Radio Recap: Cloak & Dagger

The second actual episode of Escape (one of my all-time favourite radio programs) is quite unlike the bulk of the series and utterly unlike the other episodes surrounding it. It's titled "Operation Fleur de Lys" and it's a World War II story about two OSS agents (played by Jack Webb & Elliott Lewis) who go behind the lines to reinforce a French maquis against the Nazis. In the course of events they discover a traitor and have to execute a bloody sentence against them. Listen to it at the Internet Archive here.

But at this stage in its development, Escape was principally adapting older stories of fiction, particularly public domain works. "Operation Fleur de Lys" is based on actual events which happened just a few years before its 1947 broadcast. I understood the 1946 book Sub Rosa: The O.S.S. and American Espionage by Stewart Alsop & Thomas Braden was the source of this story so, out of my interest in Escape I recently read the book.

It's a very simple book - that is, it was written in very simple English. Like, if it had been placed on a shelf next to a Hardy Boys adventure it could have played pretty well to that audience. Even though the book is about espionage and spycraft during World War II, the very basic language makes the events it describes sound... not so bad. Many of the stories within were titled "Operation_____" but there was no "Operation Fleur de Lys" and I began to fear I wouldn't find it. The story finally appeared near the end of the book. Escape's adaptation was very faithful; the somber tone of the story really stuck out in Sub Rosa.

This reminded me that there was another old-time radio program connected to the O.S.S.: Cloak and Dagger. This one was also based on a 1946 book about the O.S.S., this one entitled Cloak and Dagger: The Secret Story of the O.S.S. by Corey Ford and Alastair MacBain (I couldn't find a copy to read for myself). I had never been able to finish that 1950 radio series before (even though there are merely 22 episodes; here they are on Youtube). When I heard the first episode I was very engaged and intrigued at what a series about wartime spies would be like. However, when I finally decided I would go through the series episode-by-episode I was soon discouraged.

You see, Cloak and Dagger was an NBC radio program. I've complained about them on this blog before. NBC fell into this pattern of using a lot of canned music, not only recycling the same musical score in every episode of a series but then recycling that music for other programs. They also had a tendency to use the same small pool of actors again and again. It does get tiring. But, as I have had some time to kill here in Angola, I decided to finish the series and hear every episode.

The series is certainly not one to 'marathon' because of the sameness between episodes. There are also elements which give one pause; after all, it's a series which celebrates the O.S.S. It's almost quaint, reading Sub Rosa, to learn of a time when the USA was cautious about the idea of employing an intelligence agency. But, natch, from the O.S.S. came the C.I.A. and a lot of international grief. Then too, it's a radio program of its time. As the adventures of the O.S.S. agents represented on the show were active in other nations it means the actors were frequently called on to supply accents. The various European accents mostly sound fake in a theatrical way; the various Asian accents, though, tip into racism.

Yet for all that, there are a few episodes of Cloak and Dagger which I think are worthwhile to mention: "The Swastika on the Windmill" relates a story which I read about in Sub Rosa about a spy who was caught but was able to both alert the Allies of his capture while making the Germans think he was cooperating with them. "The Last Mission" takes a welcome turn from the usual formula as it's about a civilian woman who is gradually recruited to help an undercover O.S.S. agent in China. And "Windfall" is about a grifter who ends up with vital intelligence that could help the Allies, but he'd rather sell it to the highest bidder.

Cloak and Dagger is... not bad. It's certainly great to hear Raymond Edward Johnson in nearly episode as the host and head of O.S.S.

Lubango Vlog: Walking to Work

I've mentioned Lubango a lot on this blog. But what does this city of an estimated 1.5 million actually look like? This video of me walking to work should help illustrate.

Lubango Vlog Continues!

My vlog at Youtube is continuing to update at odd intervals; here's my latest, a brief tour of where I live in Lubango:

Angola in the Comics #17: Biff Powers and the Missing Scientist

It's time for another entry of Angola in the Comics in which I, a comic book writer and researcher living in Angola, examine a comic book set in the nation of Angola and puzzle over whether it bears any relationship to reality.

