SKY BANDITS (1940) James Newill, Louise Stanley & Dewey Robinson | Action, Drama | B&W

Sky Bandits, also known as Renfrew of the Royal Mounted in Sky Bandits, is a 1940 American action film directed by Ralph Staub and released by Monogram Pictures, starring James Newill, Louise Stanley, Dewey Robinson and William Pawley. The film is a remake of the film Ghost Patrol (1936) with a musical/action formula, similar to the format of the "singing cowboy" films of the era.

SYNOPSIS
Sergeant Renfrew (James Newill) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Constable Kelly (Dave O'Brien) are tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearances of planes carrying gold shipments from the Yukon Mine Company. The planes are crashing, leaving no clues. Local radio announcer Uncle Dimwittie (Dewey Robinson) secretly transmits information about the shipments to a gang led by Morgan (William Pawley), disguising his messages as children's bedtime stories.

Morgan's gang uses a powerful ray gun, invented by Speavy (Dwight Frye) and enhanced by Professor Lewis (Guy Usher), to disrupt the planes' electrical systems. Speavy, realizing his invention is being misused, tries to warn Renfrew but is killed by Morgan. Madeleine Lewis (Dorothea Kent), the professor's daughter, stows away on Renfrew's plane to help him.

Renfrew and Kelly follow a gold shipment by air. When their plane is targeted by Morgan's ray, Professor Lewis, having learned the truth about the gang, turns the ray on Morgan's aircraft instead, causing it to crash. With the professor's help, Constable Kelly tracks down and arrests the remaining gang members at their hideout. Renfrew ensures that justice is served and gold shipments are safe once again.

CAST & CREW
James Newill as Sgt. Renfrew
Louise Stanley as Madeleine Lewis
Dewey Robinson as Uncle Dinwiddie
William Pawley as Morgan
Joe De Stefani as Professor Burton Lewis
Jim Farley as Inspector Warner, RCMP
Dave O'Brien as Constable Kelly
Karl Hackett as Hawthorne
Ted Adams as Henchman Gary
Dwight Frye as Speavy
Jack Clifford as Whispering Smith
Bob Terry as Henchman Hutchins
Kenne Duncan as Henchman Brownie
Eddie Featherston as Pilot Buzz Murphy

Directed by: Ralph Staub
Screenplay by: Edward Halperin
Based on: Renfrew's Long Trail by Laurie York Erskine
Produced by: Philip N. Krasne
Cinematography: Mack Stengler
Edited by: Martin G. Cohn
Music by: Lee Zahler
Production company: Criterion Pictures
Distributed by: Monogram Pictures
Release date: January 22, 1940
Running time: 60 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English

NOTES
Danger Ahead incorporates elements from the 1936 film Ghost Patrol, reworking its plot into a thrilling Mountie adventure. The film features standout performances, including Dorothea Kent as the headstrong Genevieve, providing comic relief and romantic interest. The film's climax, involving aerial combat and advanced technology, makes for an exciting finale.

Sky Bandits was the last of eight films to feature James Newill in the role of Sergeant Douglas Renfrew. The fictional character appeared in print in 1921 and would spawn a series of ten novels. Phil Goldstone of Criterion Pictures produced the film, released theatrically in April 1940, and would later be re-released for additional box office by Monogram Studios. Some of the scenes were filmed on location at Big Bear Lake, California, standing in for the Yukon. Sky Bandits was not the last time James Newill and Dave O'Brien would work together. Two years later they signed with Alexander Stern Productions for a series of Westerns known as the Texas Rangers, released through PRC Studios. In 1951, this movie would be edited into a 25-minute television episode for a weekly Renfrew of the Mounted series, with James Newill reprising his role for newly-filmed opening and closing.