ridiculous rating

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

*Spoiler/plot- Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island, 1936. A police agent discovers a plot to sabotage Pacific air travel and travels to a Pacific island to stop the crime plot. He discovers the sabotage gang with links to San Francisco also terrorizing the island natives for their crime benefit. The agent helps the natives fight against the invaders.*Special Stars- Mala(aka Ray Wise), Mamo Clark, John Picorri.*Theme- Good people of many culture can work together to defeat crime.*Trivia/location/goofs- B & W, theatrical serial. 14 episodes, not the only serial the over 12 episodes. Members of the starring lead cast were of minorities, Alaskan Inuit and Polynesian Hawaiian. Filmed on Southern California Channel Islands- Santa Rosa island. In 1966, re-released made into a TV show, 'Robinson Crusoe of Mystery Island'.*Emotion- This was a entertaining, extravagant, and well produced theatrical serial of it's time. It was quite unique in it's use of native actors in the starring leads as positive roles. Something not usually done in films. The inclusion of zeppelin travel and two essential animal performers(dog & horse) in the story help this film to be an entertaining project to view. You can also readily see why these theatrical serials were the basis for the great adventure directors(Lucas & Spielberg) of today.

Secret Agent Mala is sent to Clipper Island to investigate the goings on on Clipper Island where some unknown group is trying to prevent a dirigible transport company from setting up a refueling station.One of the first Republic serials is an odd mix of the new Republic studio and the old Mascot, hence the animal co-stars) is a footnote in serial history as the only 14 chapter sound serial. To be honest this would be a really great serial except that Republic's decision to have non actor Mala as the lead pretty much sinks the show. Its not so much that he's bad, rather he clearly is in over his head speaking stiltedly and acting stiffly. The casting of Mala is the difference between an okay serial and a very good one. If you can forgive a poor lead this is worth a shot.

"Robinson Crusoe of Clipper Island" isn't the best movie serial ever made -- it shamelessly pads its 14 episodes with flashbacks and repeats one rescue in its entirety. But it is energetic, kid-friendly fun that features likable protagonists and exotic locales. Mala (aka Ray Wise) makes a believable hero (for once, a '30s good guy does the sensible thing and calls in the cops) and gets sterling support from both his human and animal companions. The action sprawls from San Fransciso, to the high seas, to the skies (aboard a dirigible airship), to tropical islands where the natives are as likely as not to offer visitors to the local volcano. Well worth the effort.

Watched by George Lucas as a kid, these serials - including Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon were the inspiration for Star Wars. Typically swash-buckling, with cliffhangers at the end of each episode, there was little room for character development, it was all about action and suspense.The episode with the jump off the gangplank was surely the inspiration for the Sarlaac Pit scene in Return of the Jedi?I also watched them as a kid in the 1980's when they were re-shown on British TV.Well worth watching, like all these old serials. This is where it all began.