Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939)

7/10

dbborroughs5 July 2008

Story of Three circus daredevils who take on the evil 39013 an escaped convict who seeks to destroy the possessions of Horace Granville the man responsible for sending him to jail.

Considered by man to be one of Republics Finest hours it certainly has a sterling cast that includes Charles Quigley, Herman Brix, Miles Mander and Charles Middleton in one of his best villain roles. Frankly the cast alone is reason enough to see this. The action in the serial is top notch and most if not all of the cliffhangers were reused several times by the studio in serials that followed this one. The action is balanced by a good story which doesn't really repeat itself again and again.

Actually the problem with the serial is not so much the plot being repeated but the locations. My lack of love for the serial (I'm not a lover of it, I like it) comes from the fact that the film is constantly using industrial locations for its cliffhangers. It seems to be that most of the locations seem to be warehouses or factories or something industry related. Its in keeping with the plot, but at the same time I'd have liked to see something else.

That said this is a really good action serial that should be seen if you want to see one thats near the top of the pile.

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8/10

the best

westerfieldalfred22 August 2013

I saw the first chapter of Daredevils of the Red Circle on TV as a kid. I never forgot it but never saw the rest. Almost 60 years later I saw the famous tunnel scene again in the TCM presentation The Republic Story. Finally I knew the name of the serial. I purchased the video tape with some trepidation because first and last episodes are always the best, often with dross in between. I loved it. Great action, great stunts, great plot, great villains. I recently dubbed my copy to DVD so I had the chance to watch it again. Still loved it.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the serials of my youth, particularly The Phantom Empire. I've walked through the entrance to Murania at Bronson Canyon and the steps outside the control room at Griffith Observatory. I watch it and other syfy serials regularly. But despite the lack of futuristic hokum I have to admit that Daredevils is a notch above any serial I've seen.

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7/10

"We went through a passage down a steep flight of stairs"

hwg1957-102-26570413 September 2020

Warning: Spoilers

Escaped prisoner 39013 Harry Crowel takes revenge on former partner Horace Granville by impersonating him in order to ruin Granville's business empire. Three circus daredevils get involved with the affair after their brother is killed and consistently counter Crowel's dastardly schemes. It is an entertaining twelve part serial with spills and thrills and chills. It is helped by a good cast.

Miles Mander plays Granville and also Crowel impersonating Granville and manages to distinguish them both effortlessly. As Crowel you have regular serial villain Charles Middleton (who had already fought Flash Gordon and Dick Tracy!) and he is great. One of the daredevils is legendary ace stuntman David Sharpe and it is fun to see him in an actual main acting role, which he does well. Tuffy is also good as Tuffie.

The five script writers and two directors provide a classic Republic studios serial.

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10/10

The best of the chapterplays

Mike-7649 January 2001

39013, an escaped convict, carries out his revenge on the man who put him in prison, by imprisoning Granville and impersonating him, with the aid of Granville's traitorous aides. When destroying all of Granville's holdings in order to ruin him, he burns down the Granville Amusement Center, which claims the life of the younger brother of one of three circus daredevils. The three daredevils then swear vengeance against 39013, and are hired by Granville to hunt him down, even though the impersonation is in effect. Brilliant plot, with the best chapter endings caught on film, especially one and eight, and one is probably the greatest of all, with Gene trying to outrace on motorcycle a torrent of water quickly filling up a tunnel. 12 chapters. In terms of serials, 10 out of 10.

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flooded tunnel ending for Chapter One

frontrowkid200211 May 2008

In looking over previous comments of Daredevils of the Red Circle, many of you comment on the ending of Chapter One where Charles Quigley is trying to outrace a torrent of water riding on a motorcyle. I had the privilege of knowing Barry Shipman, the scriptwriter for "Daredevils." He would pen many of the famous Republic serials, including the Lone Ranger, before going over to Columbia to write the Durango Kid features. Bill Witney relays the story of how the chapter came to be written in his autobiography. First, they found a real tunnel in downtown Los Angeles. At that time, the L.A. traffic had not grown to the proportion it is today and Republic got permission from the city to block traffic while they shot footage inside the tunnel. A miniature replica of the tunnel was designed and a process screen was used to show the water seemingly coming from behind Quigley. It was Barry's suggestion that the hero narrowly escapes downing by getting to the end of the tunnel where he turns the wheel to close the watertight doors. This conclusion was known as the take-out or the solution to the cliffhanger.

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7/10

One of the best of all the 'cliffhanger' serials of the 30s and 40s

MogwaiMovieReviews6 April 2023

An escaped convict imprisons the man who had him locked away and then impersonates him while destroying his life. A group of young circus daredevils are nearly killed in a fire he sets, and they swear to track him down.

