Radio Play Review - Bold Venture - The Dead Matt Jeffrey
@arthurchappell (45002)
Preston, England
June 17, 2016 6:35am CST
1956 – Spoiler alerts
Scouring around online for classic radio plays and serials has led me to some unexpected gems, including rare episodes of the 1950’s adventure serial, Bold Venture, starring none less than Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Written by Morton Fine and David Friedkin, it is pretty standard crime saga fare. Bogart is Slate, a Cuban hotel proprietor, dating a fishing boat for hire girl called Sailor (Bacall). The Bold Venture is her boat.
In The Dead Matt Jeffrey, a passenger fishing for big game fish on Sailor’s boat drops dead, poisoned by his breakfast at Slate’s hotel. The couple chase after the real killer to clear themselves of the murder and more people die around them as they go.
The chemistry between the real life husband and wife Hollywood superstars sizzles, but not much more. An odd touch is the half way plot summary by Jester Hairston, sung in Calypso, before the action hots up to the final not exactly amazing reveal.
Fun for the presence of its big star leads, but otherwise nothing special at all; but great to know this stuff is still out there.
Arthur Chappell
5 people like this
2 responses
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Jun 16
I have a disc of Bold Venture episodes. While the stories are pedestrian, it is the magic of Bogart and Bacall that makes it fun to listen to. Worth the price of admission so to speak. There are a number of online sites where you can listen to old time radio shows.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
17 Jun 16
@JohnRoberts I found this episode on one such site, along with episodes of The Saint starring Vincent Price
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
17 Jun 16
@arthurchappell I also have a disc of Vincent Price as The Saint. He had a marvelous voice for radio.
1 person likes this
