VCI Entertainment has just released (Aug. 30) the 70th
anniversary celebration of the 1946 13-chapter serial, The Mysterious Mr. M on
DVD. This thrill-a-minute
adventure/mystery was the last serial adventure produced and released by
Universal Pictures (they produced 137 serials … dating all the way back to
1914). The serial opened theatrically in
August of 1946 and so VCI Entertainment’s timing of the release is spot-on.
World War II has come to an end, but spies and
double-dealers are still ready for action and the United States newest
super-submarine is the target of a weasel by the name of Anthony Waldron
(played by Edmund MacDonald — Detour, Shoot to Kill, Sherlock
Holmes in Washington, etc.).
His latest target is Dr. Kittridge (John Hamilton), a submarine whiz,
but the drug, “Hypnotrene,” which will make him divulge his inner most secrets,
proves to be fatal.
Enter federal agent Grant Farrell (Dennis Moore — China
Clipper, The Purple Monster Strikes, Fort Defiance, etc.), who
teams with local detective Kirby Walsh (Richard Martin — Bombardier, West of the Pecos,
etc.) to solve the case.
As the mystery unfolds — from cliffhanger to cliffhanger — we discover that
Waldron is not the brains behind the operation, but is taking orders from Mr.
M, who communicates his instructions via recordings. With the help of insurance investigator
Shirley Clinton (played by Pamela Blake — This Gun for Hire, Mr. & Mrs. Smith,
etc.), Farrell and Walsh try to solve the case, but Mr. M could be anyone,
including someone hiding in plain sight!!!
Of course you have to wait until the final chapter to find
out who the real Mr. M is, but half the fun of this action-packed serial is
trying to guess who the villain is!
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