Adventures of Smilin' Jack: The High Road to Doom on AllMovie

In the opener of the 13-chapter Universal serial, Smilin' Jack (Tom Brown), an American aviator in the service of China, and Janet (Marjorie Lord) learn from Ran Lal (James Khan) that Janet's brother, Tommy, has found a secret passage to India in the faraway province of Mandon. Only two other men know the secret according to the Hindi, who unfortunately is shot by a Japanese spy before he can divulge their names. Captured by Jack and his Chinese friend, Captain Wing (Keye Luke), the murderous Japanese commits hara-kiri, but not before Jack learns that he is a member of the Black Samurai, the feared Axis spy ring headed by Fraulein Von Teufel (Rose Hobart), who, unbeknownst to Jack, is masquerading as an American newspaper woman. Granted permission by General Kai Ling (Sidney Toler) to fly to Mandon in search of Tommy, Jack and Janet are surprised by yet another Japanese spy, who torches their plane somewhere near their destination. Janet successfully bails out but Jack's parachute refuses to open and he plunges toward earth.