The Shadow Strikes (1937)

Lamont Cranston assumes his secret identity as "The Shadow", to break up an attempted robbery at an attorney's office. When the police search the scene, Cranston must assume the identity of... See full summary »

Director:

Lynn Shores

Writers:

Walter B. Gibson (story), Al Martin (adaptation),

Stars:

Rod La Rocque, Agnes Anderson, James Blakeley

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rod La Rocque	...	Lamont Granston
Agnes Anderson	...	Marcia Delthern (as Lynn Anders)
James Blakeley	...	Jasper Delthern
Walter McGrail	...	Winstead Comstock
Bruce Kellogg	...	Humphrey Comstock (as Bill Kellogg)
Cy Kendall	...	Brossett
Kenneth Harlan	...	Captain Breen
Norman Ainsley	...	Hendricks
John St. Polis	...	Caleb Delthern
Wilson Benge	...	Wellington
John Carnivale	...	Warren Berranger
James C. Morton	...	Kelly (as James Morton)

Storyline

Lamont Cranston assumes his secret identity as "The Shadow", to break up an attempted robbery at an attorney's office. When the police search the scene, Cranston must assume the identity of the attorney. Before he can leave, a phone call summons the attorney to the home of Delthern, a wealthy client, who wants a new will drawn up. As Cranston meets with him, Delthern is suddenly shot, and Cranston is quickly caught up in a new mystery.

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Plot Keywords:

the shadow | based on pulp magazine | murder | public domain | based on radio show | 

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Taglines:

Scourge of the underworld!

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Genres:

Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Sombra Ataca

Company Credits

Production Co:

Colony Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Right after Detective Kelly whisked the two thieves away to the station, Captain Breen encountered 'Randall' (Rod La Rocque) picking up the documents that had fallen on the floor during the attempted robbery. All the ones he had in his hand were neatly folded with a stack of envelopes, which he placed back on the floor when Captain Breen walked in. However when Henry entered the room, the first thing he picked up was a long unfolded sheet of paper.

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Connections

Followed by The Invisible Avenger (1958)

User Reviews

Not great, not a bomb either.

The Shadow has a mustache?!

The film doesn't really introduce either Lamont Cranston or The Shadow, but seems to assume the audience knows them already. Editing and cinematography are pretty poor, as is the writing and acting. Cranston/The Shadow is surprisingly careless, doesn't laugh, doesn't say "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men...The Shadow knows," or "the weed of crime bears bitter fruit," and appears to lack "the power to cloud men's minds." He evidently has only one servant, not a whole network.

A subplot involving the mystery of Cranston's father's death is barely explored and seems an afterthought, despite the film's suggesting this may have been the reason for the genesis of The Shadow.

Still, it's sort of fun.