Street of Shadows (1953)

Director:

Richard Vernon

Writers:

Laurence Meynell (novel)
Richard Vernon (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Small-time Soho hustler gets caught up in the murder of an ex-girl friend, evades the police and finally helps them to corner the real murderer. |

Plot Keywords:

Woman Stabbed | Dead Woman Carried | High Heels | Based On Novel

Cast

Cesar Romero	...	Luigi
Kay Kendall	...	Barbara Gale
Edward Underdown	...	Det. Insp. Johnstone
Victor Maddern	...	Danny 'Limpy' Thomas
Simone Silva	...	Angele Abbé
Liam Gaffney	...	Constable Fred Roberts
Bill Travers	...	Nigel Langley - Barbara's date
Robert Cawdron	...	Det. Sgt. Hadley
John Penrose	...	Gerald Gale, Barbara's husband
Molly Hamley-Clifford	...	'Starry' Darrell
Eileen Way	...	Mrs. Thoms, Angele's landlady
Paul Hardtmuth	...	J.M. 'Poppa' Mayall, jeweller-hideout keeper
Tony Simpson	...	Nikki, hustler
Rose McLaren	...	Rose
Michael Kelly	...	Merchant Seaman West, date-abuser
Fred Griffiths	...	Cab Driver
Henry Purvis	...	Darrell (Starry Darrell's brother) (as Anaconda)
Lionel King	...	The Cardsharp
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mela White	...	Cockney girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Vernon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Laurence Meynell		novel "The Creaking Chair"
Richard Vernon		writer

Produced by
William H. Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Spear

Cinematography by
Phil Grindrod

Film Editing by
Geoffrey Muller

Art Direction by
George Haslam

Makeup Department
Jack Craig	....	makeup artist
Betty Sherriff	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ted Holliday	....	production manager
Leslie Sinclair	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alf Keating	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Harry Benson	....	sound recordist
Richard A. Smith	....	sound supervisor
Sidney Rider	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Arthur Vincent	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charles Trigg	....	still photographer
Tony Young	....	camera operator
Ron Drinkwater	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Ron Robson	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsie Curtis	....	wardrobe mistress

Music Department
Tommy Reilly	....	musician: harmonica solo

Other crew
Nat Cohen	....	presenter
Stuart Levy	....	presenter
Gladys Reeve	....	continuity

Production Companies

• William Nassour Productions (in association with)
• Merton Park Studios

Distributors

• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1953) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lippert Pictures (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Forgotten Hollywood (2002) (USA) (video)
• VCI Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

The Shadow Man (USA)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

William Nassour Productions

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mondo oscenità (1966)

It's all VERY familiar

This film is included on a DVD that also has another "forgotten" Film Noir picture--SHOOT TO KILL. However, the film is called by its alternate title SHADOW MAN instead of STREET OF SHADOWS and stars Cesar Romero.

Romero stars as a man who owns a "pin-table lounge"--a place to drink, gamble and play various electronic games (such as pinball)--almost like a poor man's nightclub. He's generally a nice guy, but also a rather tough character. Oddly, for once, Romero uses a strong Spanish accent--something you usually heard less of in his American films.

When a woman is killed, Romero is caught trying to hide the body. Though he didn't do it, it sure looks bad for him. So, Romero escapes and spends the film trying to establish his innocence--a rather clichéd premise, to say the least. It's been done 1001 times before, so unfortunately, while it is well made, it's also incredibly familiar. Decent acting, decent direction and a second-rate plot--oh, and by the way, the soundtrack was really bad (it was mostly harmonica)!

FYI--Kay Kendall stars in this film. She later married Rex Harrison, though died of cancer just two years later in 1959. Also, the other film on the DVD (SHOOT TO KILL) is a more enjoyable film despite having a cast of no-name actors.