Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars
Encyclopedia
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars is a 1938 serial film of 15 episodes, based on the comic strip Flash Gordon
. It is the second of three Flash Gordon serials made between 1936 and 1940.
The main cast from first serial reprise their roles: Buster Crabbe
as Flash Gordon
, Jean Rogers
as Dale Arden
, Frank Shannon
as Dr. Alexis Zarkov
and Charles B. Middleton
as Ming the Merciless
.
Also in the principal cast are Beatrice Roberts
as Queen Azura, Donald Kerr as Happy Hapgood, C. Montague Shaw
as the Clay King, and Wheeler Oakman
as Ming's chief henchman.
called nitron is vanishing from the atmosphere, causing hurricanes and other meteorological disasters. (Universal used stock newsreel footage for the scenes.) Flash and Zarkov use an airplane to take measurements only to discover that a ray-beam from Mars is the source of the nitron depletion. A comical newspaper journalist, Happy Hapgood, arrives on the scene to get the scoop, and stows away when they, together with Dale Arden, leave to investigate in Zarkov's rocket ship.
They discover that Azura, Queen of Mars, is working with Ming the Merciless, their old nemesis from Mongo
, not dead as they had believed, to conquer earth. All Martians who oppose her have been turned into clay humanoids, consigned to live in a world of clay-walled caverns beneath the Martian soil. Flash, Zarkov, Dale and Happy take refuge from the Martians in one of these caverns and are captured by the Clay People, and taken to their Clay King. From him, they learn what is transpiring between Queen Azura and Ming, and anxiously agree to help.
The plot sequence becomes:
to capitalise on Orson Welles
' famous The War of the Worlds
broadcast. According to Stedman, this serial preceded that broadcast, which made Universal hastily release a feature version of the serial as Mars Attacks the World` to capitalise on the publicity. The film played to good audiences.
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars was less expensive than the first Flash Gordon serial.
also prepared a feature length edited version of this serial, which was already in print and ready for release in October 1938 when Orson Welles
astounded the entire USA with his Mercury Theatre
production of H. G. Wells
's The War of the Worlds
. As an exploitation film
tie in, Universal had the feature's title changed to Mars Attacks the World, and eight days following the Welles broadcast, placed it at a Broadway
theater as a major premiere event. Strangely, the original title for this feature version had been Rocket Ship, which was subsequently and more appropriately added to reissues of the first Flash Gordon
serial's feature version, first shown under its source serial's title in 1936.
declared the serial to be "a Grade A cinemedition of the famed King Features strip."
Source:
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
. It is the second of three Flash Gordon serials made between 1936 and 1940.
The main cast from first serial reprise their roles: Buster Crabbe
Buster Crabbe
Clarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
as Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
, Jean Rogers
Jean Rogers
Jean Rogers was an American actress. She portrayed Dale Arden in two of the three Flash Gordon serials.-Early life:...
as Dale Arden
Dale Arden
Dale Arden is a fictional character, the fellow-adventurer and love interest of Flash Gordon and a prototypic heroine for later female characters, including Princess Leia Organa and Padme Amidala in Star Wars. Flash, Dale and Dr...
, Frank Shannon
Frank Shannon
Francis Connolly Shannon , better known as Frank Shannon, was an Irish-born actor and writer.A stage actor and silent film pioneer, Shannon made his screen debut in 1913's The Artist's Joke. He later appeared in dozens of films through the mid-1920s, including The Prisoner of Zenda and Monsieur...
as Dr. Alexis Zarkov
Hans Zarkov
Dr. Hans Zarkov is a fictional character appearing in the Flash Gordon comic strip. Zarkov is a brilliant scientist who creates a rocket and forces Flash and Dale Arden to come with him to the planet Mongo, and fight against Ming the Merciless...
and Charles B. Middleton
Charles B. Middleton
Charles B. Middleton was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, Charles Middleton appeared in nearly two hundred films as well as numerous plays...
as Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless
Ming the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, TV shows and film adaptation.- First appearance :...
.
Also in the principal cast are Beatrice Roberts
Beatrice Roberts
Alice Beatrice Roberts was an American film actress. She was briefly married to the cartoonist and showman Robert L. Ripley and a mistress of Louis B. Mayer....
as Queen Azura, Donald Kerr as Happy Hapgood, C. Montague Shaw
C. Montague Shaw
Charles Montague Shaw was an Australian character actor, often appearing in small supporting parts in more than 150 films....
as the Clay King, and Wheeler Oakman
Wheeler Oakman
Wheeler Oakman was an American film actor.Usually appearing as a henchman in films, rarely a leading role, he appeared in over 280 films between 1912 and 1948....
as Ming's chief henchman.
Plot summary
Another crisis is striking the Earth: a fictional chemical elementChemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
called nitron is vanishing from the atmosphere, causing hurricanes and other meteorological disasters. (Universal used stock newsreel footage for the scenes.) Flash and Zarkov use an airplane to take measurements only to discover that a ray-beam from Mars is the source of the nitron depletion. A comical newspaper journalist, Happy Hapgood, arrives on the scene to get the scoop, and stows away when they, together with Dale Arden, leave to investigate in Zarkov's rocket ship.
They discover that Azura, Queen of Mars, is working with Ming the Merciless, their old nemesis from Mongo
Mongo (planet)
Mongo is a fictional planet where the comic strip of Flash Gordon take place. It is ruled by a usurper named Ming the Merciless, who governs with an iron hand....
, not dead as they had believed, to conquer earth. All Martians who oppose her have been turned into clay humanoids, consigned to live in a world of clay-walled caverns beneath the Martian soil. Flash, Zarkov, Dale and Happy take refuge from the Martians in one of these caverns and are captured by the Clay People, and taken to their Clay King. From him, they learn what is transpiring between Queen Azura and Ming, and anxiously agree to help.
