Spy Smasher 1942 Chapter 04 of 12 - Stratosphere Invaders
Spy Smasher is a 12-episode
1942 Republic movie serial based on the
Fawcett Comics character Spy Smasher. It was the
25th of the 66 serials produced by Republic. The serial was directed by
William Witney with
Kane Richmond and
Marguerite Chapman as the leads.This serial was Chapman's big break into a career in movies and television. Spy Smasher is a very highly regarded serial. In 1966, a television movie was made from the serial footage under the title Spy Smasher
Returns.
Alan Armstrong (Kane Richmond) as the Spy smasher is a costumed vigilante and freelance agent, not associated with the
US government as the country has not yet joined its allies in
World War II. After discovering information about
Nazi activities in occupied
France, he is captured and ordered to be executed. However, with the help of
Pierre Durand (
Franco Corsaro), he escapes back to the
United States, meeting with his twin brother
Jack (Kane Richmond).
Jack is incorrectly recognized and attacked killed by Nazi agent on
American soil codenamed
The Mask (
Hans Schumm). Eve
Corby (Marguerite Chapman) plays Jack's fiancé. The Mask, operates from a U-Boat near the coast.The Mask's attacks on the United States begin with an attempt to flood the country with forged money and destroy the economy. When this is defeated, he continues with other attacks including destroying aircraft, oil and munitions intended for
Britain.
Constant defeats at the hands of Spy Smasher, with support from
Jack Armstrong and
Admiral Corby (Sam
Flint), also leads the villain to take the fight back to the masked hero
. In the end, the villain is killed aboard his own U-Boat in a sea of flaming oil.