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| Not the original poster art |
This was Witney's last production before leaving to serve in World War II, he actually shipped out before filming was complete. It also sees Witney's wife, Maxine Doyle, returning to acting for the first time since they met on the set of an earlier serial, S O S Coast Guard (1937).
Rod Cameron's characterization of federal agent Rex Bennett was so successful that Republic hurriedly made changes to Cameron's next serial, already in production. It became an unofficial sequel, Secret Service in Darkest Africa, with Cameron's character renamed Rex Bennett, and the feminine lead Joan Marsh becoming a British character, as in G-Men vs. the Black Dragon. G-Men vs. The Black Dragon was budgeted at $148,445 although the final over-cost was $156,599
In 1966 the serial was edited into a feature titled Black Dragon of Manzanar. It played on television as part of Republic's "Century 66" package of 100-minute serial adaptations.
Plot: After Japanese spies from the infamous Black Dragon Society infiltrate United States borders, Federal Agent Rex Bennett is enlisted by the government to capture them. As Oyama Haruchi, leader of the dangerous paramilitary group, begins to destabilize the United States war effort through sabotage and corruption, Bennett must team up with British special agent Vivian Marsh and Chinese special agent Chang Sing to stop them and help win the war.
In this clip, Vivian Marsh (Constance Worth) is captured while undercover when some henchmen report they were ambushed by our heroes. Vivian is taken to another room and tied to a large ornate chair with rope while the leader loads a spear-throwing mechanism built into the wall. Our heroes arrive and a fight ensues. the lead baddie slips away in the chaos. Vivian struggles as the two statue spear points which trigger the machine get closer. A sprk ignites, the spear flies, and vivian gives one last shriek of terror.
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