The Shadow of the Eagle (1932)

The Eagle uses sky writing to make threats against a corporation. Nathan Gregory owns a traveling fairground and is thought to be the Eagle. Craig McCoy is a pilot who goes looking for the Eagle when Gregory turns up missing.

Directors:

Ford Beebe, B. Reeves Eason (uncredited)

Writers:

Ford Beebe (story), Colbert Clark (story)

Stars:

John Wayne, Dorothy Gulliver, Walter Miller

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Wayne	...	Craig McCoy
Dorothy Gulliver	...	Jean Gregory
Walter Miller	...	Danby
Kenneth Harlan	...	Ward
Richard Tucker	...	Maj. Evans
Pat O'Malley	...	Ames
Edmund Burns	...	Clark
Yakima Canutt	...	Boyle
Roy D'Arcy	...	Gardner
Billy West	...	Bob - Clown
Edward Hearn	...	Col. Nathan Gregory
Lloyd Whitlock	...	Green
'Little Billy' Rhodes	...	The Midget (as Little Billy)
Ivan Linow	...	Henie - Strong Man
James Bradbury Jr.	...	Henry - Ventriloquist

Storyline

Nathan Gregory is a World War I veteran pilot who runs a small, debt-ridden traveling carnival along with loyal daughter Jean. Gregory is at odds with five of his former squadron comrades, who he thinks shot him down in 1918 and stole his plans for an incredible invention, a radio=piloted plane. An enigmatic criminal, called "The Eagle", and his gang of toughs skywrites threatening the five businessmen with vengeance for their past misdeeds. Although Gregory is suspected of being the arch-villain, especially after he disappears, hero Craig McCoy and the carnival's midget, strongman, and ventriloquist struggle to expose "The Eagle's" identity.

---

Plot Keywords:

pre code film | b movie | poverty row film | low budget film | double feature film | 

---

Taglines:

A CRASHING Adventure Serial! (1949 re-release poster)

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Sombra da Águia

Filming Locations:

Antelope Valley, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mascot Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

218 min (12 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

CHAPTER TITLES: 1. The Carnival Mystery; 2. Pinholes; 3. The Eagle Strikes; 4. The Man of a Million Voices; 5. The Telephone Cipher; 6. Code of the Carnival; 7. Eagle or Vulture?; 8. On the Spot; 9. When Thieves Fall Out; 10. The Man Who Knew; 11. The Eagle's Wings; 12. The Shadow Unmasked.

---

Goofs

In Chapter 5 when Henie, Jean and her father, Gregory, escape from the hospital, their car is parked right in front. They hop into the car and drive off. In hot pursuit are henchmen Moore and Boyle. As they run to their car, it is suddenly parked right in the same spot that the other car was parked in.

---

Quotes

The Midget: Who are you callin little boy, ya big palooka?

---

Alternate Versions

There is a 185-minute home video version (released on DVD by Platinum) which cuts the "episodic" aspects, such as episode titles and cliffhangers, to form a continuous story.

---

Connections

Featured in Sprockets: Classic Serials (1991)

User Reviews

All For An Aero Stabilizer

Unless you consider Gene Autry a major mainstream film star, I can't think of another major star besides John Wayne who did movie serials. The Duke did three of them and back then I'm sure he was grateful for the work. The first of them was The Shadow of the Eagle.

Wayne is a stunt flier for a carnival owned by former World War I ace Edward Hearn and daughter Dorothy Gulliver. Back in the war he was shot down and presumed killed. His fellow squadron members where Hearn was known as the Eagle, took the plans for something called an Aero Stabilizer and are building a factory, wouldn't you know it across the street.

But one of these dudes is looking to cut the others out and starts sending threatening messages to the others with sky writing of all things in the name of the Eagle. Talk about telegraphing your punches.

In the manner of serials, Wayne, the daughter, the Eagle, all get in trouble and rescued over and over until the real culprit and the gimmick with the sky writing is unmasked.

I'm told by the way the technology the bad guy uses for his sky writing is certainly available now, but wasn't quite perfected in 1932. What was it, that you have to sit through the serial to find out.

Serials were so frighteningly dumb back in the day. John Wayne must have shuddered if you ever mentioned this one at least.