I've already featured Biff Powers twice on this blog: in the first entry of this series he encountered the Wolf Man of Angola and in my most recent previous post I looked at his quest for the Giants of Angola. I have no idea who was creating this series (the Grand Comics Database thinks the artist might have been August Froelich but they have no clues to the writer's identity) but they clearly had an interest in Angola because, once again, I have a Biff Powers story to share with you - this one from Starling Comics Vol.2 #3 (April, 1941).

I took some time to skim over Biff's other appearances, wondering which of them might be set in Angola, so now I'm pretty well-versed in what Biff's stories are like and they certainly have a set pattern. As always, it starts with Biff meeting with the head of the Carson Circus. But instead of finding a new attraction for the circus, the owner brings up the missing Dr. Andrew Knight who, in the grand tradition of Dr. Livingstone, is missing in Africa. What's the circus' interest in him? (I mean, I don't think they want him in a cage) It's simply good publicity. Very well.

Usually Biff is opposed by a rival circus but this time men representing a "Fatherland" who all have German names like "Kassel" want to stop him. I have no idea what nation they might represent, it's a mystery. They send him a threatening letter which he ignores so they kidnap him and tie him up inside a house, then light it on fire. Fortunately his girlfriend Marcia (who appears in all of his adventures) comes to his rescue in something of a twist on the formula (usually someone kidnaps her to keep Biff from going to Africa). Biff and Marcia go to depart aboard a ship bound for Ambriz. And that's our connection to Angola! Ambriz is indeed a port city on the coast of Angola. I'm impressed that the author chose a real port and didn't even draw attention to it.

Aboard the ship, Kassel the spy tries to murder Biff by throwing him overboard but Biff narrowly avoids death. Arriving in Ambriz, Biff and Marcia are met by Weki, their guide. Weki has been in all of the stories I've featured on the blog so far. He's also in almost every Biff Powers story, or so it seems, but I'm still not sure if Weki is supposed to be Angolan. Still, he certainly seems to live around there, não é? Biff is attacked by an elephant but he kills it; that's a peril that lasts all of 3 panels (not the most dramatic man vs. nature battle ever put to paper). After that, Biff arms Weki and the other porters with rifles. Soon after they're attacked by "savages" but drive them off with the guns.

Investigating the men who attacked them, Biff encounters what looks to be some kind of python, but he kills it within two panels (seriously, man vs. snake can be a story in itself when done right). Arriving in a nearby village, Biff discovers Dr. Knight is a prisoner of Kassel who is apparently working with the men who attacked Biff's party. Kassel is whipping Dr. Knight for the location of paranium deposits he found (uranium asked for too much money to appear in this story?). Kassel's allies quickly take Biff prisoner.

But now we return to the real heroes of this series: Marcia and Weki. Deciding Biff has been away too long, they set after them. But by this time, Dr. Knight has given up the location of the paranium. As his reward, Kassel has Biff and Dr. Knight tied, half of their limbs tied to different bent saplings. When the trees are cut free they will tear the men apart! Fortunately Weki and the other men arrive and rescue them. Kassel draws a gun on Biff but Marcia pulls out a pistol and shoots Kassel dead (why isn't she the protagonist?). Dr. Knight apologizes for giving in to torture but Biff figures that mine "can produce enough explosive to make America supreme!" Well, that sounds like a happy ending!

This stories are certainly of their time but I do appreciate that the anonymous author did a little bit of research. And Marcia is certainly no damsel in distress this time out, which was pretty rare in 1941. But how does this entry score?

• +1 estrela for using a real location in Angola (Ambriz)
• +2 estrelas for using two animals found in Angola (elephant & python)
• -1 estrela for calling uranium "paranium" (but there's a lot of uranium in Namibia so this isn't such a bad call)

TOTAL SCORE: Dois estrelas! I hope you had fun!

