Adventures of Superman (TV Series) The Evil Three (1953) User Reviews

Dark and oddly compelling

[la_follette · 8/10 · 10 November 2019]

This is yet another rather dark episode that typifies the early Supermans. Perry and Jim encounter 2 homicidal maniacs straight out of a Tarantino flick. At one point, Perry seems to have been brutally slashed with a sword but apparently it was just a bump on the head. Some of the highlights:

• The brawl between the 2 hoteliers is quite good and very realistic. Lots of desperate grappling and face-grabbing. Impressive.

• Perry's car gets pushed off a cliff and the special effects are excellent. The car actually explodes. Did they have the budget to really do that?

• Perry has a car phone. This was 1953! That may be the most impressive thing of all. Unfortunately the phone got destroyed in the explosion.

I did wonder why Perry and Olsen were hanging out together socially. Don't they have their own friends? Perry can barely stand Olsen in the office; the idea of the 2 of them going on a fishing trip together is absurd. But overall another fine Superman entry.

Crazy People, Murderers, Found Money

[biorngm · 8/10 · 25 October 2017]

Review – The Evil Three This episode is noir packed characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity. White and Olsen offer the best combination to chase murders around a broken-down hotel, discover a horde of cash, a skeleton, a crazy woman and get things resolved by Superman. Seriously, a simple fishing trip by Mr. White to relax by catching fish is interrupted by inviting Olsen, and then stumbling onto the evil three while stopping for the night. Perry's nose for news prompts a call to Kent to access data via the morgue while he discovers a hidden ramp to the cellar with a skeleton and horded cash by the former owner, whom Perry remembered. Something wasn't right from the first few minutes meeting the evil ones, namely the murderer Macy, nephew to the deceased. Watch carefully how Perry unwinds all these occurrences. Now if Olsen would just pay attention to how his editor sniffs out a story, he could be smarter today. Superman saves, but the team of White and Olsen is hard to beat.

Poor Jimmy!

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 30 January 2015]

Jimmy and the Boss go fishing. Jimmy hates it and complains constantly. White verbally abuses him and refuses to listen to anything Jimmy says. They have not caught a fish all day and thy are both cranky. They make their way to a resort where Perry used to go years before. The place is totally run down and is frequented by three crazy people. A thug, a man who seems to think the Civil War is still going on, and an older woman in a wheelchair. They are at each other's throats over something. They convince Jimmy there is a ghost in the house and Jimmy buys it, but Perry won't budge (he smells a story). Apparently there is money buried somewhere and the three are after it and don't want strangers around. In the basement is a skeleton which is a man one of the nuts has murdered. Thre are so many plot holes in this, but that's pretty much true of all of the episodes. Still, it is funny watching White and the kid spar.

scary as hell

[brianhemstreet · 10/10 · 1 August 2006]

The Superman TV show from the 1950s is my all-time favourite. And this episode is one of the best in the series. They put Jimmy Olsen and Perry White on a fishing trip, where they stay at this run-down, "haunted" hotel. The "ghosts" were these three absolutely crazy people--one, an old lady who never stops screaming--chasing each other around, trying to kill each other. In the basement? A skeleton from some guy was left there, chained to a wall. One guy dresses like General Lee and runs around with a sword. In the end, the old lady is carried out on a stretcher, screaming, "nobody got da' money nobody got da' money!!!" Perry White looked at her and just shrugged his shoulders. Great fun for the the 1950s era kids!

Different and excellent

[sswren1 · 8/10 · 26 November 2021]

This reminded me of "The Old Dark House".

The evil three were oddballs indeed and Jimmy and Perry were like Sylvester and Porky Pig in a haunted house.

It was great to see them in situations outside the Planet.

I never saw this episode until the dvd set was released. It was never shown in Australia despite being syndicated for 50 years. You can imagine my delight in discovering it.

Magical nostalgia. Perry and Jim worked well together. Much of the dialogue seemed as libbed.

Terrific stuff.

Like A Bad Dream

[redryan64 · 6/10 · 25 February 2015]

AS IS THE case with so many of the episodes that made up the SUPERMAN TV Series' first season, this one is definitely classified as a "Mystery". These early half hours could all be easily pumped up and padded into some great "B" Movie potboilers; that would have filled out many a double feature matinée program in the 1930's-'50's. Rather than featuring the Man of Steel, they could have easily accommodated the likes of Charlie Chan, Boston Blackie or even the Bowery Boys.

WE HAVE LONG avoided commentary on THE EVIL THREE because of our original viewing, during the 1950's. Of course, we were just Grade Schoolers then and our understanding and appreciation of any sort of "Horror" tale was quite minimal, if not lacking altogether.

ONE OF THE main complaints that I had as a six year old about the series was that "....he isn't Superman enough!" This was probably our only complaint, and was understandable. A child doesn't understand he need of having characterization, plot development and logical incidental building to an exciting and satisfying climax. With all of that said, we still have a heap of criticism for this installment.

THE EPISODE DOES have some interesting points, though. For one is its interesting casting. Two of the busier character actors from the Golden Age of the Talkies are featured. We didn't even recognize Jonathon Hale as the Colonel. He would return in the following season's episode of PANIC IN THE SKY; portraying the astronomer in what is widely considered to be the very best half hour SUPERMAN of all.

ALSO BEING MOST prominent character in this who-done-it is Mr. Rhys Williams,. who had turned in so many pivotal a performance in so many great features in the 1940's.* HAVING RECENTLY SCREENED the episode again after so many years, we do recall just what it was that we didn't like. It is a real downer of a set up and premise, depending on the mental illness of the three occupants of Perry White's favourite old fishing lodge. The inclusion of the wheelchair bound old woman with the with-like laugh was and still is particularly annoying.

NOTE: * The list of his credits is long and honored. The films include: GENTLEMAN JIM, HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY, THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S, RANDOM HARVEST, MRS. MINIVER, THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER, TOKYO JOE, etc., etc., etc..