I am a long time fan of the Dead End Kids, Little Tough Guys, East Side Kids and Bowery Boys flicks. When I decided to watch Sea Raiders, I had high hopes that it was an enjoyable and well made serial. Well, all I can say is that this a twelve chapter serial that felt like it was fifteen episodes long.
The main plot deals with a group of axis agents (the Sea Raiders) that operate in the US who sink munitions ships and attempt to steal an experimental torpedo boat. In addition to the primary plot, this move contains six subplots, two sets of young lovers a courting. William Hall and Mary Field form one of these couples while John McGuire and Marcia Ralston comprise the other. Additionally, the early chapters, contain comic shticks about about a bumbling cop (Hall) and an Italian immigrant grocer. There are thirteen different actors who have substantial speaking parts. Really, the script for Sea Raiders can best be described as overstuffed.
Keeping track of all these characters and subplots slows the pace of Sea Raiders to the point of sluggishness. Consequently, the serial is never really very exciting. Nonetheless, the acting is competent and appealing. Reed Haley is quite effective as the slick and menacing lead villain. However, the cast is so large that some of the actors (Bernard Punsley, Joe Recht, Gabriel Dell and Ralston) have little to do. Had these five characters been edited out of the script, the film could have proceeded at brisk pace. The idea of having rough around the edges teenagers ( Punsley, Huntz Hall, Dell, Hally Chester, Recht and Billy Hallop)) serve as the main heroes (instead of the usual bland leading man in his twenty or thirties common to serials) is a refreshing change.
I like this serial but I think this is due in large part to my fondness for the Dead End Kids/Little Tough Guys/etc. Consequently, I recommend Sea Raiders only to fans of Halop and company. Non-fans will probably find this serial dull viewing.
