Michael Shayne: Private Detective (1940)

After gumshoe Mike Shayne is hired by a millionaire to keep his daughter away from gambling and gamblers, he becomes involved in the murder of a racetrack tout.

Director:

Eugene Forde

Writers:

Stanley Rauh (screenplay), Manning O'Connor (screenplay),

Stars:

Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Joan Valerie

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lloyd Nolan	...	Michael Shayne
Marjorie Weaver	...	Phyllis Brighton
Joan Valerie	...	Marsha Gordon
Walter Abel	...	Elliott Thomas
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Aunt Olivia
Donald MacBride	...	Chief Painter
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Gordon (as Douglas Dumbrille)
Clarence Kolb	...	Brighton
George Meeker	...	Harry Grange
Charles Coleman	...	Ponsby
Adrian Morris	...	Al (as Michael Morris)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Larry Kincaid
Frank Orth	...	Steve
Irving Bacon	...	Fisherman

Storyline

Millionaire sportsman Hiram Brighton hires gumshoe Michael Shayne to keep his spoiled daughter Phyllis away from racetrack betting windows and roulette wheels. After Phyllis slips away and continues her compulsive gambling, Shayne fakes the murder of her gambler boyfriend, who is also romancing the daughter of casino owner Benny Gordon, in order to frighten her. When the tout really ends up murdered, Shayne and Phyllis' Aunt Olivia, an avid reader of murder mysteries, both try to find the identity of the killer.

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Plot Keywords:

gambler | murder | racetrack | tout | gambling | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Mystery | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Detective Apaixonado

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First in a series.

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Quotes

Aunt Olivia: [when she notices Shayne is reluctant to take off his shirt and bare his chest in front of her] Go on, young man. I used to be an art student.

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Connections

Followed by Sleepers West (1941)

User Reviews

OK Shayne Entry

This is a very entertaining series and affords Lloyd Nolan a charismatic part as Mike Shayne, street-wise Private Eye. "Michael Shayne, Private Detective" is better than "The Man Who Wouldn't Die" but not as good as "Just Off Broadway", and it is also the first entry in the series. The usual strong support cast is on hand, and Fox surrounded him with some of the best character actors available. Among them are Douglas Dumbrille, Elizabeth Patterson, Donald McBride and Walter Abel.

As far as the story goes, I think 'planktonrules' hit the nail on the head - the film was cruising along and then dropped the ball with a hastily contrived ending which no one could see coming. But, as I say, you root for the chipper and cheerful Nolan, who carries nearly every scene he's in. The picture also employs one of my pet peeves, that of mixing mystery and comedy, which was often done prior to WW II and which I don't feel go well together.

Recapping; excellent series, passable entry.