Shadows Over Shanghai (1938)

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Joseph Hoffman (screenplay)
Richard Sale (story)

Release Date:

14 October 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

HUMAN CONFLICT! Caught in a surging storm of a people's hate...it might be tomorrow's headlines!

Plot:

A pilot carrying a valuable amulet is shot down over China by a ruthless Russian agent, who also wants the amulet.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Jewel

Cast

James Dunn	...	Johnny McGinty
Ralph Morgan	...	Howard Barclay
Lynda Grey	...	Irene Roma (as Linda Gray)
Robert Barrat	...	Igor Sargoza
Paul Sutton	...	Fuji Yokahama
Edward Woods	...	Peter Roma
Edwin Mordant	...	Dr. Adams
Chester Gan	...	Lun Sat Li
Victor Wong	...	Wu Chang
Edward Keane	...	American Consul
Billy Bevan	...	Gallicuddy, the bartender
William Haade	...	Captain Murphy
Richard Loo	...	Fong
Victor Sen Yung	...	Wang (as Victor Young)

Runtime:

USA:65 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording) | Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Franklyn Warner Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Johnny enters the hotel lobby and goes to the area in which the three courtesy phones are located, the middle phone is in use. Johnny makes his call on the phone on the left, but when he finishes his conversation, he hangs up the middle phone.

Way too talky story set during the Japanese invasion of China

Irene, a woman living in China watches as her brother is shot down by an unknown airman. The brother survives but is too weak to continue with his mission which involves taking part of an amulet to San Fransisco to get money for the Chinese war effort against the Japanese. She is warned about the man who shot the brother, a Soviet military man who wants the money for his own. She is also told to look up a certain person in Shanghai if she gets into trouble. Once in Shanghai she runs a fowl of of the villain and escapes thanks to a wounded newspaper photographer, named McGinty, heading home to America. Linking up with her brothers friend the trio tries to get out of the city before the Japanese completely over run it and before the bad guys get them.

Considerably duller than the description makes out (I forgot the villains name and Ralph Morgans as well and I'm not impressed enough to look it up). This is a low budget film that takes into account the then current event of the Japanese Invasion of Shanghai. Despite the use of stock news footage this is a mostly stage bound espionage yarn that substitutes talk for action. Yes its well written, but it lacks any real action until the final reel or two to keep it interesting. The lack of action becomes numbing and I did have to fight to keep awake.

This isn't to say its a bad film, its not,its just a bit too talky for its own good. Lets face it you have to give the film points since the film kept me watching to the end because I had to see how it came out.

Would I recommend it? Well I wouldn't go out of my way to see it but if I found it on I would let it run out its running time. There are worse films and there are better, but in a pinch, on the Late Late Late Movie it would be fine.