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International Crime
(1938 Film)
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About This Film
Cast
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Cast:
Rod La Rocque- Lamont Cranston aka The Shadow
Astrid Allwyn- Phoebe Lane
Lew Hearn- Moe Shrevnitz the Cabbie
Thomas E. Jackson- Commissioner Weston
Oscar O'Shea- Editor Heath
William Pawley- Honest John
*Small, uncredited, but memorable part:
Nick Stewart- Shoeshine Boy
* Nick Stewart is funny as the black Shoeshine Boy. He just doesn't know what to make of things when he has to clean Detective Inspector Matthews shoes so many times.
International Crime (1938): This is the second and last Shadow movie to star Rod La Rocque as The Shadow. What they did in this film is interesting, indeed. Whereas the first film only had him featured in costume twice, and totally without super-powers, this film did not have him in costume at all.
Everyone knows Lamont Cranston is The Shadow. He's an amateur detective who hosts a radio show telling of his exploits. Him and Police Commissioner Weston are always at odds. Lamont Cranston works for a newspaper, who sponsors his radio show. Phoebe Lane is the niece of the owner of the newspaper, and aspires to be a great journalist. Phoebe always tries to push her way into Cranston's business and, because of her family ties, he has to be as cordial to her as possible.
This is not really a superhero movie, but it's loosely based on the Shadow superhero character. What they did is make The Shadow a detective character, along the order of Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, The Thin Man, and other similar characters. Although this movie was made well, it naturally disappoints a lot of people who were expecting to see a masked man in hat and cloak with the eerie laugh and mental powers.
Despite the fact that in this movie, The Shadow is not in costume at all, they were trying to base it more on the radio show and pulp magazines. This time around you have Shadow's female assistant Phoebe Lane. In other media, she is called Margo Lane, but in this movie they called her Phoebe. You also have Commissioner Weston and Moe, the cab driver.
I really enjoyed this film and although it isn't true "Shadow", I think they had something good going. It would have been great to see at least a few more entries. Astrid Allwyn is the true standout here. She has such a fun personality...and so pretty. Rod La Rocque also does a wonderful job, once again. I think he's even more lively in this film than he was in the previous. His onscreen banter with characters Phoebe and Moe is movie gold. And speaking of Moe, the other really top talent in this picture is Lew Hearn as Moe Shrevnitz the Cabbie. He's a funny little guy with a distinctive accent. Very likable mannerisms.
Rod La Rocque- Lamont Cranston aka The Shadow
Astrid Allwyn- Phoebe Lane
Lew Hearn- Moe Shrevnitz the Cabbie
Thomas E. Jackson- Commissioner Weston
Oscar O'Shea- Editor Heath
William Pawley- Honest John
*Small, uncredited, but memorable part:
Nick Stewart- Shoeshine Boy
* Nick Stewart is funny as the black Shoeshine Boy. He just doesn't know what to make of things when he has to clean Detective Inspector Matthews shoes so many times.
International Crime (1938): This is the second and last Shadow movie to star Rod La Rocque as The Shadow. What they did in this film is interesting, indeed. Whereas the first film only had him featured in costume twice, and totally without super-powers, this film did not have him in costume at all.
Everyone knows Lamont Cranston is The Shadow. He's an amateur detective who hosts a radio show telling of his exploits. Him and Police Commissioner Weston are always at odds. Lamont Cranston works for a newspaper, who sponsors his radio show. Phoebe Lane is the niece of the owner of the newspaper, and aspires to be a great journalist. Phoebe always tries to push her way into Cranston's business and, because of her family ties, he has to be as cordial to her as possible.
This is not really a superhero movie, but it's loosely based on the Shadow superhero character. What they did is make The Shadow a detective character, along the order of Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, The Thin Man, and other similar characters. Although this movie was made well, it naturally disappoints a lot of people who were expecting to see a masked man in hat and cloak with the eerie laugh and mental powers.
Despite the fact that in this movie, The Shadow is not in costume at all, they were trying to base it more on the radio show and pulp magazines. This time around you have Shadow's female assistant Phoebe Lane. In other media, she is called Margo Lane, but in this movie they called her Phoebe. You also have Commissioner Weston and Moe, the cab driver.
I really enjoyed this film and although it isn't true "Shadow", I think they had something good going. It would have been great to see at least a few more entries. Astrid Allwyn is the true standout here. She has such a fun personality...and so pretty. Rod La Rocque also does a wonderful job, once again. I think he's even more lively in this film than he was in the previous. His onscreen banter with characters Phoebe and Moe is movie gold. And speaking of Moe, the other really top talent in this picture is Lew Hearn as Moe Shrevnitz the Cabbie. He's a funny little guy with a distinctive accent. Very likable mannerisms.