"Raiders of Ghost City" is a movie serial made by Universal Studios. And, like other serials, it features the hero making miraculous escapes at the end of nearly each episode...and you KNOW he is killed...but he isn't. And, it also features an evil villain...who often is much more interesting and fun to watch than the hero
The story is set in the final months of the US Civil War. Union officers realize that a network of Confederate spies have infiltrated their ranks and they pick Captain Steve Clark (Dennis Moore) to head west and investigate the spies and their attempt to steal Union gold to fund the Confederacy. However, while there certainly are Confederate spies about, the man in charge (Lionel Atwill) is actually there to steal the gold...for himself! Along the way, Steve meets up with Idaho Jones (Joe Sawyer) and the two battle the baddies until the ultimate showdown.
The production values of this series are good and the serial looks well made. However, there is one big problem...Moore and his character are pretty dull. Also, the music is intrusive and seems to always be there. On the plus side, however, Sawyer and Atwill are great and do a lot to improve the film. Additionally, it's nice to see Virginia Christine (known for making a long series of Folgers commercials in the 1970s-80s) playing a really bad woman...quite a departure for her. Overall, a serial that is neither good nor bad...making it watchable but not a standout series as well.
