| Man with the Steel Whip | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Franklin Adreon |
| Written by | Ronald Davidson |
| Produced by | Franklin Adreon |
| Starring | Dick Simmons Barbara Bestar Dale Van Sickel Mauritz Hugo Lane Bradford |
| Cinematography | Bud Thackery |
| Distributed by | Republic Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 12 chapters (167 minutes)[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $172,794 (negative cost: $174,718)[1] |
Man with the Steel Whip is a 1954 Republic Western serial film. It uses considerable stock footage from the previous Republic serials "Zorro's Black Whip", "The Painted Stallion" and "Daredevils of the West."
Saloon owner Barnett wants the land on the local Indian reservation for its gold deposits. In order to remove the people living on the reservation, he forms a gang to attack the local ranchers and frame the Indians. Rancher Jerry Randall opposes him using the legendary masked identity of El Latigo, a friend to the Indians.
Man with the Steel Whip was budgeted at $172,794 although the final negative cost was $174,718 (a $1,924, or 1.1%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial of 1954.[1]
It was filmed between March 2 and 22 of 1954 under the working title Man with a Whip.[1] The serial's production number was 1938.[1]
Man with the Steel Whip used stock footage from all of the previous Zorro serials produced by Republic Pictures. As a result, the costume and body shape of the hero El Latigo change between scenes, even becoming female in scenes taken from Zorro's Black Whip (1944).[2][3]
The serial contains many mistakes; for example, Nancy occasionally refers to the character Jerry Randall as Dick (Richard Simmons' real name).[2]
The film's special effects were handled by the Lydecker brothers.
Man with the Steel Whip's official release date was July 19, 1954, although that was the date on which the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.[1]
The film's release was followed by a rerelease of The Phantom Rider, retitled as Ghost Riders of the West, instead of a new serial. The next new serial, Panther Girl of the Kongo, followed in 1955.[1]
