Adventures of Captain Africa (1955) DVD-R

Starring John Hart, Rick Vallin, Ben Welden, June Howard, Bud Osborne
Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet

Print: black/white
Runtime: 225 min.
Genre: adventure
Picture Quality: B

Filled from front to back with stock footage taken from the Columbia
serials "The Phantom-1943" and, primarily, "The Desert Hawk-1944", with
John Hart and the always-dull Rick Vallin making less-than-adequate
substitutes for Tom Tyler and Gilbert Roland, this Sam Katzman
"production" finds the mighty jungle avenger and legendary Captain
Africa (John Hart) - A "Phantom" rip-off that side-stepped the need to pay
King Features another fee for using the character - pledging to see that
the legitimate Arabian caliph, Hamid (Paul Marion), is restored to the
throne which a tyrannical rival has usurped. He is joined in this
enterprise by adventurer Ted Arnold (Rick Vallin), wild-animal trapper Nat
Coleman (Bud Osborne), and his assistant Omar (Ben Welden) and, to
cover all bases, the Arabian princess Rhoda (June Howard). This rambles
on for 15 chapters as they are beset by guards of the tyrant caliph, desert
outlaws, wild beasts of the jungle, and a pair of white adventurers, Boris
(Lee Roberts) and Greg (Terry Frost), (doing the work of dozens for
budgetary reasons) who have a vested interest in keeping the usurper
on the throne.