Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

GazerRise Fantastic!

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

MartinHafer It's rather odd that the Shadow films weren't all that good. The Shadow was a very popular character on the radio and in magazines yet the film versions of the character were, for the most part, a big failure. You would have expected more films in the series as well as better films but this is not the case--they are often pretty limp mystery stories. "The Shadow Returns" is yet another attempt to re-introduce the character--and this time Kane Richmond stars as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow. Richond was the most successful of the actors who played him, but this was only for three poor to mediocre films.If you are unaware of The Shadow, Lamont Cranston supposedly learned some amazing hypnotic techniques in 'the East' that allow him to cloud the minds of people. He can either seem invisible or make people confess to their crimes. However, oddly, this incarnation of the character hides a lot and doesn't use his cool skills to get to the heart of matters. In many ways, he's not a lot different from The Saint or Charlie Chan--other than his cool voice and great wardrobe! The story is an odd one. As the mystery unravels, each time the police or The Shadow try to question a suspect, the suspect throws himself off the balcony to their death! Soon Cranston realizes that someone else has Shadow-like powers and they are making people kill themselves rather than confess. BUT, and this annoyed me, no one thought about just interviewing people on the first floor!!! Or, taking them into custody and handcuffing the suspects to the cops so they cannot jump. Or, handcuffing them to a heavy table or knocking them out first! Duh.An even bigger duh is Cranston's man-servant, Shevvie. Shevvie might just be the most annoying and stupid sidekick ever. Heck, he makes Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland) from the Charlie Chan flicks seem like a rocket scientist by comparison! Shevvie just talks and talks and talks and cannot seem to shut his yap and most every minute he's on the film seems to last an eternity. So, while Kane Richmond didn't do a bad job, Shevvie (as well as Cranston's fiancée) were too annoying and steal all the focus of the film.To make things worse, some of the story elements are just plain dumb--such as Mr. Yeoman (who OBVIOUSLY is wearing a disguise) and the use of the whip near the end of the picture. All in all, the film's dumb writing and bad writing make you wonder why anyone would have approved of making two more films in this incarnation!

csteidler Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane have sneaked into a darkened office. Lamont puts his ear to the safe dial but fears that it's too old and rusty for him to crack. Margo suggests that perhaps it's not locked, if it's such an old safe, which comment prompts a dirty look from Lamont. Undeterred, she reaches past him, turns the handle, and... bingo! opens the safe. With a sweet smirk, Margo then neatly sums up everything you need to know about this film: "Not a profound piece of deduction, but...cute, don't you think?" Well, Lamont Cranston is not particularly impressed, and for all I know neither will true fans of the Shadow be amused. But...that's about what we get from this movie. I suspect that my own minimal knowledge of the Shadow and his various incarnations only increased my capacity for enjoying this film. And enjoy it I did--while it's no great shakes, it's fast moving, has some humor, and has enough plot to at least carry the jokes and various relationships."Enough plot," I say--which I guess really isn't much, since it struck me during the final suspect-gathering scene that I really barely recognized any of the roomful of suspects. However, Lamont knew them all, and he pointed the inspector in the right direction, and he also maintained the secret of his other identity. And importantly: Kane Richmond does make it all look like fun.

disdressed12 this is the third of six movies in the Shadow series of movies,and the first of three starring Kane Richmond as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow.Cranston is played in this one as more of a flippant smart alec.he is the nemesis of the chief of police,who resents him butting in on his cases.this one has a darker tone than the firs two(The shadow Strikes,and International Crime).the story is fleshed out a bit more here,and there is more action.minor spoiler***The Shadow is actually a suspect in this mystery***.Shrevvy(Tom Dugan)Cranston's trusty cabbie and helper)has a bigger role to play in this one,and it's funny to see him mangle some of his words.this movie does have its slow spots and does seem dragged out at times,but overall,it was enjoyable.my vote for The Shadow Returns is a 5//10

tedg Of all the heroes and superheros of the thirties and forties, the shadow is the most intriguing. In his (Orson Welles-created) radio incarnation, he had a strange superpower. He could be invisible and apparently enter and leave any room effortlessly. On the radio, this was a great effect because of course we listeners couldn't see anything at all. So when one of the characters couldn't see another, it was a sort of narrative fold that drew us in.Another device was a sort of demonic laugh, a sort of devilish celebration of justice.How to transport that to cinema? The 1994 version was something of a miracle, one of the best designed movies ever. In that interpretation, the girl was decorous, the bad guy evil and the shadow genuinely invisible as well as having other superpowers.This one is horrible in all ways except for the effort put into the comedy. The mystery isn't, though it has an interesting device, more improbable than most.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.