Product Details

• Actors: Ralph Byrd, Lynn Roberts, Charles Middleton, Jerry Tucker, David Sharpe
• Directors: John English, William Witney
• Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: VCI Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: June 24, 2008
• Run Time: 254 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0018AB7ZS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,424 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Dick Tracy Returns" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

DICK TRACY RETURNS - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Movie Serial, but, July 10, 2008

By 

Jeffrey B. Griffith "griffith122" (Fredericksburg, Va United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dick Tracy Returns (DVD)

I am a fan of the four Dick Tracy serials and bought each of them on VHS when they where first released, the final three serials by VCI. I was very happy to see they finally got around to releasing this one, so why the but. I had bought the first serial again when it was brought out on DVD, I chose to buy the version released by Marengo Films and was glad I did. They used a superior print and gave us a near flawless copy. Unfortunately VCI did not do the same here. It could well be they used the best print available to them, but there must be other copies out there they could have used to fix the main flaw which is several scenes being washed out to a white screen. Perhaps this was the best they could do as I did not notice any of the broken film frames that I recall where present in the VHS release. I encourage you to buy this if you enjoy the old movie serials and especially the old Dick Tracy's. Good sales will encourage them to release the many serials they still have in their vaults. All of these have long since past into the public domain, so if they won't hopefully some other studio will.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Dick Tracy Returns (1938) ... Ralph Byrd ... VCI Ent. (2008)", May 27, 2008

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dick Tracy Returns (DVD)

VCI Entertainment and Republic Pictures presents Chester Gould's comic strip creation "DICK TRACY RETURNS" (20 August 1938) (254 mins/B&W) (Dolby digitally remastered) --- A 15-episode serial in which this sequel to the 1937 serial is much better --- Tracy is on the trail of Pa Stark ( Charles Middleton gives a great performance ) and his five sons --- After killing a rookie G-Man, Tracy goes after the youngest son named the Kid and through out the serial he battles the enemy agents and saboteurs Stark is mixed up with to bring the master criminal to justice --- Very action packed, with excellent direction from two of the best William Witney and John English.

Under the production staff of:
Jon English Director
William Witney Director
Franklin Adreon Screenwriter
Ronald Davidson Screenwriter
William Nobles Cinematographer
Barry Shipman Screenwriter
Sol Shore Screenwriter
Rex Taylor Screenwriter
Edward Todd Editor
Helene Turner Editor
Al Wilson Production Manager

The story line and plot, 15 Chapters of vintage serial episodes loaded with action sequences --- our story opens with the Stark Family on the most wanted list led by the father Pa Stark (Middleton) --- the family has joined saboteurs and a gang of spies all for the sake of the green stuff --- can Dick Tracy (Byrd) pick up the trail of Stark and his five sons who will stop at nothing to do him in while making life miserable for the entire Republic crew --- will justice prevail as Tracy and his agents mix it up with long time master criminal Stark --- is this the best performance Middleton has given to date, can we honestly say he's a scene stealer --- well "serial buffs" don't leave the theater until the final chapter is over and done with --- return next week to this local theater for another episode of action and adventure that will keep you thrilled until the next chapter.

the cast includes:
Ralph Byrd ... Dick Tracy
Lynne Roberts ... Gwen Andrews (as Lynn Roberts)
Charles Middleton ... Pa Stark
Jerry Tucker ... Junior
David Sharpe ... Agent Ron Merton
Lee Ford ... Mike McGurk
Michael Kent ... Agent Steve Lockwood
John Merton ... Champ Stark
Ray Bennett ... Trigger Stark (as Raphael Bennett)
Jack Roberts ... Dude Stark
Ned Glass ... Kid Stark [Chs. 1, 13]
Eddie Foster ... Joe Hanner, Taxi Driver [Chs. 1, 13] (as Edward Foster)
Alan Gregg ... Jimmy 'Snub' Madison, thug
Reed Howes ... Agent Rance
Bob Terry ... Agent Reynolds (as Robert Terry)
Tom Seidel ... Agent Hunt
Jack Ingram ... Slasher Stark

CHAPTER TITLES:
1. The Sky Wreckers
2. The Runaway Of Death
3. Handcuffed To Doom
4. Four Seconds To Live
5. Death In The Air
6. Stolen Secrets
7. Tower Of Death
8. Cargo Of Destruction
9. The Clock Of Doom
10.High Voltage
11. The Kidnapped Witness
12.The Runaway Torpedo
13.Passengers To Doom
14.In The Hands Of The Enemy
15.G-Men's Dragnet

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Special Video Introduction by Max Allan Collins (author of Dick Tracy comic strip 1977-93)

TRAILERS:
1. JUNIOR G-MEN OF THE AIR - 4 May 1942 - 12 Chapter Serial (220 mins)
2. THE MASTER KEY - 25 April 1945 - 13 Chapter Serial (226 mins)
3. DICK TRACY'S G-MEN - 2 September 1939 - 15 Chapter Serial (302 mins)

BIOS:
1. Ralph Byrd (as Dick Tracy)
Birth Date: 4/22/1909 - Dayton, Ohio
Died: 8/18/1952 - Tarzana, CA

2. Charles Middleton
Birth Date:10/03/1874 - Elizabethtown, Ky
Died: 4/22/1949 - Los Angeles, CA

3. Chester Gould (creator of Dick Tracy)
Birth Date:11/20/1900 - Pawnee, Oklahoma
Died: 5/11/1985 - Woodstock, Illinois

4. William Witney (Director)
Birth Date: 5/15/1910
Died: 3/17/2002 - Pioneer, CA

5. John English (Director)
Birth Date: 6/25/1903 - Cumberland, England, UK
Died: 10/11/1969 - Los Angeles, CA

Hats off and thanks to Robert Blair and his staff at VCI Entertainment --- VCI was named in Variety and Hollywood Reporter as the first company to produce and release motion pictures directly to the home marketplace --- order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch releases --- VCI are experts in releasing long forgotten films and treasures to the collector -- looking forward to more Nostalgic Collections.

Total Time: 254 mins on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment 8503 ~ (6/24/2008)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars chester gould's celluloid classic, September 9, 2008

By 

A. Flynt (detroit, mi) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dick Tracy Returns (DVD)

So glad to get a fine print of this Republic serial. Max Collins introduces the film and since he wrote the Dick Tracy comic strip what a fitting tribute. Ironically Dave Sharpe only acts in the film and I saw little evidence of his incomperable stunt work. Of course Ralph Byrd does look more at ease with the character and Charles Middleton does another admirable job. VCI is to be commended on searching and finding good prints of old films thought lost in the caverns of public domain. I am anxiously awaiting the completion of the Republic cannon of Dick Tracy movies.