The Galloping Ghost

The Galloping Ghost is actually a very good serial...though a tad on the hackneyed side in terms of plot and plot twists.

Real-life football player Red Grange makes a good if one-minded hero...he has basically one expression and one tone of voice throughout all 12 chapters of the serial.

The cinematography is excellent...no stock footage of any note is used and the stunts are well orchestrated. Well, the first chapter cliffhanger ending with Red falling out of a plane is a bit on the outlandish side...and there are an inordinate number of fist fights...and his acrobatics in practically every chapter make you think Red Grange was a gymnast instead of a footballer...but other than that, this is a pretty decent serial. It lacks the spit and polish of the Republic serials of the genre's heyday, but for using a sports figure as the star, this serial comes off a lot better than most serials of the early 1930's.