20 Great Years of Movies, Part 20: 1957

1. 12 Angry Men (director: Sidney Lumet): Another great adaptation of a TV film, this one starring Henry Fonda. It's a pretty simple idea - 12 jurors get into a debate about the case they've been asked to provide a recommendation for. Slowly, one man changes the minds of the rest of the jury. It's also fascinating as a crime story which is told out-of-sequence as details about the murder being tried are only revealed as jurors mention them.
2. Paths of Glory (director: Stanley Kubrick): A film as rough and challenging as the original book. This is Kubrick's great World War I picture about three French soldiers who are chosen to be killed in order to set an example; Kirk Douglas plays the officer who tries to defend those men, but the system is more cynical than he imagined.
3. The One That Got Away (director: Roy Ward Baker): I'm really into this under-appreciated gem - the true story of a German pilot who repeatedly escaped the Allies and finally got back to Germany. It's an interesting companion piece to Paul Brickhill (The Great Escape)'s stories about various British pilots' escapes from the Germans.
4. Throne of Blood (director: Akira Kurosawa): This is Kurosawa's amazing version of Macbeth adapted to the culture of feudal Japan. It's a real trip, especially if you love Macbeth. Kurosawa would revisit Shakespeare later in his career and it was a win every time.
5. Witness for the Prosecution (director: Billy Wilder): A really fun adaptation of Agatha Christie's play with Charles Laughton as a defense lawyer; the film changed the ending (that often happened to Christie, it seems), but it's still a great mystery film.
6. The Bridge on the River Kwai (director: David Lean): Once you've finished Paths of Glory, how about another "feel-good" war picture? This one famously concerns British POWs who build a bridge for their Japanese captors, apparently oblivious to how they've become collaborators.
7. Sweet Smell of Success (director: Alexander Mackendrick): I've heard this film called a companion to The Bad and the Beautiful; whatever, they're both fine films about horrible men. This concerns Burt Lancaster as a newspaper columnist who seems to enjoy making Tony Curtis squirm as Curtis tries to curry his favour. It's very different from the other films on this year's list and well worth seeking out.
8. Old Yeller (director: Robert Stevenson): The childhood classic about a boy and his dog (most notorious for its climax). This film didn't register as strongly with me as it seems to have with others, but it's a very good children's film.
9. Night of the Demon (director: Jacques Tourneur): Tourneur ought to be a great adaptor of M. R. James' horror fiction which are about unseen menace; after all, he pioneered unseen menace with Cat People. Yet this film breaks from the original story by showing you the demon in all his glory. I should be upset, but dang it, that demon is instantly memorable.
10. The Devil Strikes at Night (director: Robert Siodmak): And here's a German film which is hard to get with English subtitles. This one is about a serial killer on the loose in Nazi Germany. The killer keeps getting away because the Nazi's are unwilling to admit to the public that serial killers exist in their "perfect" society. A very fascinating subject and a different kind of look at Nazi culture.

And with that, the lists are done. Thank you for following this series of posts, I hope I shed some light on under-appreciated films.

