The Shadow

Despite this film coming out in 1933 when the Shadow was a popular pulp character, this movie has nothing to do with this American character that fights crime. Instead, the Shadow in this British film is a scum-bag that is an expert at blackmail as well as murder--and Scotland Yard is at a loss for how to stop him or as to his identity. The film has a few things going for it--though the middle portion of the film is a bit slow and a couple of the characters are too broadly written--especially that awful old woman who cries way too intently! Overall, however, it is better than you'd expect for a low-budget mystery film. I've seen an awful lot of films similar to this one but "The Shadow" is a bit better--thanks to some interesting plot twists and a great first portion. Worth seeing if you like old-time B-movies, like I do.

The Shadow buys secret letters and uses them for blackmail. His fiendish deeds drives some of his victims to suicide or he turns to murder. The police have been after him for the last 12 months.

After his last murder, The Shadow left a clue behind. A police officer is killed by The Shadow before he can reveal his identity but the law knows that The Shadow is one of the numerous people in the house as he kills another to hide his identity, trying to get the clue back.

More cops arrive and surround the house. The key to the safe where the clue is hidden is stolen as the police close in on The Shadow. Telephone wires are cut and lights are turned off allowing The Shadow to escape detection. Shots are fired at the police. But a woman has recognised the clue and knows who The Shadow is. Will she live to tell his secret?

Granted some logic is lacking as, for example, whydid the Shadow linger around the house owned by a police officer, but it's a jolly fun show with heavy fog abounding, dodgy couples claiming they are siblings, an isolated mansion, a funny man who thinks he's a detective, and the shadow fleeting around the house taking pots shots at anyone who claim they know who the Shadow is. It's actually quite absorbing, and the actor who plays possible dim, posh accented Reggie is a scene stealer. He's an entertaining character.

A black mailer known only as The Shadow is terrorizing the rich in England. If you don't pay him he'll ruin you or worse. When a police detective on his trail is killed he leaves behind clue. Things come to a head as suspects and uninvited guests end up at the home of the Chief Inspector of the police on a fog shrouded night.

This is an entertaining mystery from England that could complete nicely with many of the programmers that the American Studios were churning out. Granted one should not look at it too closely since the film doesn't play fair or logically, but one should look at it simply because it's a great way to spend a dark and stormy night.

This VERY British 'thriller', in the worst meaning of the word, is honestly one of the most BORING movies I've ever seen. The 'atmosphere' for the meager plot consists merely of some known ingredients for a good murder mystery, like an old house, a foggy night, and a mysterious masked man called 'The Shadow', a notorious blackmailer who's driven quite some prominent people to suicide for the most ridiculous reasons of 'honor' and 'fear of scandal'.

Those who manage to sit through the whole film (and its running time is only 70 minutes, anyway!) without falling asleep, will witness some very poor attempts to bring in some humor, and even poorer attempts to bring in some kind of action or suspense; the acting is awful (even by Elizabeth Allan, who a year later would deliver a wonderful performance in "Mark of the Vampire"), the direction as stiff as the dialogs... And to imagine that at the very same time, in the very same country, the great Alfred Hitchcock was already developing a new kind of thriller that would make even American audiences shudder...!

An old British Mystery movie that will keep the audience captivated right to the end, you will never guess the Shadows identity, the synopsis gives away a subtle twist to this mystery film.