The Green Hornet collector’s set (DVD film serial reviews).

The Green Hornet cast: Gordon Jones, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel, Wade Boteler, Phillip Trent, Cy Kendall, Stanley Andrews, Selmer Jackson, Joseph Crehan, Walter McGrall, Eddie Dunn, Edward Earle and Ben Taggart.

“The Green Hornet Collector’s Set,” released in 2011, was launched to celebrate the Green Hornet’s 75th birthday. It’s doubtful that anyone is commemorating his 87th birthday, although I suspect many of us will be here in 13 years for his next milestone. Most of you probably only remember the 1960s series with Bruce Lee as Kato. However, back in 1940, Kato was portrayed by Keye Luke, the same actor who later played Master Po in the 1970s TV series “Kung Fu,” among his numerous credits.

In the first series, actor Gordon Jones plays Britt Reid/Green Hornet. The opening episode quickly reveals that Kato made their speedy car, capable of reaching 200 mph and equipped with a hornet-like noise, to race them to events. He also creates the Hornet’s gas gun as an alternative to using bullets. Did you ever get the feeling that the 2011 film took inspiration from here? Reid is perpetually late to his day job as the publisher of The Sentinel newspaper, where he is altering its modus operandi to support the oppressed and target organized crime’s racketeers. He views the creation of his alter-ego, the Green Hornet, as a Robin Hood role, playing the villain to conceal his crusade. Interestingly, no reference is made to his cousin ancestor, the disguised Lone Ranger.

The crux of the plot revolves around a syndicate of twelve people controlling a variety of rackets, including profiting from insurance when workers are killed in ‘accidents’. A similar scheme targets learner pilots, this time involving non-existent girlfriends. The duo works to shut down these and many other schemes.

It isn’t until chapter 5 that we learn their car is named the Black Beauty in the opening text introduction, though in later texts, it’s spelled in lowercase. The car rarely reaches 200 mph but easily outpaces police cars in the city. This version of the Green Hornet is based on the radio series, so in some respects, it’s a second-generation adaptation. In his alternate identity, Kato serves as a house-boy and doesn’t accompany Reid to the newspaper. Therefore, reporter/sometimes-bodyguard and ex-policeman Michael Axford (played by Wade Boteler) becomes a more frequent confidant than his secretary, Leonore Case (portrayed by Anne Nagel). Axford, an older man, is impetuous, impulsive, and not always thoughtful.

The identity of the racket mastermind is not revealed until the final, thirteenth episode. I had my suspicions, but I doubt cinema-goers went home discussing it; they likely just watched it unfold on the screen.

Interestingly, despite the Green Hornet wearing a plastic mask with his moniker, when people inquire about his identity, he still shows a badge with his name on his glove palm. He must purchase these badges in bulk, considering how many he distributes or leaves at crime scenes. Oh, and in case you’re wondering about the theme music for the boxset, it’s ‘The Flight Of The Bumblebee.’ Not exactly a hornet, which belongs to the wasp family, but the music is certainly fast.

Keye Luke’s Kato is more active in the opening and closing episodes than in others, where he’s often just driving around. He does demonstrate his ability to deliver a karate chop and occasionally rescues the Hornet. Unlike the rest of the cast, he doesn’t interact much with the main characters, which is perhaps typical for a ‘house boy’ of that era. However, if he did, it might risk revealing the Hornet’s true identity. This is a common issue in later ‘Green Hornet’ series and films. Having two characters in the same frame named ‘Kato’ is too big a coincidence not to suspect a connection.

The series is certainly watchable, and the Hornet’s modus operandi of appearing criminal to disguise his true intentions is intriguing, even if it means everyone is after him. After all that, he surely needs a vacation.”

The Green Hornet Strikes Again! cast: Warren Hull, Keye Luke, Anne Nagel, Wade Boteler, Eddie Acuff, Pierce Watkin and James Seay.

There’s quite a change in the opening of ‘The Green Hornet Strikes Again!’, released in 1941, and not just because of the new actor, Warren Hull, playing Britt Reid/Green Hornet. Although the actors differ, they look enough alike not to cause concern. In this series, Reid and Kato (played by Keye Luke) are on holiday in Hawaii. Meanwhile, back home, the managing editor of The Sentinel is hospitalized after an ‘accident’, allowing a racketeer involved in lottery fixes, earning about a million dollars a month, to step in. The regular staff, like Leonore Case (portrayed by Anne Nagel) and Michael Axford (played by Wade Boteler), are upset. What they don’t know is that the head racketeer, Boss Crogan (played by Pierre Watkin), doesn’t want Reid back and arranges for his assassination by Bordine (actor James Seay) – a task easier said than done. Instead of returning to the mainland by plane, Reid and Kato must come back by ship, and Reid quickly reasserts himself at his newspaper. I’m glossing over some details, so you’ll be enticed to buy your own copy.

Much of the time, the Green Hornet and Kato are again pursuing various racketeers, leaving anyone they beat to the police while maintaining their own cover as racketeers themselves. It’s not quite the same as last time, but it’s engaging enough for you to want to see what happens next.

The serial raises interesting questions, like how often Kato rescues the Green Hornet from wrecked buildings and cars. Either Britt Reid is extremely unlucky, or he doesn’t thoroughly plan his escapes. It’s never stated what his long overcoat is made of, but considering he escapes without a scratch, it does suggest it’s well-insulated.

Consider this: the Green Hornet is supposed to masquerade as a racketeer, invariably muscling in on other racketeers’ action, yet no one questions whether he has men to run his operation or where they are.

I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive about watching these two serials, mostly because I saw one episode of the 1966 TV series and wasn’t that impressed. In sharp contrast, these two serials were quite watchable and fit well into the 22-minute episode format without becoming boring.

GF Willmetts

December 2023

(pub: VCI Entertainment, 2011. 4 DVDs The Green Hornet 258 minutes 13 * 22 minute episodes. The Green Hornet Strikes Again! 293 minutes 15 * 22 minute episodes. Price: varies. ASIN: #8597.  ISBN: 1-55739-714-7).

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