Captain America

1944 - 15 Chapters


Captain America is a 1944 Republic black-and-white serial film based (loosely) on the comic book character Captain America. It was the last Republic serial made about a superhero. It also has the distinction of being the most expensive serial that Republic ever made.

The serial sees Captain America, really District Attorney Grant Gardner, trying to thwart the plans of The Scarab, really museum curator Dr. Cyrus Maldor especially regarding his attempts to acquire the "Dynamic Vibrator" and "Electronic Fire Bolt", devices that could be used as super-weapons.

In a rare plot element for Republic, the secret identity of the villain is known to the audience from the beginning, if not to the characters in the serial. The studio's usual approach was the use of a mystery villain who was only unmasked as one of the other supporting characters in the final chapter.


Plot

A rash of suspicious suicides among scientists and businessmen, all found holding a small scarab, gets the attention of Mayor Randolph. He demands that Police Commissioner Dryden and District Attorney Grant Gardner get to the bottom of the case, while openly wishing that Captain America, a masked man who has helped defeat crime in the past, were around to solve the mystery. Gail investigates 
and realizes someone knows of the purple death. However he then pulls out a gun and takes her into another room. He then orders an associate to tie her up. The D.A. realizes she is there and forces the man to take him to her. He finds her tied up and gagged. He frees her but it is threatened that the purple death will be dropped killing them all. But the D.A. shoots him then gets out of the room with 
Gail.

All of the suicides were members of an expedition to some Mayan ruins. One of the few remaining survivors, Professor Lyman, turns to his friend Dr. Maldor for support. Dr. Maldor, however, reveals that he is the man responsible for the deaths. He wants revenge because he planned and organized the expedition but everyone else claimed the fame and fortune. However, Lyman has developed the "Dynamic Vibrator" - a device intended for mining operations but one that can be amplified into a devastating weapon. Using his "Purple Death", a hypnotic chemical responsible for the suicides, Dr. Maldor forces Lyman to disclose the location of his plans.

Captain America intervenes as the Scarab's heavies attempt to steal the plans and this leads to a sequence of plots by the Scarab to acquire a working version, as well as other devices, while trying to eliminate the interfering Captain before he succeedsin discovering Dr. Maldor's true identity or defeats him.


Cast


Dick Purcell as District Attorney Grant Gardner and Captain America. 
Lorna Gray as Gail Richards, Grant Gardner's secretary
Lionel Atwill as Dr Cyrus Maldor/The Scarab
Charles Trowbridge as Police Commissioner Dryden
Russell Hicks as Mayor Randolph
George J. Lewis as Bart Matson
John Davidson as Gruber
Stanley Price as Purple Death chemist



Chapter titles


The Purple Death 
Mechanical Executioner 
The Scarlet Shroud 
Preview of Murder 
Blade of Wrath 
Vault of Vengeance 
Wholesale Destruction 
Cremation in the Clouds 
Triple Tragedy 
The Avenging Corpse 
The Dead Man Returns 
Horror on the Highway 
Skyscraper Plunge 
The Scarab Strikes 
The Toll of Doom