Fri 20 Dec 2019
Movie Review: SHADOW OF SUSPICION (1944).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[7] Comments
SHADOW OF SUSPICION. Monogram, 1944. Marjorie Weaver, Peter Cookson, Tim Ryan, Pierre Watkin, Clara Blandick, J. Farrell MacDonald, John Hamilton. Director: William Beaudine.
Maybe it’s because of energetic pace director William Beudine put his players through, but here’s a prime example of a detective movie that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but you can sit back and enjoy it anyway.
At stake is a valuable diamond necklace that any number of people would like to get their hands on. It’s being sent to the Los Angeles branch of Cartell Jewelers, but a dashing young chap (Peter Cookson) with a glint of larceny in his eyes is hanging around, making a pest of himself, suspiciously so. He also has his eyes on the manager’s pert and sassy secretary (Marjorie Weaver), which suggests he’s one of the good guys.
But is he? He has a partner (in crime?) with a hearty, tall-tale telling fellow (Tim Ryan) from the New York branch, but why do they feel they need to swap names? And if they’re the good guys, who hired them and who are they working for?
Not a lot of questions such as this are answered, even by the movie’s end, but somehow it just doesn’t seem to matter. The pace only falters during a trip across country with the secretary, who unknowingly has the necklace in her possession safely (?) tucked inside a pair of bronzed baby shoes.
Once in New York, it’s a short and quick wrap-up, no holds barred. Overall, some parts of this film are well done, others will have you scratching your head. Myself, I’d call it a draw — and forgive me for all the questions marks!
December 20th, 2019 at 11:56 pm
Steve, I think you meant “energetic pace” not “page”.
December 21st, 2019 at 12:03 am
Right you are, Randy, and I’ve just fixed it. Thanks!
December 21st, 2019 at 12:35 am
Marjorie Weaver is the best part of this, but it does move well, not always in a straight line story wise, but it gets from the start to the end without over taxing your patience because of pace.
December 21st, 2019 at 6:52 pm
I agree that Marjorie Weaver’s role in this film was a huge plus. Very prettily spurning the advances of the leading man all the while carrying the story along — it doesn’t sound like much, but she did it coolly and well. As was the case with any number of female stars in those days, her career never really rose very muchabove appearing in B-movies such as this, and that’s a shame.
December 21st, 2019 at 9:06 am
No visible boom mikes?
December 21st, 2019 at 10:11 am
None that I saw. Should I have been looking?
December 22nd, 2019 at 9:19 am
Cookson was also effective in a very different style, in FEAR (1944) Monogram’s version of CRIME& PUNISHMENT.