The Tunnel of Terror is the first chapter of the 1940 Green Hornet film serial.
Plot Synopsis[]
Britt and Kato put the finishing touches on the Black Beauty, a "very unusual" car which Kato has modified himself. Britt goes to the Sentinel's offices and is chided by his secretary, Lenore Case, for his tardiness and lack of leadership. One of his reporters, Jasper Jenks, also informs him that the new Billings Dam is being constructed with sup-par materials in order to minimize its cost. Reid meets with two of his father's old friends Judge Stanton and the unnamed police commissioner. They lament to Britt that they miss the sort of crusading political editorials that the Sentinel published under the direction of his father. Britt assures them that he'll back their every effort in optimizing law enforcement, but that he has no intention of using his newspaper to lead the way. Britt jokes about their sounding as if they want a modern day Robin Hood, and the judge admits that, in actuality, that's just what he believes the city needs. After his guests leave, Britt muses over the possibility of such a figure.
An extra edition of the Sentinel reports on the Billings Dam's collapse. Following its publication, the Sentinel staff are surprised by Britt's leadership as he mobilizes the newspaper's resources and coordinates the interviewing of survivors. Jenks informs Britt that a new tunnel is also being constructed with the same type of workmanship as the dam.
When the employers of Jenks' informant, Gorman, learn that he intends to meet with the reporter again, they have his car blown up. Meanwhile, three businessmen involved in the construction projects question their unseen boss on how they'd like them to handle the situation with the Sentinel. His answer: buy the Sentinel, just like they did the two previous newspapers who tried to expose them. One of the businessmen, Grant is assigned to meet with Britt and present their offer for purchase. Britt questions the identity of the syndicate that Grant represents, but the businessman deflects the question. Reid assures Grant that he has a potential interest in selling, he simply wants to know who he'd be selling his newspaper to. Britt's associate, Michael Axford attempts to tail Grant as he leaves the Sentinel, but loses him. The Syndicate informs Grant that he was tailed and therefore has clearly aroused Britt's suspicions. As such, he's ordered to immediately clear out his office and leave town until the situation can be resolved.
Kato presents Britt with the new mask and gas gun that he was asked to create. He assures Britt that the gas gun's bullets are non-lethal and will merely but their targets to sleep for a short period of time. Britt voices his surprise and approval with the results. Kato also informs that he's tested out the Black Beauty and that she's capable of "going over 200." The duo suit up in their vigilante costumes and Britt exclaims that they're now ready to "Introduce the world to the Green Hornet!" --- Britt sneaks into Grant's mansion and quickly realizes that Grant has already burned most of the evidence that could incriminate him or his employers. Britt draws his gas gun and questions who Grant is working for. Just as Grant reveals that he's an attorney for the mysterious syndicate, armed thugs catch sight of Britt and open fire. Britt quickly dispatches them, but realizes that the gunmen fatally wounded Grant. Britt leaves his calling card -- a disc shaped Green Hornet emblem -- at the sites of the corpse and the unconscious gunmen.
Before long, the Sentinel is running the headline: "Masked Terror Slays Prominent Attorney!" At the Sentinel's offices, Jenks voices his confidence that the Green Hornet is behind the murder. However, Miss Case isn't so sure, she believes the Green Hornet is the modern day Robin Hood that the city desperately needs. Britt and Axford attempt to visit the site of the tunnel construction site but are denied entry by Markheim, the project's foreman.
Later, the Black Beauty is pursued by a police car, but Kato activates the Black Beauty's "energizer" and they easily elude their pursuers. Once the heroes arrive at the construction site, the Green Hornet forces Markheim at gunpoint toalead him into Tunnel #4. On the way, Kato rabbit punches another man who attempts to ambush Britt.
When the Green Hornet and Markheim reach the other workers, the former notices that the air compressor is skipping. When pressed, Markheim admits that, if the compressor were to totally fail, the tunnel would cave in. Nearly as soon as the words are out of his mouth, the compressor fails. Markheim begs the Green Hornet to let him go, but the vigilante refuses to until he's given the information he wants. Just then, the torrential waters surrounding the tunnel break in and sweep over the Green Hornet and Markheim as the chapter concludes.
Cast[]
- Gordon Jones as Britt Reid, the Green Hornet
- Wade Boteler as Michael Axford
- Keye Luke as Kato
- Anne Nagel as Leonore Case
- Phillip Trent as Jasper Jenks
- Cy Kendall as Curtis Monroe, the Syndicate's liaison with The Chief
- Stanley Andrews as Police Commissioner
- Joseph Crehan as Judge Stanton
- Joe Whitehead as Bill Gunnigan
- Edward Earle as Felix Grant
- Don Rowan as Lou Markheim
- Karl Hackett as Gorman
- Kernan Cripps as Radioing Police Car Office