Shadow of the Law

I have some issues with the set-up of this movie. William Powell is convicted of murdering a man by shoving him out a window; it was self-defense, when the man's lover, played by Natalie Moorhead, rushed into Powell's apartment, followed by the man, who attacked her. Powell defends her and, in the struggle, the man goes out the window. The woman flees. However, the woman's apartment is in the same building; the elevator operator had seen the man in her apartment; people had heard them fighting for some time before they wound up in Powell's apartment.

Anyway, Powell winds up in prison, escapes, makes his way down south and reestablishes himself under a different name, and the story continues on its melodramatic way, lent some sense by Powell's typically intelligent air. It's not great, despite a script co-written by by John Farrow.

It's directed by Louis Gasnier. Gasnier may be remembered only for the hideous REEFER MADNESS, but he had a long and fine career, entering films alongside Max Linder and directing the landmark serial THE PERILS OF PAULINE. If this mediocre melodrama points to why his career was on the downslide, perhaps it reflects more a change in taste and attendant carefulness in production than failure on his part.

I was totally mesmerised by this nonsense. The story was absolutely ridiculous and it was obvious what was going to happen. The acting, apart from that of William Powell was nothing special but I was absolutely blown away by it. Thoroughly enjoyable!

This is such a typical 1930 programmer - or rather one of the good 1930 ones (most of them were rubbish). The plot is ultra-simple with no sub plot, no hidden meaning or social commentary. It's just a straight forward story told clearly and simply. The fact that the story is so unbelievable doesn't matter - it's told so brilliantly you don't mind.

William Powell was possibly the most likeable man in the world - he somehow turns this into something really special, something totally absorbing, something to ensure your eyes are permanently glued to your screen. In this he plays......well, William Powell but he's so slick and professional you're rooting for him straight away.

Besides the annoyingly illogicalness of the story, director Louis Gasnier along with Paramount's superstar cameraman Charles Lang actually create a pretty impressive (certainly for 1930) piece of cinema. Even though it doesn't feel rushed - time is spent setting up scenes - there's literally never a dull moment. Every one of its 70 minutes are used efficiently to keep on the edge of your seat.

This really shouldn't be this good but it is!

Jim Montgomery (William Powell) has an evening out with a lovely neighbor (Agnes Moorehead as Ethel) and he is hoping for a nightcap and maybe a little more than that when they arrive back at her front door, she seems nervous about letting him in and should be - an angry jealous man awaits her inside. Jim excuses himself not knowing if the man is a husband or a gangster or both. Later the neighbors can hear the man yelling and slapping Ethel around. Dressed in her nightclothes, Ethel runs into Jim's apartment and begs for his protection, but the angry man is right behind her and intends to continue the beating. Jim intervenes and tries to contain the man, and in the process the unknown man loses his balance and falls from Jim's apartment window to his death. Ethel mentions something about how she cannot have a scandal, and runs away - as in packing her things and vacating the apartment before the police even get there.

Without anyone to back up his story, Jim faces murder charges and gets life. He spends three years in prison before the warden makes him head con at the machine shop. He uses this opportunity of trust to escape by packing himself into one of the crates slated for shipment. Two years after that Jim's old cellmate, Pete, finishes his sentence and comes to where Jim is at Jim's request, a textile plant in North Carolina where Jim is now known as John Nelson. He is supervisor of the plant and practically engaged to the daughter of the plant's owner. Nobody there knows who he really is . Jim says that he's tired of hiding and wants to live out in the open but can't do so unless the mysterious Ethel agrees to an affidavit saying Jim is really innocent. He's hired private detectives who have found her but he needs Pete to go to her and convince her to speak up. He can't go himself for fear of risking arrest. Plus there is a police detective that is still looking for Jim after all these years since Jim is the only escaped con he ever trailed that he could not find. Jim gives Pete five thousand dollars to sweeten the pot for Ethel to tell the truth. Pete is an ex-con - will he take the money and run? If he doesn't can he convince Ethel to return with him? And what was so special about her identity that she wouldn't come forward in the first place? Watch and find out.

I honestly don't know why this one has such a low rating. William Powell plays his familiar dapper self although it is a bit of a shock seeing him minus his trademark moustache and in prison garb for about 15 or 20 minutes of the movie. Natalie Moorehead plays the mysterious femme fatale so well as she does in so many of these early talking films. The only bad thing I could say about it is the final showdown of the film - if you watch it you'll know what I'm talking about - is just talked about by a third party. You never see it happen, and that makes the ending somewhat unsatisfactory. Also, besides Powell and Moorehead and a cameo appearance by Regis Toomey all of the other actors in the film were pretty much unknowns. I'd say this is definitely worth your time if you like William Powell.

This packs quite a lot into an hour or so, with William Powell doing just about enough to keep it afloat. He is the wealthy "Nelson/Montgomery" who in concluding a rather promising first date before an unfortunate encounter with a stranger (to him, anyway) who ends up splatted all over the pavement several stories below. Now he's in handcuffs and the only witness to the whole affair - indeed, the entire cause of the affair, has done a bunk. After three years incarcerated, he becomes a trusty - the warden wants him to do some snitching for him, but he manages to escape. Starting from scratch, with an whole new identity, he becomes successful but never lets up with his search for "Ethel" (Natalie Moorhead) whom he hopes has some answers. This isn't the usual predictable lunchtime fayre, the story has a little more depth to it and Moorhead is actually quite efficient as the rather odious creature whom he learns can not, should not, be trusted. Can he clear his name? Well it's not that unpredictable, but there are still enough sub-plots and characters to keep it interesting and it's well enough paced to rattle along episodically, but fine.

When the story begins, Jim (William Powell) has taken a neighbor in his apartment on their first date. Later that evening after he returned her to her flat, there is a HUGE commotion in her place. Jim arrives to see what the problem is and a guy is beating Ethel. He tries to stop the guy and quiet things down...and the guy attacks him! While defending himself, the guy is knocked out the window to his death. Jim had done nothing wrong but when he tells the police, his witness, Ethel, beats it and can't be found. With no proof he's innocent, he's sent to prison.

While in prison, Jim in a model prisoner. So, after three years he's made a foreman and given special privileges...though he STILL has a life sentence. In addition, the warden wants him to be a snitch...to find out where his cellmate, Pete, has hidden the loot from a robbery. Well, Jim will have no part of snitching and instead warns Pete. And, since he won't snitch, Jim decides to use his privileges to help him escape...which he does.

A couple years pass. Jim has a new identity and is a well to do executive. But he STILL has that life sentence hanging over him, so he has had detectives searching high and low for Ethel. When he finds her, he has Pete (who has now finished his sentence) approach her about telling the authorities the truth. She pretends to agree but soon runs away because she's an evil weasel. What's next? I won't say....but remember, she IS an evil weasel...and her plans will NOT be for good!

The plot is very, very difficult to believe (both at the beginning and the end). But even in cases like this, if the acting is good you can overlook this....and the acting is fine. Powell is typically good and Paul Hurst is excellent as Pete. Well worth seeing...though very improbable.