NO ONE SHALL BE ADMITTED DURING THE POURING OF THE TEA SCENE!!
And no. That’s not a euphemism for sex. This is a 1930s UK Suspense movie! SOMEBODY HAS TO POUR THE TEA DAMMIT!! Double bonus of its Earl Grey, Hot. Poured by a guy named Picard!
Suddenly the simple countryside manor reveal of The Shadow starts to become more and more complicated. As you begin to notice possible spots where the damaged footage was cut away.
Brief recap. This is not the Lamont Cranston Shadow. Instead this is based on a live stage play of the same name, about a blackmailer murderer called The Shadow.
Though has he killed yet? Technically he killed Inspector Jeffrey at the start. Except he might get live, having uncovered the Shadow’s identity. But he won’t be lonely if he’s dead. More will soon die.
Why? Because it seems claiming hold of that one piece of evidence suddenly means people known who the Shadow is! But that’s not complicated enough! It gets worse!
But let’s kill time. Time killed with a foppish British writer, who hits on his pretty friend (a music composer) named Jenny… Writer… Music Composer…oh fuck! Is this going to end like Mousetrap? Where they survive and write all this into a popular play?!?
Wait. So your telling me Mousetrap might have been inspired by this under the radar British play which went on to become an under the radar British movie?!? Why!!
Main master of the house Chief Guy, and old lady who seems frisker than anyone is comfortable with… She likes British Constables!… Even though the head of the house leads Scotland Yard Detectives… How so? I think she wants to be locked in a room with them and given the nightstick… Yes I’m horrible. What of it.
Ok. Past the long attempt for Mr. Writer to propose marriage to Jenny. Shot down because Jenny is engaged to marry maybe The Shadow. And past the tea pouring, followed by the tea drinking!!
Ok let’s get to it. The nifty gritty. We find out what kind of special locker it is they got from Jeffrey’s maybe dead hand. A locket that is… A clenched fist… Huh? The sign of the BRPD?!? Young John Hurt was The Shadow before finding Hellboy in WWII?!?
Hearing this description freaks out Jenny. I’m assuming it’s because that little trinket belongs to her absent fiance. Meanwhile our Inspector back in London calls, but the phone lines are cut by The Shadow. Whose already at the manor.
Before he can cut the lines completely, we learn that the Inspector is coming. As he has discovered the identity of The Shadow. And, like that dude for cancer he found last week? And those cryptic warnings from the future about a young German named Hitler? HE PROBABLY TELLS NO ONE!!
No seriously what kind of carnival side show is Scotland Yard in this movie?!? The minute he learned the identity? He’s supposed to go back to the Yard, harass a judge, and get warrants and a large force together to arrest the guy! Not this movie I bet!
But why stop there? The Shadow is here. Inspector is coming with his identity. Jenny knows his identity. Enter a pair of unknowing con artists, a husband/wife duo playing as siblings. They’re here to rob the place, unaware of the madness they walked into.
And so this carnival of would be victims and one Shadow has been gathered. Why is the Shadow here? Is he really going to carry through with the blackmail attempt he was given those letters on? Despite the fact a Yard cop have it to him?? Is he really that dumb??
Sigh. Guess next time we will find out why the Shadow decided to arrive at the obvious gathering in the woods. See who he tries to blackmail… And see how the unexpected addition of com artists to the mix affects his plans.
The stage is set. Let the drama commence. Tomorrow. See you then everyone. Oh. Yes. After this? The Shadow Strikes 1937. Which actually stars Lamont Cranston aka The Shadow. Promise.
Pop Goes the Darke Raven 