* * *

One of the best of all the 'cliffhanger' serials of the 30s and 40s, I first saw this as a child on TV in the summer school holidays: they would show one episode a day in the mornings, if I remember correctly. It made quite an impression on me, but I forgot the name until I rediscovered it online a few days ago.

"Daredevils of the Red Circle" stands head and shoulders above just about all of the rest of its genre, because it's genuinely inventive, exciting and mysterious, and because it plays relatively fair in all but one of the cliffhanger episode endings, while most other serials have people jumping out of cars as they go over the cliff at the beginning of just about every episode.

I'd entirely forgotten the depiction of the idiotic black manservant "Snowflake", a pretty shameful and demeaning stereotype from the past: the series would have aged a lot better without his appearances.

7½/10.

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10/10

Top of the line serial

antonio195219 February 2001

This serial made at the peak of Republic's serial making may be the finest serial ever made. It has the best music score of any serial and a great serial cast including Charles Middleton, Herman Brix, C. Montague Shaw, David Sharpe and Charles Quigley. Also pretty Carole Landis and Miles Mander and you have one of the most energetic serials you will ever see. If you have never seen a serial and want to see one this may be the one to watch. It has been voted in the top 10 of an expert panel of serial fans appearing on all 25 panelist's lists.

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10/10

review of serial

tomwal17 February 2002

This is a serial that has it all! The leads,Herman Brix[Bruce Bennett],Charles Quigley,and David Sharpe are top notch.Carole Landis is fine as the herione,and Charles Middleton does his usual fne work as the master villian.Sharpe shows that he can act as well as perform those great stunts!Location filming adds to the scenic values,good story line,music score,and special effects from the Lydecker brothers. It all adds up to 12 chapters of non-stop action.One of my top ten serials from Republic.

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3/10

Plotting From The Inside

bkoganbing1 November 2008

Warning: Spoilers

The daredevils in Daredevils Of The Red Circle consist of three circus stuntman who when the little brother of one of them is killed in an arson fire on that circus. The circus is one of many things owned by millionaire Miles Mander and his old partner who Mander had sent to jail, Charles Middleton, is busy plotting to wreck and dismantle his fortune.

The three heroes are Charles Quigley, David Sharpe, and Bruce Bennett under his real name of Herman Brix. Because they managed to save Mander's granddaughter Carole Landis, Landis gets the three of them hired by the millionaire to find out who's causing all the problems and to apprehend same.

But this is a really deep conspiracy because Grandpa isn't who he seems. It turns out that Mander was kidnapped and Middleton is in the house impersonating him with the use of a lifelike mask and a good imitation of his voice. They've given out the cover story of a stroke and they have him behind this glass panel, rigged something Howard Hughes would later do for real.

Our intrepid heroes get inside information about various plans of wrecking that Middleton has going and spend most of the 12 chapters foiling same. Why they didn't get a message out about Mander's situation is beyond me.

Still it's the ultimate of inside conspiracies. The kids loved it back in the day, I'm sure its chapters played with whatever Gene Autry or Roy Rogers or whatever Republic cowboy feature film was coming out.

It all looks so silly now though.

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10/10

One of the BEST serials ever!

Vigilante-40712 January 2000

Now this serial had a lot of hype to live up to...I had heard or read that it was one of the best serials ever made from every source I encountered. It was spoken of in the same awed tones as The Adventures of Captain Marvel, Zorro's Fighting Legion, Fighting Devil Dogs, and Drums of Fu Manchu. And it lived up to all the hype.

Charles Quigley, David Sharpe and Bruce Bennett are great as the three circus daredevils who join the police in their efforts to stop the escaped convict who is known by the name 39013. The action and thrills are easily on a par with most of the SFX blockbusters today...and these old time SFX are pretty believable too. Just watch the motorcycle racing ahead of the water in the flooding tunnel!

This chapter play doesn't really fall into the ruts of many of the genre. The cliffhanger resolutions are all very believable, and there is only about a half a chapter of recap. The acting, beyond the three principals, is excellent. Carole Landis has a minor though pivotal role that really doesn't use her comic talents, but Charles Middleton plays the archtypical villain role that he became known for...especially after he took on the role of Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon.

There are few serials that I can recommend wholeheartedly. But Daredevils of the Red Circle has definitely joined that list!

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One of the better movie serials

TC-416 November 1999

This is a good example of what old movie serials were all about. This had plenty of action, outdoor locations and original storylines. This was better than most "B" movies of it's time. Republic made the best serials and this was one of the best.

