Introduction

The Fighting Marines is a 1935 movie serial. It was the last serial produced by Mascot Pictures before the studio was bought out and merged with others to become Republic Pictures. This new company went on to become the most famous of the serial producing studios, starting with Darkest Africa in 1936.

Outline

When the United States Marine Corps starts building a landing strip on Halfway Island in the Pacific Ocean, they interfere with the secret hideout of the masked mystery villain, The Tiger Shark, who begins to sabotage their efforts. Sergeant Schiller is abducted by the villain after developing a gyrocompass that could pinpoint his location. Corporal Lawrence and Sergeant McGowan attempt to rescue him and stop the Tiger Shark for good.

Cast

• Grant Withers as Corporal Larry Lawrence, US Marine
• Adrian Morris as Sergeant Mack McGowan, US Marine
• Ann Rutherford as Frances Schiller
• Robert Warwick as Colonel W.R. Bennett, US Marine
• George J. Lewis as Sergeant William Schiller, US Marine abducted by the Tiger Shark
• Patrick H. O’Malley, Jr. as Captain Grayson
• Victor Potel as Fake Native Chief, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen
• Jason Robards Sr. as Kota
• Warner Richmond as Metcalf, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen
• Robert Frazer as H.R. Douglas
• J. Frank Glendon as M.J. Buchanan
• Donald Reed as Pedro, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen
• Max Wagner as Gibson, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen
• Richard Alexander as Ivan, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen
• Tom London as Miller, one of the Tiger Shark’s henchmen

Production

Stunts

Yakima Canutt
George DeNormand doubling Grant Withers
Eddie Parker doubling Adrian Morris

Special Effects

Photographic effects by Bud Thackery
Model effects by the Lydecker brothers

Soundtrack

Semper Fidelis by John Philip Sousa

Trivia

• Future Republic producer Franklin Adreon first became involved with serials with this production.
  • The former regular Marine, then a Marine Corps Reserve officer, was a technical consultant and played the small role of Captain Holmes in the later chapters.
• This was the final Mascot serial.
  • After this was released, Mascot and several other companies merged to form Republic Pictures.
• Chapter 4 is a budget-saving recap episode in which sequences from Chapter 1 are shown for most of the running time.
• Chapter 7 is a budget-saving recap episode in which sequences from Chapter 2 are shown for most of the running time.
• Chapter 11 is a budget-saving recap episode in which sequences from Chapters 7 & 8 are shown for most of the running time.

The Fighting Marines Series

• Episode 01: Human Targets.
• Episode 02: Isle of Missing Men.
• Episode 03: The Savage Horde.
• Episode 04: The Mark of the Tiger Shark.
• Episode 05: The Gauntlet of Grief.
• Episode 06: Robber’s Roost.
• Episode 07: Jungle Terrors.
• Episode 08: Siege of Halfway Island.
• Episode 09: Death from the Sky.
• Episode 10: Wheels of Destruction.
• Episode 11: Behind the Mask.
• Episode 12: Two Against the Horde.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • B. Reeves Eason
  • Joseph Kane
• Producer(s):
  • Nat Levine … producer (uncredited)
  • Barney A. Sarecky … associate producer (as Barney Sarecky)
• Writer(s):
  • Wallace MacDonald … (story)
  • Maurice Geraghty … (story)
  • Ray Trampe … (story)
  • Sherman L. Lowe … (screenplay) (as Sherman Lowe)
  • Barney A. Sarecky … (screenplay) (as Barney Sarecky)
• Music:
• Cinematography:
  • Jack A. Marta … (as Jack Marta) (photography)
  • William Nobles … (photography)
• Editor(s):
  • Richard Fantl … (as Dick Fantl)
• Production:
  • Mascot Pictures
• Distributor(s):
  • Republic Pictures (United States, 1935)(Republic Pictures Corporation, theatrical)
  • Empire Films Ltd. (Canada, 1936)(theatrical)
  • British Lion Film Corporation (United Kingdom, 1937)(theatrical)
  • Luis Lezama (Mexico, 1940)(theatrical)
  • Filmes Luís Machado (Portugal, 1942)(theatrical)
  • VCI Home Video (United States, 1992)(VHS)
  • Sinister Cinema (United States, 1999)(VHS)
  • Grapevine Video (United States, 2000)(VHS)
  • Alpha Video Distributors (United States, 2004)(DVD)
• Release Date: 23 November 1935.
• Running Time: 216 minutes (total running time).
• Rating: U.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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