"The Royal Mounted Rides Again" is a 13-chapter serial released by Universal in 1945, directed by Ray Taylor and Lewis D. Collins, with original screenplay by Joseph O'Donnell, Tom Gibson and Harold C. Wire.
The story takes place in Northwest Canada, near the Alaska border, around 1900. At Canaska, mining company owner Jackson Decker (Addison Richards) sends the manager of his
copper mine, Brad Taggart (Milburn Stone) to buy, at any price, milling machinery from miner Tom Bailey (Guy Beach). Bailey is unwilling to sell, since he has just discovered a rich vein of gold, and learning that no one else knows of the find Taggart shoots Bailey. But Taggart is careless in disposing of the body; some gold nuggets are found in the dead man's pockets, starting a gold rush in Canaska. The tunnel to the strike has to be blown up so it won't be located from Bailey's mine, delaying recovery of the gold by several serial movie chapters. Corporal Wayne (Bill Kennedy) is investigating the murder, even though he is really Decker's son, chosen for his understanding of mining operations. He is helped by Constable "Frenchy" Moselle (George Dolenz). Soon Bailey's daughter June (Daun Kennedy) arrives, assuring everyone that Decker is the murderer, which is the prevailing attitude owing to his aggressive business practices. She restarts the mill on her late father's property, to be run by Lode MacKenzie (Tom Fadden). This is done in cooperation with the Mounties, who hope to track any raw gold that comes from Bailey's find by matching it with the nuggets found on his body. But our bad guys busy themselves trying to avoid detection by blowing up properties, creating landslides, forest fires and generally being a real nuisance, while they try to tunnel through to the gold pocket from Decker's copper mine.
For those who like serials with simple plots, clearly defined good and evil characters, and little dialogue -- this isn't the right choice. As a serial about the Mounties it could use more action, but considered as a Universal Western it isn't bad at all, and there are no attacks by Indians. The cliffhangers aren't as elaborate as those in Republic's serials, but compensate by not dominating the plot, which is already burdened with complications typical of Universal serials. In addtion to Taggart, there is a crooked saloon owner, Jonathan Price (Robert Armstrong) and his dealer, Eddie "Dancer" Clare (Danny Morton) who has some talents beyond cards. June Bailey's friend, Dille Clark (Helen Bennett) is
pretending to be a fortune teller, Madame Mysterioso, to help spread rumors of Jackson Decker's guilt. And another mysterious character, Latitude Bucket (Paul E. Burns) seems to be working on all sides simultaneously. Taggart's chief henchman is Bunker (Joseph Haworth) with help from Kent, Grail and Archer (George Lloyd, George Eldridge and William Haade). Inside the saloon near the office, maybe guarding the place or maybe asleep is Bull Andrews (Rondo Hatton), whose ominous features are best known from his role as the "Hoxton Creeper" in the 1944 Sherlock Holmes film "The Pearl of Death." There is even a pair of characters, Division Superintendent MacDondald and Sergeant Ladue (Selmer Jackson and Daral Hudson) who get screen credit, but who are there mostly for the acted-out chapter introductions that Universal thought better than spoken narration or printed text. While these add to the already talk-filled chapters they are fairly short in this serial.
Bill Kennedy isn't exactly a memorable actor, and his partner, George Dolenz isn't a lot better, but the needs here are not great, and both look fine in Mountie uniforms. We get a stronger characterization from their boss, Sergeant Nelson (Joseph Crehan), Wayne's father Jackson Decker (Addison Richards) and certainly from Milburn Stone and Paul E. Burns. And it wouldn't be a Universal serial without stock footage, including horse-drawn fire wagons that might have been in actual use when filmed. We also get some of the "lumber camp" footage, used in the 1936 serial "Adventures of Frank Merriwell" and doubtless old at that time. But most of this is well-integrated with the new footage.
VCI's edition, # 8483 is on a single DVD. The source print is better than many from 1940's Universal serials, though a little mysterious. The main title lacks both "presenter" credit and copyright, and the image isn't especially sharp. The rest of the titles, and the chapters themselves are better, properly framed with little in the way of "dirt" or scratches, and the gray scale is good. The sound is clear, with adequate frequency response and little noise, though some "sprocket buzz" is occasionally heard. After the opening title, with a still-frame background, the rest of the credits look like the originals, but the transition to them puts a speed glitch in the sound. The same copy of the credits is used on all chapters, with MPPDA certificate number 10997. All of the "next week" titles appear to have been created for the video edition, not in the style used by Universal in 1945, failing to mention the next chapter number and even calling it an "episode." Authenticity of the chapter titles is suspect; Chapter 12 is identified as "Twenty Dollar Double Cross" while the lobby card shown on the package and in the "Photo Gallery" has "Doublecross" as a single word.
"Extras" are not numerous; the "Photo Gallery" consists of three pictures, the above-mentioned lobby card, a posed picture of Daun Kennedy and Bill Kennedy, and one production still picture with the two Mounties and Lode MacKenzie with Latitude Bucket. There are "Bio's" of Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor, Bill Kennedy and Milburn Stone. The only other item is a "Cliff Hanger Promo" with short clips from trailers used to advertise VCI's serial releases.
While Universal made better serials, this one holds up fairly well if approached with the right expectations. There are some well-known cast members, the plot has interesting twists and even the recap dialogue doesn't seem too redundant when watched with at least a day between chapters. VCI's print is decent, the sound is clear and the price is reasonable. A good release, especially for serial fans.
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