VCI Entertainment presents "Forgotten Noir Vol. 3", a Kit Parker Double Features of (Shadow Man (1953) & Shoot to Kill (1947) --- (Dolby digitally remastered)...featuring top performances by actors to die for from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays...from little known films that will leave you intrigued with all the suspense...so pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie.
First up we have Anglo-Amalgamated Films feature "SHADOW MAN" (aka: "Street of Shadows") (1957) (72 min. B/W)...under Richard Vernon (Director / Screenwriter), W.H. Williams (Producer), Laurence Meynell (Book Author), Philip Grindrod (Cinematographer), Eric Spear (Composer (Music Score), Geoffrey Muller (Editor) ----- the cast includes Victor Maddern (Danny 'Limpy' Thomas), Cesar Romero (Luigi ), Kay Kendall (Barbara Gale), Edward Underdown (Insp. Johnstone), Simone Silva (Angele Abbe), Liam Gaffney (Fred Roberts), Robert Cawdron (Sgt. Hadley), John Penrose (Capt. Gerald Gale), Bill Travers (Nigel Langley), Eileen Way (Mrs. Toms), Paul Hardtmuth (Poppa), Annaconda (Darrell), Molly Hamley-Clifford (Starry Darrell) ----- our story is based on "The Creaking Chair" by Laurence Mynell made into a British film "Street of Shadows" when Richard Lippert released the feature in the USA was changed to "Shadow Man:", but the fine cast and script remained happily in place ... Cesar Romero is a casino owner and finds himself mixed up in the murder of his former girlfriend, and he is the prime suspect ... now comes the time when Cesar will play detective and bring in the killer to the Hammer Studio with all the trimmings ... Kay Kendall who was married to Rex Harrison has top billing before she became an international star ... the top lineup goes to Victor Maddern as Limpy, wonderful part as the sympathetic character who is always picked on makes for a very atmospheric and dark thriller drenched in a frame up ... Maddern makes the most of this role as he is already a well known actor in the UK . . . . . another Hammer Film Noir, not to be forgotten remains in the genre we all crave to see again, again and again.
BIOS:
1. Victor Maddern (aka: Victor Jack Maddern)
Date of birth: 16 March 1926 - Seven Kings, Ilford, Essex, England, UK
Date of death: 22 June 1993 - London, England, UK
2. Cesar Romero (aka: Cesar Julio Romero Jr.)
Date of birth: 15 February 1907 - New York, New York
Date of death: 1 January 1994 - Santa Monica, California
3. Kay Kendall (aka: Justine Kay Kendall-McCarthy)
Date of birth: 21 May 1926 - Withernsea, Yorkshire, England, UK
Date of death: 6 September 1959 - London, England, UK
4. Richard Vernon (Director)
Date of birth: 7 March 1925 - Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Date of death: 4 December 1997 - Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
BONUS FEATURES:
1. Photo Gallery
2. Movie Trivia
3. Cesar Romero Bio
4. Inside Lippert Part 2
5. Terror Street (Trailer)
6. They were So Young (Trailer)
7. Unholy Four (Trailer)
8. Motor Patrol (Trailer)
Second on the double bill is a Robert L. Lippert Picture release "SHOOT TO KILL" (1947) (64 min. B/W)....under William A. Berke (Director / Producer), Edwin V. Westrate (Screenwriter), Ben Kline (Cinematographer), Darrell Calker (Composer (Music Score), David Chudnow (Musical Direction/Supervision), Arthur A. Brooks (Editor), William Glasgow (Art Director), Tommy Thompson (Set Designer) ----- the cast includes Russell Wade (George Mitchell), Susan Walters (Marian Langdon), Edmund MacDonald (Lawrence Dale), Douglas Blackley (Dixie Logan), Vince Barnett (Charlie Gill), Nestor Paiva (Gus Miller), Charles Trowbridge (John Forsythe), Harry Brown (Jim Forman), Harry V. Cheshire (Mike Blake), Robert Riordan (Ed Carter), Joe Devlin (Smokey), Eddie Foster (Bingo), Frank O'Connor (Clem), Gene Rodgers (Piano Player), Sammy Stein (Blackie), Ted Hecht (Al Collins) . . . . . our story involves a frame by DA Edmund MacDonald and who is the fall guy Douglas Blackley ... what has reporter Russell Wade to do with this Poverty Row film noir ... what possible help can Susan Walters bring to the Hammer Film lot ... is there love in the air between Wade and Walters while they bring MacDonald to justice before the final reel ...the good script from Edwin Westrate has some twists and turns that keep the audience guessing until the very end . . . . . all courtesy of VCI Entertainment, who in my humble opinion is the best there is in restoring early serials and film noir features like this one.
BIOS:
1. Russell Wade
Date of birth: 21 June 1917 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Date of death: Still Living
2. Susan Walters (aka: Luana Walters)
Date of birth: 22 July 1912 - Los Angeles, California
Date of death: 19 May 1963 - Los Angeles, California
3. William A. Berke (Director)
Date of birth: 3 October 1903 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Date of death: 15 February 1958 - Los Angeles, California
BONUS FEATURES:
1. Shooting Schedule
2. Photo Gallery
3. Luana Walters Wardrobe Plot
4. Day Player and Stuntman Contracts
5. Original Script
6. Russell Wade Bio
7. Luana Walters Bio
8. William Berke Bio
Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing the "Forgotten Noir Vol. 3" (Shadow Man (1953) & Shoot to Kill (1947)), digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch "Classic Film Noir" that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver--- Film Noir Classics, all my heroes have been gumshoe detectives!
Total Time: 139 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video KPF 549 ~ (9/26/2006)
