Jean Rogers in
Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars (1938)
with Buster Crabbe
Jean Rogers in
Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars (1938)
with Buster Crabbe
EYE ON JEAN:
Fans who loved Jean Rogers as Dale Arden in the first "Flash Gordon" will be somewhat disappointed by the sequel.
The first movie's endearing, wide-eyed Dale Arden with the long blond hair and exotic dresses is
replaced in the sequel by a short-haired brunette wearing the most conservative attire on the planet Mars.
Furthermore, Dale Arden is not significant to the story this time around.
She is often left behind while Flash, Zarkov and Prince Barin go off to fight the bad guys.
If you can overlook these changes, you might find that "Flash Gordon's Trip To Mars" is actually a very good serial.
It is strictly a science fiction adventure movie with improved production and special effects over the first movie.
Many reviewers consider this to be the best of the three Flash Gordon serials, but I prefer the first "Flash Gordon"
because I think it is the only one of Jean Rogers' movies that fully appreciates and utilizes her beauty.
~by JeanRogersFan
SUMMARY BY CHAPTERS
(The summaries below are from the beginning of the serial chapters, except for the Chapter 15 summary
which is written by JeanRogersFan.)
CHAPTER 1 – New Worlds To Conquer
Ming the Merciless, escaping from Mongo, lands on mars and enlists the aid of Azura, Queen of Magic. By means of a nitron lamp, they are drawing the atmosphere from the Earth in an effort to destroy it. Dr. Zarkov discovers their plan and sets out with Flash Gordon to save civilization. They are about to destroy the nitron lamp, when the martians open fire with a powerful ray gun.
[IMAGES]Ming the Merciless, intent on destroying the Earth, enlist the aid of Azura, Queen of Magic. By means of a powerful nitron lamp, they are drawing the atmosphere from the Earth. Flash flies to Mars to save the Earth but is forced down by Azura’s soldiers. The earth people make a forced landing in the Valley of Desolation, pursued by martians.
[IMAGES]Ming the Merciless and Azura, Queen of Magic, join forces to wage war against the rest of the world. Arriving on Mars to save civilization, Flash, Dale, Zarkov and Happy become prisoners of the clay people. With Dale as hostage, the clay king commands Flash to bring Azura to their underground kingdom. Flash, disguised as a martian pilot, tries to trick Azura into disclosing the secret of her magic power.
[IMAGES]Flash and Zarkov set out to free the clay people from the curse that hangs over them. Meanwhile, Azura, Queen of Magic, orders a bomber to destroy the clay people. Convinced that Flash has betrayed them, the clay king places Dale and Happy in line of fire. Flash realizes their danger and engages the bomber in a dog fight over the clay kingdom.
[IMAGES]Determined to rescue Dale and Happy from the clay people, Flash and Zarkov start for the power house. While Flash decoys the guards, Zarkov perfects a paralyzer gun. Azura and Ming see this on the televisor and try to capture this valuable weapon. Flash and Zarkov escape with the paralyzer gun, but Azura one of her bombers to pursue them.
[IMAGES]Flash wins the support of the clay people in his war against Ming and Azura. At the advice of the clay king, Flash and his friends journey to the forest kingdom for help. Happy spies a sacred shrine in the forest and innocently takes a snapshot of it. Ming and Azura, watching over the televisor, seize this chance to turn the savage tribe against Flash.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 7 – The Prisoner of Mongo
The forest people, secret allies of Ming, hold Flash and his friends prisoners in an underground cell. Barin, an exiled prince from Mongo, secretly joins them and helps them escape. Flash learns that the sacred black sapphire is the secret of Queen Azura’s magic power. Dale, sighting an unguarded stratosled grasps the opportunity to help Flash.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 8 – The Black Sapphire of Kalu
Flash succeeds in obtaining the sacred black sapphire with which to combat Azura’s magic power. During the escape, Happy is wounded and taken to the clay kingdom for aid. Flash and Barin, continuing on to the palace, take Queen Azura prisoner. While Barin takes the captive queen to the clay kingdom, Flash remains to destroy the nitron lamp.
[IMAGES]Queen Azura, captured by the clay people, escapes by means of her restored magic. Returning to her palace, she orders out the guard to search for Flash. Flash is taken prisoner and thrown into the disintegrating room. Barin and Zarkov, suspecting the danger confronting Flash, make their way to the roof to save him.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 10 – Incense of Forgetfulness
Flash promises the clay people that he will free them from Queen Azura’s curse. In the forest, Flash and his friends separate to search for Barin’s rocket ship. The tree people capture Dale and force her to stand in the incense of forgetfulness. Under this magic spell, she takes a sacred oath to serve their great god, Kalu.
[IMAGES]Dale, still under the magic spell, is a prisoner in Queen Azura’s palace. Flash and Zarkov, learning this, secretly make their way into the palace. Ming confides to Azura that he has prepared a trap for the earthmen. Flash and Zarkov enter the laboratory, seeking a means of reviving Dale.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 12 – Ming the Merciless
Flash captures Ming and Azura and forces them to return with him to the clay kingdom. Ming, suddenly unfolding his bat wings, leaps from the light bridge and escapes. He hurries back to the palace and commands the bombing squadron to stop Flash and Azura. Realizing their peril, Flash and the Queen seek refuge among the rocks.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 13 – The Miracle of Magic
After helping the clay people regain their normal bodies, Flash sets out to capture Ming. Ming, now in command of the palace, orders a bombing squadron to attack the clay people. Flash learns this and takes off in a stratosled to stop the attack. He overtakes the squadron and, using his bat wings, drops to the top of the leading bomber.
[IMAGES]After helping the clay people regain their normal bodies, Flash sets out to capture Ming. He wins the support of a martian pilot, who promises to help him carry out his plans. Meanwhile, at the palace Ming the Merciless is having himself proclaimed Monarch of Mars. Flash cleverly eludes the guards just in time to turn the martians against Ming.
[IMAGES]CHAPTER 15 – An Eye For An Eye
[Ming escapes the angry martians and restores the nitron lamp so he can use it to destroy Earth and Mars. Flash goes after Ming and Barin bombs and destroys the nitron lamp from the air. Ming's obsessive desire to rule the universe turns his followers against him. Tanac, one of his own men, forces Ming into the disintegration room and kills him with the disintegration ray. Flash, Dale, Zarkov and Happy return to Earth as heroes.]
[IMAGES]