The plot sequence becomes:
- Destroy the Nitron Lamp which is draining the Earth's atmosphere
- Restore the Clay People to their original human form
- Defeat Ming
Cast
- Buster CrabbeBuster CrabbeClarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
as Flash GordonFlash GordonFlash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash... - Jean RogersJean RogersJean Rogers was an American actress. She portrayed Dale Arden in two of the three Flash Gordon serials.-Early life:...
as Dale ArdenDale ArdenDale Arden is a fictional character, the fellow-adventurer and love interest of Flash Gordon and a prototypic heroine for later female characters, including Princess Leia Organa and Padme Amidala in Star Wars. Flash, Dale and Dr... - Charles B. MiddletonCharles B. MiddletonCharles B. Middleton was an American stage and film actor. During a film career that began at age 46 and lasted almost 30 years, Charles Middleton appeared in nearly two hundred films as well as numerous plays...
as Ming the MercilessMing the MercilessMing the Merciless is a fictional character who first appeared in the Flash Gordon comic strip in 1934. He has since been the main villain of the strip and its related movie serials, TV shows and film adaptation.- First appearance :...
. Ming is portrayed more in the manner of the Devil in this serial (as opposed to Fu Manchu in the first serial). - Frank ShannonFrank ShannonFrancis Connolly Shannon , better known as Frank Shannon, was an Irish-born actor and writer.A stage actor and silent film pioneer, Shannon made his screen debut in 1913's The Artist's Joke. He later appeared in dozens of films through the mid-1920s, including The Prisoner of Zenda and Monsieur...
as Dr. Alexis ZarkovHans ZarkovDr. Hans Zarkov is a fictional character appearing in the Flash Gordon comic strip. Zarkov is a brilliant scientist who creates a rocket and forces Flash and Dale Arden to come with him to the planet Mongo, and fight against Ming the Merciless... - Beatrice RobertsBeatrice RobertsAlice Beatrice Roberts was an American film actress. She was briefly married to the cartoonist and showman Robert L. Ripley and a mistress of Louis B. Mayer....
as Queen Azura - Donald Kerr as Happy Hapgood
- Richard AlexanderRichard Alexander (actor)Richard Alexander was an American character actor. Born in Dallas, Texas, Alexander appeared in numerous film serials such as Flash Gordon and Zorro Rides Again, as well as a leading role in All Quiet on the Western Front. He is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.-References:...
as Prince BarinPrince BarinPrince Barin is a character in the Flash Gordon stories. He is king of a region of Mongo called Arboria. Barin becomes one of Flash's best friends, and is deeply in love with Princess Aura.... - C. Montague ShawC. Montague ShawCharles Montague Shaw was an Australian character actor, often appearing in small supporting parts in more than 150 films....
as Clay King - Wheeler OakmanWheeler OakmanWheeler Oakman was an American film actor.Usually appearing as a henchman in films, rarely a leading role, he appeared in over 280 films between 1912 and 1948....
as Tarnak - Kenne DuncanKenne DuncanKenne Duncan , born Kenneth Duncan MacLachlan, was a well-known B-movie character actor. Hyped professionally as "The Meanest Man in the Movies," the vast majority of his over 250 appearances on camera were Westerns, but he also did occasional forays into horror, crime drama, and science fiction...
as Airdrome captain - Warner RichmondWarner RichmondWarner Richmond was an American actor. He appeared in 141 films between 1912 and 1946.He was born in Racine, Wisconsin and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Brown of Harvard...
as Zandar
Production
This serial, the first sequel to Flash Gordon, was based on the 1936 "Big Little Book" adaptation of the strip "Flash Gordon and the Witch Queen of Mongo". According to Harmon and Glut, the location was changed to MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
to capitalise on Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' famous The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (radio)
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker...
broadcast. According to Stedman, this serial preceded that broadcast, which made Universal hastily release a feature version of the serial as Mars Attacks the World` to capitalise on the publicity. The film played to good audiences.
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars was less expensive than the first Flash Gordon serial.
Mars Attacks the World
Universal PicturesUniversal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
also prepared a feature length edited version of this serial, which was already in print and ready for release in October 1938 when Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
astounded the entire USA with his Mercury Theatre
Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was a theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and John Houseman. After a string of live theatrical productions, in 1938 the Mercury Theatre progressed into their best-known period as The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a radio series that included one of the...
production of H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
's The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (radio)
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker...
. As an exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
tie in, Universal had the feature's title changed to Mars Attacks the World, and eight days following the Welles broadcast, placed it at a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
theater as a major premiere event. Strangely, the original title for this feature version had been Rocket Ship, which was subsequently and more appropriately added to reissues of the first Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
serial's feature version, first shown under its source serial's title in 1936.
Television broadcasting
During the 1950s, the three serials were shown on American television. To avoid confusion with a made-for-TV Flash Gordon series airing around the same time, they were retitled, becoming respectively Space Soldiers, Space Soldiers' Trip to Mars, and Space Soldiers Conquer the Universe. In the mid-1970s, all three serials were shown by PBS stations across the US, bringing Flash Gordon to a new generation, a full two years before Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind re-ignited interest in the science fiction genre. They have also been broadcast in other countries at various times.Critical reception
Time magazineTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
declared the serial to be "a Grade A cinemedition of the famed King Features strip."
Chapter titles
- New Worlds to Conquer
- The Living Dead
- Queen of Magic
- Ancient Enemies
- The Boomerang
- Tree-men of Mars
- The Prisoner of Mongo
- The Black Sapphire of Kalu
- Symbol of Death
- Incense of Forgetfulness
- Human Bait
- Ming the Merciless
- The Miracle of Magic
- A Beast at Bay
- An Eye for an Eye
Source: