Oldies But Goodies

Oldies But Goodies

Back in the dark ages, when I was an adolescent, the afternoon matinees were 25 cents, which got you in and a box of popcorn. The local bijou was just around the corner, on Vernor Ave., from where I was living in Detroit. I’m sure it is long gone.

The matinees were serials like Don Winslow of the Navy, The Shadow, Terry and the Pirates, Drums of Fu Manchu, Adventures of Red Ryder and much much more. Since this was the late 40’s, films of the second war to end all wars were still being made with the usual villains. I can still picture the evil mad Nazi doctor with the electric zap machine confounding the inept G-men until the last episode.

All good things must come to an end like cartoons at the beginning of a film and double features. However, I recently was able to purchase a video of an old TV show from the 1950’s. Some of you are thinking how quaint there was film last century. It’s true, even some was in color, or what passes for color.

Anyway, when I was a youngster in the mid 50’s, there was a TV program called Soldiers of Fortune.  

 I was probably able to see one or two of the episodes since I didn’t own the television, my dad did and his desire to watch something outweighed mine. I think he preferred wrestling or roller derby.

There must have been a rerun in the 60’s as I saw a couple more before it returned to the deep vaults of obscurity. Probably good thing as the half-hour story lines are about 20 minutes too long for today’s viewers.

What I like about seeing it again is the depiction of the era in which it was filmed. Of course it’s in black and white filmed on the back lots of Hollywood. Each episode takes place in an exotic part of the world so they have stock footage of alligators, lions, and monkeys for the jungles. The cities like Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexican pueblos are of that time period so seeing rickshaws on the streets of Hong Kong look so dated.

Stars of this show were John Russell and Chick Chandler as Tim Kelly and Toubo Smith. The acting is not as slick as today’s adventure shows. I’m not saying the acting on films like Star Wars or Star Trek or the Walking Dead is better, just more up to-date. John Russell went on to star in such non-memorable TV westerns as “The Lawman”. Chick continued to play the same type of sidekick character for much too long.

John Russell had a signature move like so many actors do in each of their movies. At the beginning of a fight (of which there is one in each episode) his arms rise up like a kitten about to pounce, and leaps on the assailant. Sometimes the scuffle even has bad guys in headlocks, which one doesn’t see anymore in today’s choreographed fights.

Unfortunately the 50’s were blatantly sexist and racist. Tuobo hits on every female and every black or brown man was called “boy” unless he was a Raja or tribal chief. One has to smile and accept it like we do our uncle's who sit around after the Thanksgiving dinner and grouses about how great everything was “back in the day.”

I’ve been able to sits through two of the four discs, laughing at the absurdity of the juvenile writing and almost acting yet still enjoying the oldie but goodie of it all.

I recently finished “Tales of the Brass Monkey” from the 80’s, which is another adventure series somewhat better than Soldiers of Fortune. I’ll write about it when I get a chance.