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10/10

The most elegant morality play of a lost genre.

w-info20 January 2006

As a kid in the early TV era of the 1950s, I had the opportunity to view several serials from the late '30s and the 1940s. Apparently these were syndicated to TV stations to use as "fillers" since the network feeds weren't available (or the station didn't want to pay) during certain hours, including the after-school--i.e. late afternoon--time frame. In retrospect, it seems that our local station (WSBT in South Bend, Indiana) had a very astute--or very lucky--program director who chose the best serials out there. "Zorro's Fighting Legion," "The Mysterious Dr. Satan," "Fighting Devildogs," "The Black Widow"...they were all there. But the best of the best, in my opinion, was "Daredevils of the Red Circle." Drama, suspense, action, and a morality play (the best revenge is not to destroy one's opponent, as 39013 attempted to do, but to outdo him legally and ethically, as 39013 possibly could have done were his superior mind not warped and twisted)...these were the most memorable features of this 6-day, 15 minutes per episode odyssey that trumped sandlot baseball and other boyhood pursuits typical of the early baby boom generation. Some 45 years later, the opportunity to purchase this touchstone of my youth on VHS presented itself. Viewed with the more critical, possibly even jaded, eye of a middle-aged adult, the production does not disappoint. The plot, acting, special effects, and musical score may seem primitive by today's high-tech standards, but in the context of the times in which this serial was created, it "raised the bar," as we like to say today, for all that followed. So check it out. Imagine yourself in the late Art Deco era of engineering feats (the tunnel), sexy vehicles (the "Heritage Softtail" precursor motorcycle and '37 Buick Century straight 8 convertible, among others), and beautiful people (the impeccably coiffed and dressed "Blanche;" the trio of heroes in their flawlessly ironed suits, shirts, and ties; the elegant Granville; and even the villain 39013 as played so convincingly by Charles Middleton in first-class clothing that we seldom see today outside of a corporate boardroom), and enjoy. Maybe the subtitle of this serial should be: "the Lost World, Never to Return"...

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10/10

Circus stuntmen thwart the plans of former prisoner 39013.

PaulCurt14 November 1999

This Republic serial is about as good as they get. The chapter ending involving a tunnel under the river is quite memorable, as I pass through the Lincoln Tunnel every morning on the way to work.

I was also impressed with the always-excellent Charles Middleton (best remembered as Ming the Merciless) as the villain. Everytime we see him in a movie, my girlfriend gasps "39013!"...which is pretty remarkable when you think about it. How many numerically-named characters do YOU remember from old movies?

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10/10

Fantastic 1939 Movie Serial

whpratt18 October 2007

In the Year 1939 you would have to visit the movie theater for about twelve weeks in a row in order to find out the complete ending to this film. This film involves three Circus Stuntmen who are acrobats and one of their brothers is killed which is caused by #39013, Harry Crowel in revenge for Horace Granville sending him to jail who was his former partner in his business. Carole Landis, (Blanche Granville)"I Wake Up Screaming" is the daughter to Horace Granville and finds out about a wicked scheme that #39013 has planned against her farther and if she tells her father will die. There is plenty of action, secret doors, secret panels and plenty of bombs being set off, with water rushing through tunnels and more and more. Great Classic film from 1939, this one you will really enjoy.

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9/10

A Great Serial Played by Interesting People

essers18 July 2008

The daredevils/heroes are: Gene-- the brains of the outfit, Tiny a gifted strongman, and Bert -- an agile escape artist. They are aided by Carole Landis who plays Blanche Grandville the granddaughter of Horace Grandville whose multimillion dollar industrial complex is under attack by master criminal 39013. This film is twelve chapters of action packed cliff-hanging fun.

I particularly liked the fact that these circa 1939 daredevils did almost all of their action scenes in double breasted three piece suits!

The history of the major actors is quite interesting:

Dave Sharpe,Bert, became an Army pilot during WWII and a major stuntman; having a long and celebrated career in the industry. He has been ranked with the great Yakima Canutt.

Charles Quigley, Gene, had a good career but died of cirrhosis of the liver before he turned sixty.

Bruce Bennet aka Herman Brix, who played Tiny, was a 1928 Olympic champion who went on to a very long career and lived to be over 100 years old.

Carole Landis was 29 when she committed suicide.

I bought this film because of the multitude of glowing reviews found on this forum. I was not disappointed!

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One of Republic's shinning moments

zorro-413 February 2004

I remember seeing this as an eight year old kid back at the Amo Theater in Detroit. I see it now every six months and it still thrills me to see the best of Republic at work. The principle actors are all most enjoyable. Charles Middleton is supurb once again as the nasty villan. The one episode that has really stuck with me all my 71 years is the outstanding tunnel scenes. Everytime I'm in San Francisco and take the BART under the Bay waters I think of that episode and get a little relived when I reach the other side. Al Guzman Las Vegas, NV

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9/10

Excitement, thy name is "Daredevils of the Red Circle"

morrisonhimself24 June 2015

David Sharpe? Enough said. He was more fun to watch than just about anyone else. His grace and athleticism plus his good looks and charm made him almost perfect.

Funny thing: He was mostly a stunt man.

