Zorro's Black Whip
and El Coyote
Republic 1944 / 12 Chapters
Directed by: Spencer Bennet, Wallace Grissell
Starring Linda Stirling as Barbara Meredith
Helen Thurston as The Black Whip
George J. Lewis as Vic Gordon
Lucien Littlefield as Tenpoint
Criminals who wish to retain power are attempting to block
Idaho's entrance into the Union. Standing almost alone
against them is Randy Meredith, who dons a caballero outfit
and mask for his missions. When Randy dies after returning
to his headquarters behind a waterfall, his sister Barbara
takes his place and helps undercover agent Vic Gordon fight
the outlaws. Linda Stirling is convincing as the confident
newspaper owner who doubles as a masked avenger. Because
her character, Barbara Meredith, is already known in the
community, she is precluded from assuming a cover
personality, as earlier Zorros had with their foppish
poses.
Pressed into hero service for this wartime chapter play,
George J. Lewis is excellent as the secret investigator who
is saved from death several times by the Black Whip but is
a formidable fighter in his own right. (Dressed in a cowboy
costume typical of those worn by Robert Livingston, Lewis,
sans scowl and standing with shoulders high, could remind
many viewers of that popular Western star.)
While respected townsman Dan Hammond, well-played by
Francis McDonald, is behind the outlawry, the swaggering
Baxter of Hal Taliaferro is a field leader to contend with,
in both brawn and brain. Even when the versatile Taliaferro
is cast as a bad guy, it is a delight to watch him handle a
horse. Veteran John Merton is Henchman #2. Distinguished
citizens are played by Tom London, John Hamilton, and Tom
Chatterton. Jay Kirby is seen briefly as the first Black
Whip, while comedy relief is supplied by Lucien
Littlefield--the worrying newspaper helper called Tenpoint.
Stunt woman Helen Thurston, who also appears in many of the
action sequences in JUNGLE GIRL, performs as the Black Whip
in virtually all of the action and riding sequences (aka,
all the hard work), though, as with Tom Steele in THE
MASKED MARVEL, she is uncredited.
3-Disk Collector's Set
includes:
--
Animated menu screens
-- All 12 Chapters, super-sharp
in beautiful black and white, with readable opening title
and recap sequences, and
in-synch sound
(it's 6 frames off on the Republic laserdisc)
Linda Stirling and Helen Thurston
And these great extras:
--
Linda Stirling Mini-Documentary
including rare glamour & bathing suit shots of Linda
--
"The Face Behind the Mask"
mini-documentary on stunt woman Helen Thurston (the lady
who was really in the costume and did all the riding and
whip-cracking!)
--
Original Theatrical trailer
And a special bonus full-length TV rarity:
--
El Coyote
A new digital transfer of the complete ultra-rare half-hour
1958 30-minute TV pilot which featured Olympic gymnast
Muriel Davis as a young female Zorro-like character,
performing lots of acrobatic stunts!
List
price $24.95
Special
Sale Price $12.95