DOC SAVAGE: THE MAN OF BRONZE (1975) ****

You know, even in 1975, Doc Savage:  The Man of Bronze probably felt dated and cheesy.  It’s an unabashed throwback to the pulp adventures of the ‘30s.  It was not a hit when it was released, but looking at it now, it’s a refreshing change of pace next to the dreary, self-important, and “dark” superhero movies of the modern era. 

Speaking of superheroes, it’s hard to imagine what they would be like today if it hadn’t been for Doc Savage.  You see, Doc lived in a fortress of solitude before Superman, had a swanky secret hideout that I’m sure Batman modeled his Batcave on, and picked up on bad vibrations long before Spider-Man and his “Spider-Sense”.  He even has some pretty cool gadgets that I’m sure would make James Bond envious.  (There are some cheesy ones too, like the “Extinguisher Globes” that are nothing more that high-powered snowballs.) 

Doc Savage (Ron Ely) learns his father has been murdered in a jungle.  Along with his team of multi-talented war buddies, “The Fabulous Five”, he sets out to find his father’s killer.  He winds up tangling with the evil Captain Seas (Paul Wexler) and finds himself on a path to a lost city of gold.    

This is the kind of flick that I enjoy.  It’s square but sincere.  Cheesy but straight-faced.  Action sequences involve a Red Baron-style dogfight, glowing snake attacks, and a Kung Fu battle in which all the names of the fighting styles appear at the bottom of the screen.  I had a big grin on my face the whole damn time. 

You pretty much know what you’re in for during the opening credits when Ely looks at the camera and winks with a twinkle in his eye.  Not many people could pull that feat off:  Simultaneously winking at the camera and playing it with complete sincerity.  Ely is certainly one of them.  I guess it was all those years wearing a loincloth as Tarzan that prepared him for it.

The supporting cast is good too.  We have Paul Gleason as Doc’s right-hand man, Michael Berryman (making his film debut) as a coroner, William Katt as an assassin, and Robert Tessier as a henchman.  It’s the ladies in the cast who are the most memorable.  Robyn Hilton, who was just in Blazing Saddles as Mel Brooks’ secretary the year before, looks amazing as the bad guy’s arm candy, and Buck Rogers’ Pamela Hensley (a childhood crush of mine) is stunning as Doc’s sexy jungle guide.

To some, Doc may be a square hero as he doesn’t drink or smoke (and is apparently celibate), but I for one appreciated his old-fashioned value system.  The themes by John Phillip Sousa on the soundtrack highlights not only the throwback nature of the film, but also the rah-rah jingoism of the old timey adventure novels and movies.  I guess people in the ‘70s were just too jaded to have a fucking good time.

Another way it was a forerunner to modern-day comic book movies:  It sets itself up for a sequel at the end.  Sadly, we never got another Doc Savage adventure.  Shane Black has been talking up a new version for years starring The Rock, which would be spot-on casting if you ask me.  Whether or not we get a 21^st Doc Savage adaptation I can’t say.  Until then, this awesome adventure should tide us over.