The Black Ace Strikes # Men of Steel # The Death Swoop # Doomed # Enemy Signals # The Canyon of Calamity # The Secret of the Mine # Clipped Wings # The Beast at Bay # The Ace of Aces _Source:Cline 1984, p. 209.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Cline, William C. "3. The Six Faces of Adventure". ''In the Nick of Time''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1984. . * Cline, William C. "Filmography". ''In the Nick of Time''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1984. . * Harmon, Jim and Donald F. Glut. ''The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury''. London: Routledge, 1973. . * Weiss, Ken and Ed Goodgold. ''To be Continued ...: A Complete Guide to Motion Picture Serials''. New York: Bonanza Books, 1973. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies.'' Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mystery Squadron, The 1933 films 1933 adventure films American aviation films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Mascot Pictures film serials Films directed by David Howard Films produced by Nat Levine American adventure films 1930s American films