The Shadow Man

A typical 50s piece in B&W with Romero and Kendal holding it together. The rest of the acting ... Victor Madden limps rather too heavily whilst making sure the rest of his body is as twisted as is compatible with some forward movement. But is he twisted inside too?

Tommy Riley's harmonica lends an extra underworld tone. Obviously everyone smokes since this was cool. The sleeze factor is raised by the lack of spending on the sets.

Romero wastes no time by falling in love ASAP. Kendal, having had two years in a loveless marriage, surrenders (50s surrenders) immediately. It gets only slightly complicated thereafter.

"Street of Shadows" is the only movie directed by Robert Vernon, rather producer of "Colonel Blimp" or "Kiss The Blood Off My Hand" (what a title for a film noir, Burt's seventh film noir in two years !!!). The bluesy use of harmonica from the beginning reminds of the main theme in a french film noir classic, "Touchez pas au grisbi" directed by Jacques Becker. The friendship between Cesar Romero and his crippled employee Victor Maddern is touching, the atmosphere in Romero's club is moody and sexy, the jukebox has some important apparitions (and like in "Brighton Rock" for a sequence, but we're far from that unique masterpiece). There are a lot of nice surprises in british film noir like this "Street of shadows".

The Anglo-Amalgamated series of British crime dramas and Films Noirs that featured Hollywood actors tended to find good use for them. STREET OF SHADOWS is no exception. Cesar Romero is just fine as Luigi, a pinball (pin-table) club/bar owner in London. His faint Hispanic accent gives him a certain exotic charm and he can take charge of a scene when its required. Along for the ride are Kay Kendall, Victor Maddern and Edward Underdown, all more than capable of fulfilling their character parts. This is a fairly routine movie, but it can keep a viewer guessing and it makes use of some effective visuals. Luigi's club is realistically crowded with drinkers, gamblers and novelty machines, along with the advertised pinball ones. Most effective are several very darkly filmed sequences in which the viewer is challenged to detect what may be going on. For his role as Limpy, Maddern adopts a convincing defect in his walk and his performance is the most affecting in the film. The only problem--a small one--is the harmonica by Tommy Reilly used prominently in the score. It doesn't really jive well with the urban setting. This won't make you forget BRIGHTON ROCK or THE BIG SLEEP; it's just a very decent addition to the British crime movie lineup.

This film is included on a DVD that also has another "forgotten" Film Noir picture--SHOOT TO KILL. However, the film is called by its alternate title SHADOW MAN instead of STREET OF SHADOWS and stars Cesar Romero.

Romero stars as a man who owns a "pin-table lounge"--a place to drink, gamble and play various electronic games (such as pinball)--almost like a poor man's nightclub. He's generally a nice guy, but also a rather tough character. Oddly, for once, Romero uses a strong Spanish accent--something you usually heard less of in his American films.

When a woman is killed, Romero is caught trying to hide the body. Though he didn't do it, it sure looks bad for him. So, Romero escapes and spends the film trying to establish his innocence--a rather clichéd premise, to say the least. It's been done 1001 times before, so unfortunately, while it is well made, it's also incredibly familiar. Decent acting, decent direction and a second-rate plot--oh, and by the way, the soundtrack was really bad (it was mostly harmonica)!

FYI--Kay Kendall stars in this film. She later married Rex Harrison, though died of cancer just two years later in 1959. Also, the other film on the DVD (SHOOT TO KILL) is a more enjoyable film despite having a cast of no-name actors.

This is a surprisingly well directed British B film in the noir genre. It was written and directed by the mysterious Richard Vernon (the only film he either wrote or directed), about whom little seems to be known. What happened to him? Who was he? Stalwart American actor Cesar Romero was borrowed for this film set in London's Soho, with dark streets and alleys as perhaps they were then. Kay Kendall is the love interest. She is what I call a 'fifties bust-thruster'. In those days, a surprising number of actresses hurled themselves bust first into their roles, convinced that this would advance their case. There is something about their stance, the way they stood and thrusted, which is so comical today. But it must have been effective with men at that time, or they would not have done it. An interesting footnote, or bustnote, for social historians, or anthropologists, perhaps? Kay Kendall died tragically young of throat cancer, and was much lamented. Here she manages an air of mystery and allure, though very fifties in every respect. Romero is effortlessly in command of this easy walk-through. A fine performance is delivered by Victor Maddern as 'Limpy', a pathetic East Ender with a club foot who gets all twisted up inside. Romero runs a pinball club in Soho, where Limpy is his janitor and caretaker. Two gals are floating, around stirring up various passions on all sides, some seamy card sharks are on the scene, some rough characters come and go, there is a murder, there are police, and Romero is suspected and runs. Will he clear himself? Can you guess?