The Jade Box (1930) is a Universalmovie serial. It was a partial sound film with long silent sequences. Only an incomplete version survives today in Universal's vault, with incomplete footage and some missing sound discs.
Plot
John Lamar buys a Jade Box in Asia but it is stolen by his friend Martin Morgan. A cult, searching for the box because it contains the secret to invisibility, catches up with and abducts Lamar. After discovering the theft, the cult send a message to Martin and the pair's children: John Lamar's son, Jack, who is engaged to Martin Morgan's daughter, Helen. Jack searches for the Box while Martin attempts to discover the secret of invisibility for his own schemes.
Cast
Monroe Salisbury as John Lamar, original purchaser of the Box and cult abductee
Jack Perrin as Jack Lamar, John's son & Helen's fiance
Francis Ford as Martin Morgan, false friend of John Lamar
Louise Lorraine as Helen Morgan, Martin's daughter & Jack Lamar's fiance
Cline states that, while The Jade Box is not of a high technical quality, it did show at the time that a mystery serial could be improved by the addition of music and sound effects.[1]