But he sure got a chance to shine in this excellent Republic serial -- and when you say "Republic serial" you've said "excitement, fun, thrills, action."

"Republic" -- I like the sound of that word -- also means special effects by the Lydecker brothers and direction by Witney and English.

Add the excellent stars Charles Quigley and Bruce Bennett, well, as I said, almost perfect.

But we're not through: Yakima Canutt, the king of the stuntmen, gets to play, albeit uncredited, a G-Man, a good guy!

He and the other stuntmen provide plenty of action, especially lots of fights, at which the Republic stuntmen were surely the best.

Carole Landis, really a good actress as she got to show in future excellent performances, is the leading lady, but doesn't really do much.

There are genuinely dozens of very good actors, too many to name here, and who are also un-named in the film credits, but any film with them in it is improved.

Finally, add a score by William Lava, with a couple helpers, and you have a movie serial that is, yes, almost perfect.

"Daredevils of the Red Circle" is available in a truncated version at YouTube -- apparently copyright problems, and it's a wonder even part of it is up -- and of course on DVD. But I do hope you watch this excellent serial, one of the very best ever, and one I highly recommend.

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8/10

One of Republic's best serials!

JohnHowardReid11 September 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Each chapter has 2 reels, except the first which has 3. U.S. release: 10 June 1939. SYNOPSIS: After fifteen years in a federal penitentiary, convict #39013 escapes and begins a campaign of vengeance against Granville, his former partner, who is responsible for his conviction. 39013 makes Granville a prisoner, while, by means of a clever disguise, he himself takes Granville's place so successfully that no one knows of the change.

The Daredevils of the Red Circle, three college athletes who are working in a sideshow on Granville's amusement pier, are enraged when 39013's plot to burn the pier results in the death of a small brother of one of them. Gene, Burt, and Tiny resolve to bring the perpetrator of this crime to justice, and make it their business to be on hand to stymie every plot 39013 attempts. In this they have an ally in Blanche, the granddaughter of the real Granville.

NOTES: Republic's 14th serial commenced shooting on 28 March 1939 and finished on 28 April 1939. It was budgeted at $126,855 but came in well under at $126,118. Real locations included Rincon and Sea Cliff (near Santa Barbara) and the Standard Oil Company's factory in Baldwun Hills.

COMMENT: One of Republic's best serials, I'm surprised this one isn't better known. True, it has a preposterous plot and risibly clichéd or stating-the-obvious dialogue — but don't they all? In its favor, it has a particularly top-notch cast. The only dim star among the principals is Charles Quigley, and he's still okay. David Sharpe is at his most personable, and whilst Bruce Bennett and Carole Landis are but half as colorful here as they were soon to become, it's still great to see them in action. Charles Middleton as usual is the perfect villain and has a vivid crew of henchmen including Raymond Bailey.

Ridiculous as it is, the plot still manages to introduce a fair amount of atmosphere and wonderfully bizarre effects, what with sliding doors and panels, secret rooms and corridors — including a dungeon — equipped with peep-holes; and more importantly it serves as a peg for some wonderful action spots.

Just about each episode contains at least three action highlights. Chapter 3 is a great example. It starts off in fine style with a recap of the stunning factory action which was the cliff-hanger in the previous episode, with the hero getting out of his quandary in a both a logical and action=full manner. We get back to the Granville mansion to look in on the villain at his peep-hole and then do his transformation act in the dungeon — complete with skillful double exposure so that Mander is able to talk to himself — which is quickly followed by a speeding car chase, including a nice bit of stunt-work, and then capped by some excitingly staged fisticuffs.

The villain then puts down one of his henchman in spectacular fashion. Our heroes, alerted by the mysterious Red Circle, find themselves trapped in a gas-filled garage for an intriguing fade- out.

Direction and technical credits are first-rate.

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flooded tunnel ending for Chapter One

frontrowkid200211 May 2008

In looking over previous comments of Daredevils of the Red Circle, many of you comment on the ending of Chapter One where Charles Quigley is trying to outrace a torrent of water riding on a motorcyle. I had the privilege of knowing Barry Shipman, the scriptwriter for "Daredevils." He would pen many of the famous Republic serials, including the Lone Ranger, before going over to Columbia to write the Durango Kid features. Bill Witney relays the story of how the chapter came to be written in his autobiography. First, they found a real tunnel in downtown Los Angeles. At that time, the L.A. traffic had not grown to the proportion it is today and Republic got permission from the city to block traffic while they shot footage inside the tunnel. A miniature replica of the tunnel was designed and a process screen was used to show the water seemingly coming from behind Quigley. It was Barry's suggestion that the hero narrowly escapes downing by getting to the end of the tunnel where he turns the wheel to close the watertight doors. This conclusion was known as the take-out or the solution to the cliffhanger.

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