Thu 4 Aug 2011
A Movie Review by Walter Albert: JUST OFF BROADWAY (1942) — A Mike Shayne Film.
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[2] Comments
JUST OFF BROADWAY. 20th Century Fox, 1942. Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Phil Silvers, Janis Carter, Richard Derr. Screenplay by Arnaud d’Usseau, based on the character created by Brett Halliday and an idea by Jo Eisinger; photography by Lucien Andriot. Director: Herbert J. Leeds. Shown at Cinevent 40, Columbus OH, May 2008.
This sixth, and penultimate Shayne film starring Nolan as the brash private eye, finds the series showing signs of running out of steam. Nolan is as engaging as ever, but the script, which has Shayne serving as a juror and attempting to prove that the wrong person is being tried while he’s sequestered with the jury, requires some stretch of the imagination to find credible.
I will give the scriptwriter a point for originality (Shayne wraps up the case from the jury box with nary a peep from the judge or lawyers), but nothing for believability. Jim Goodrich, who watched this film with me, added that Phil Silvers, “as always,” brightens up the proceedings.

August 4th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
I was a great fan of the Sgt. Bilko show when I was a kid, but I think you’d have to tie me down to get me to watch it now. Jim Goodrich and I will have to go our differing ways when it comes to Phil Silvers. Wish Jim were here so we could tell each other how wrong the other is.
This movie is available on the gray market. Since the officially released box set, Michael Shayne Mysteries Vol. 1, has been out for four years with no signs of a Volume 2, it looks as though I will have to go the unofficial route to see this one.
August 9th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
Fox Movie Channel should dig into their vaults a bit harder…