There are only two names I recognized in "The Cobra Strike"'s cast list: Sheila Ryan and Leslie Brooks. Ryan plays the female lead but she's more subdued than usual, while Brooks has a supporting role, with an on-again, off-again Russian accent. The rest of the cast is pretty anonymous, and combined with the lack of proper introduction for most of the characters, the result is confusion. The mystery plot has its moments (the murder in the steam room and the murder in the screening room), but it cheats because the first death occurs much quicker than the others (at the end we learn the poison takes three minutes to cause death). It's not among the worst movies of its kind, but it's not necessary viewing for anyone except the most dedicated whodunit buffs. ** out of 4.
4 Reviews
An efficient mystery yarn
searchanddestroy-111 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Surprising that this very cute little noir has not been commented yet. Taut, fast paced and exciting story of detectives on rampage after a mysterious killer who uses a rare poison from cobras to execute a batch of persons. No length or boring moments, especially this steam bath sequence where one of the murders is committed. I have not seen the other Charles Reisner's features, except two featuring the Marx Brothers and Abbot and Costello. As I have already told in this talk lines, there are many of such little gems, that networks or collectors find from their vaults or attics - DVD, VHS, 16 or 35mm prints concerning the collectors.
Mildly interesting relic
lucyrf16 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The kind of play that was popular in the 30s. Someone some day should write a book on how they feed into the mysteries that were being written at the time. Murders in steam rooms and dark screening-rooms would be really effective in the theatre. I recognised few of the actors. They are usually seen in stagey, static tableaux, with few close-ups. Philip Ahn is incapable of being bad, even when half-naked and worshipping a cobra god. He went on to better things as Prince Chung in one of the Mr Moto films.
Kind of fun...but also really goofy!
planktonrules1 July 2023
"The Cobra Strikes" is an enjoyable B-mystery, though I'll admit that the story is incredibly goofy and makes little sense. My suggestion is that if you watch it, you just turn off your brain and enjoy it as best you can.
The film begins with a scientist about to announce some big breakthrough to the press. But, as you suspect, he's soon attacked by an unknown person. Now at this point, I laughed...as the doctor at the hospital announced that the scientist has no memory and never will. How would he know this based on just receiving the guy in the emergency room??
At this point, a reporter (it's so OFTEN the reporter) gets involved with the case and the police do what they always do in these sorts of films...they let the reporter run the case!! Soon, lots of people are dying...and it is suspected that come Cobra Cult is behind the killings. Not surprisingly, there's far more to the story than that...and it's up to the reporter, with some minor help from the cops, to solve the mystery...eventually!
This film has every cliche known to 1940s mystery films as well as a LOT of silly twists. None of it really makes sense but because it is so goofy, I also enjoyed the film. Well made? Nope. Intelligently written, good grief no! But enjoyable despite itself.
The film begins with a scientist about to announce some big breakthrough to the press. But, as you suspect, he's soon attacked by an unknown person. Now at this point, I laughed...as the doctor at the hospital announced that the scientist has no memory and never will. How would he know this based on just receiving the guy in the emergency room??
At this point, a reporter (it's so OFTEN the reporter) gets involved with the case and the police do what they always do in these sorts of films...they let the reporter run the case!! Soon, lots of people are dying...and it is suspected that come Cobra Cult is behind the killings. Not surprisingly, there's far more to the story than that...and it's up to the reporter, with some minor help from the cops, to solve the mystery...eventually!
This film has every cliche known to 1940s mystery films as well as a LOT of silly twists. None of it really makes sense but because it is so goofy, I also enjoyed the film. Well made? Nope. Intelligently written, good grief no! But enjoyable despite itself.
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