Shadow of a Man

Much better than your average fayre, this one. After an altercation in a nightclub; a drunk (Bill Nagy) is found dead. Initially the coroner says it was a heart attack, but neither the police nor his old friend "Landers" (Paul Carpenter) are satisfied and along with his widow (Rona Anderson) they try to get to the bottom of it. There are a couple of sub-plots to this and the photography in/around the English seaside resort of Hastings provides for quite an interesting look at life in Britain in the 1950s - and relishing in their habit of holidaying in great numbers where there is a windswept pier!).

(1955) Shadow of a Man MYSTERY THRILLER/ PSYCHOLOGICAL

Adapted from the original stage play by Paul Erickson co-written and directed by Michael McCarthy that consists of a set up that showcases the beginning that also happens to be part of the end. It opens with the pier gate keeper being crossed examined about the events that lead to a person that was being shot off the pier into the ocean from the water front with the only thing left behind is the person's hat by the name of "Norman Ferrell". At this point viewers are oblivious who he is and what he has anything to do with anything. We're then shown someone by the name of Gene talking with a lady named Carol. And it is during then the movie then reevaluate viewers back in time before the shooting happened, that centers on Linda (Rona Anderson) and Paul (Bill Nagy) celebrating their wedding anniversary with a few of their friends of Carol (Jane Griffiths) and Norman Ferrell (Ronald Leigh-Hunt) and the owner of the club, Max (Robert O'Neil). What was supposed to be a good time, Paul is becoming belligerent and is obviously already drunk and is acting very obnoxious and he begins to scuffle with the owner, Max, forcing everyone amongst the group to leave early. And by the time they reach to the Linda and Paul's place of residence, he is then placed in bed before Norman and Carol leave. Linda later decides to check up on her husband Paul and discovers him already dead and she calls for the police. Linda presumes he had died from heart failure. In charge of the investigation are Inspector Gates (Tony Quinn) and his right hand man, Det. Sgt McBride (Jack Taylor) as they said Linda's husband's demise was the result of a needle point. And it was at this point is when Gene Landers (Paul Carpenter) shows up at the suite claimed to be Paul's friend. We find out he is a writer and just when he was about to stay at a hotel, he is then being urged to stay with Linda until the investigation is over. He takes the opportunity to find out Paul the person he thought he knew himself.

One of few movies where the alleged murder is not killed but captured. And while the gimmick at the opening confuses some people, it would not confuse others who has seen several movies like it.

After a drunken evening, Bill Nagy is found dead the next morning. A coroner's jury finds he died of heart failure. Police Inspector Tony Quinn has his doubts, so while widow Rona Anderson is away, he has the body exhumed. An autopsy discovers the tip of a hypodermic needle in his arm, and death by air embolism. It's murder!

The cast list and the fact this is based on a stage play inspired confidence. Then I saw it was an E. J. Fancey production and almost didn't watch it. While it's a nice murder mystery, and Geoffrey Faithfull's camerawork are good, something is very wrong with the dialogue. Not only is it terribly hackneyed, but the performers speak their lines as if they had not had a chance to rehearse them.

After an interesting title sequence involving a grinning model Buddha rocking back and forth and rolling it's eyes, this settles into a sombre, well-photographed little drama with the novelty of being filmed in Hastings and a plot twist involving the medical condition of one the main characters which would probably draw protests today.

SHADOW OF A MAN is one of the cheap thrillers put out by the notorious producers E. J. Fancey, a man whose films tend to be singularly devoid of excitement, intrigue, and suspense. This bog standard mystery thriller about the hunt for a murderer is a case in point. The only thing it has going for it is location photography in Hastings, and even that isn't very good.

The story is about a drunk who's found dead after a night out. The police investigate on the suspicion of foul play and soon come across a number of suspects who may or may not be involved. Meanwhile, the dead man's buddy searches for the murderer himself.

SHADOW OF A MAN stars the ubiquitous Canadian actor Paul Carpenter as the best buddy. In this one, Carpenter plays a rather volatile character who goes around punching out anybody who dares to insult the memory of his dead friend. The equally ubiquitous Ronald Leigh-Hunt plays in support. Sadly, the mystery narrative plays out in the most ordinary way imaginable, and there's not a single thrill to be had from the script. I'd skip it.