THE GREEN HORNET was certainly one of the better radio shows (I've listened to scores of episodes and have yet to be disappointed by a single one), and a television series that I've always felt was ahead of its time; sandwiched in between were two outstanding movie serials (not to mention comic books). The level of control exercised by George Trendle no doubt accounts for much of the artistic success of THE GREEN HORNET: there's a consistency throughout that's sadly missing from the exploits of most other masked heroes (including another favorite, The Shadow, who overshadowed the competition in the pulps, but whose ventures outside the pages of the magazine that gave him life left more than a little to be desired). In terms of craftsmanship, this first serial is topnotch. The attention to detail is nothing less than truly amazing. One interesting aspect of this serial is the way radio star Al Hodges dubbed the voice of on-screen star Gordon Jones (a way, of sorts, to maintain continuity with the radio show). (Which leads to one of only two quibbles I have with the serial: a villain in chapter four, overhearing Britt Reid speak, comments that he recognizes Reid's voice- the voice of The Green Hornet- which is supplied, in this case, by a different actor, and therefore patently impossible.) (The other quibble comes when, at the end of chapter six, the Hornet is apparently shot as he tries to exit a second-storey window and drops FACE FIRST to the pavement far below. He gets to his feet in the next chapter, no worse for wear, and in the very next scene is seated calmly at a desk, taking care of business. No mention is made of the wound. One can only speculate that a bulletproof vest was involved, but such body armor isn't even mentioned.) All things considered, one could do worse than THE GREEN HORNET- but not many were ever done better.
Review of The Green Hornet
