The Shadow Man

Street of Shadows (AKA: Shadow Man) is directed by Richard Vernon, who also adapts the screenplay from the novel "The Creaking Chair" written by Laurence Meynell. It stars Cesar Romero, Victor Maddern, Kay Kendall, Simone Silva, John Penrose, Bill Travers and Liam Gaffney. Music is by Eric Spear, with harmonica by Tommy Reilly, and cinematography is by Phil Grindod.

A good old frame-up thriller with noir styling, Street of Shadows finds Romero as Luigi, the manager of a gaming premises in London's Soho area. When an old acquaintance of his, Angele Abbe (Silva), is found murdered in his apartment, he's naturally the chief suspect. Forced to go on the run, Luigi hopes that the police or himself can find the real culprit soon.

The story is pretty conventional stuff, with the mystery element none existent since it can only really be one person who committed the murder. However, the benefits elsewhere make this worth sampling by the film noir faithful, even if it's not what you would call essential viewing.

The whole picture is filmed in the noir style, Vernon and Grindod not missing any opportunities for a bit of shadow play or psychologically tinted contrast usage. The backdrop is a dour London of dark streets and alleyways, a dank part of the city where sordid characters go about their respective business. These people are either carrying some sort of affliction, aggressive or are emotionally stunted. An abused wife, a sexually frustrated janitor with a foot disability, card sharps, a man with huge cauliflower ears, a playboy, ladies of the night, or in the case of Luigi, someone who you really wouldn't want to count on.

Police Close Pin-Table Saloon!

Luigi's Pin-Table business is delightfully dingy, filled out with slot machines and macabre looking games such as a laughing sailor or Konki The Clown: Fortune Teller. Breezing around the place are the two gals, Angele and Barbara Gale (Kendall), getting the lads hot under the collar, while the human fortune teller Starry Darrell (Molly Hamley Clifford) is a splendid character capable of smoothing out Luigi's rough edges. Acting is good, with Maddern the stand out performer, and how nice to hear good quality Harmonica as part of a musical score. 6/10

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?

Quite an atmospheric film from Merton Park.Caesar Romero is the parachuted in American star does a very reasonable job as the owner of a pin ball arcade.Victor Maddern gets quite a large role for a change.The plot has a predictable ending but it is worth the effort to watch.

In the '50s, there were a lot of British noirs made with American stars such as Dane Clark, Dennis O'Keefe, Cesar Romero, and others. These noirs were usually atmospheric and fun to watch.

"The Shadow Man" is from 1953 and stars Romero, along with Kay Kendall. Romero is Luigi, who owns a pin-table saloon. Apparently this is some sort of a casino with pinball machines. Anyway, the cops are usually watching it because some of the patrons are not of the highest quality.

Luigi meets and falls for Barbara (Kay Kendall) whose husband is a gambler and not much of a husband. She agrees to go away with Luigi, but when Luigi's ex-girlfriend Angele (Simone Silva) winds up dead in Luigi's apartment, Luigi has to ask help from his employee, Limpy (Victor Maddern) for help, and then hide out and try to figure out who murdered her.

There's nothing very special about this, except that I have always believed Cesar Romero was very underrated as an actor. He's marvelous here, very handsome with a great presence, using just a touch of his accent. His saloon is crowded, chaotic, nothing fancy, and has a wonderfully '50s atmosphere. Kay Kendall, his costar, would go on to big fame before her early, tragic death (recounted in the play "In Praise of Love," originally starring her then-husband, Rex Harrison).

Nothing exceptional except Romero and Kendall, but they make it worth seeing.

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.