20 Great Years of Movies, Part 19: 1956

1. The Wrong Man (director: Alfred Hitchcock): An oddity for Hitchcock, this film relates a true story and as such, it's not as neat as most of his films - the resolution is not tidy as although the protagonist clears his name, his life is in shambles. It's a different take on the "wrong man" theme which Hitchcock had visited so often. In the 1930s, it seemed like the worst thing that could happen to you would be to be chased by the police. In the 1950s, the worst thing is being judged by your peers.
2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (director: Don Siegel): This is one of the best Cold War science fiction thrillers; the concept of extraterrestrials replacing people is done in terrifying fashion. A great picture.
3. The Killing (director: Stanley Kubrick): Kubrick's first great movie, the story of a heist; like all heist films, it doesn't go according to plan. This one stands apart thanks to superb craft employed in putting it together.
4. Patterns (director: Fielder Cook): Like Marty, a television film which was remade for cinemas. This one concerns the heartless nature of business - of the ruthless ways in which loyal employees are cast aside in the name of progress.
5. The Ten Commandments (director: Cecil B. DeMille): One of the be-all-to-end-all Biblical epics with Charlton Heston as Moses. It's as overblown as anything DeMille ever made, but this is the one time I actually like DeMille's work; it seems to me that if you're going to tell the story of Moses, you pretty much do have to go ridiculously big.
6. Reach for the Sky (director: Lewis Gilbert): A fine adaptation of the true story of a pilot who lost both of his legs but through determination got himself back into the pilot's seat when World War II broke out. This film doesn't capture everything that I liked about Paul Brickhill's book but it's mighty good.
7. The King and I (director: Walter Lang): A fine family musical with some very catchy tunes; this was a childhood favourite of mine.
8. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (director: Fritz Lang): This is an unusual film which is in some ways reminiscent of Lang's Fury. A reporter wants to prove a point about the legal system by framing himself for a murder. His problems multiply when the man who was supposed to clear his name dies in an accident. (contrast against The Wrong Man)
9. The Harder They Fall (director: Mark Robson): Another good boxing movie, this one featuring Humphrey Bogart's final role. Bogart plays a promoter who exploits his boxer but his conscience gnaws at him.
10. While the City Sleeps (director: Fritz Lang): Wow, I really do like Fritz Lang's 1950s output! Somewhat similar to The Blue Gardenia, this concerns a newspaper office which tries to draw out a serial killer with seemingly little regard for the lives in danger.

20 Great Years of Movies, Part 18: 1955

1. Les diaboliques (director: Henri-Georges Clouzot): The movie that outdid Hitchcock; you may not have seen this (after all, it's French) but I strongly suggest you give it a chance. A man is targeted for murder by his wife and his mistress, but in the fallout this thriller starts to creep into the horror genre!
2. Bad Day at Black Rock (director: John Sturges): This is a kind of contemporary western in which a one-armed man goes to a small town to find the father of a soldier who saved his life - but everyone in the town is extremely hostile to him and unwilling to aid in his mission. Much like a standard western film, it's one righteous man against a town!
3. The Ladykillers (director: Alexander Mackendrick): Another very fine Ealing Studios black comedy, this being the great film about a team of crooks living as boarders to a sweet old lady but find themselves divided when their success means her death.
4. The Court Jester (director: Melvin Frank): I believe this is the last comedy to appear in this series of lists. This one is a particular favourite of my brother - I think at one point he would test potential friends by showing them this movie and seeing if they liked it. It's certainly Danny Kaye at his utmost! It's zany and very funny.
5. The Night of the Hunter (director: Charles Laughton): A very offbeat film - so offbeat that it feels timeless. It's the story of two children who are terrorized by an insane preacher (Robert Mitchum) who pursues them through the southern USA. It has the feeling of a somewhat-askew fairy tale.
6. Pete Kelly's Blues (director: Jack Webb): Adapted from Webb's short-lived radio series, this is a great jazz picture with Webb as horn blower Pete Kelly brushing up against the mob during the days of prohibition. A great jazz score and some nice camerawork helps this movie stand out.
7. Marty (director: Delbert Mann): Adapted from a TV movie, this is a thoughtful film about two average people who fall in love. It suceeds thanks to the well-written and well-performed characters - it really showed a way forward for movies that focused on everyday relationships.
8. The Dam Busters (director: Michael Anderson): A very good adaptation of the true story of the development of the bouncing bomb, used by the British to destroy German dams. It's rare to see a World War II film that is about the development of new technology and the trial & error involved and that helps this film stand out from many similar pictures.
9. The Prisoner (director: Peter Glenville): An unsettling film in which a communist dictatorship attempts to break a Catholic cardinal (Alec Guinness). It is not a pleasant journey, but Guinness is compelling throughout the film.
10. Land of the Pharaohs (director: Howard Hawks): This doesn't really feel like a Howard Hawks movie, but it's interesting to see him attempt a film on the scale of a Biblical epic. This one concerns the story of building the pyramids and it's a pretty entertaining fiction (also Joan Collins in vamp mode does not hurt).