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Title: Half-serious, half-ridiculous cliffhanger for fans
Review: Radio's "Lamont Cranston" had a fine sense of justice, a sly sense of humor, and "the power to cloud men's minds." In the serial version, however, The Shadow terrorizes the underworld, takes no nonsense from anyone, and is plainly visible in hat and cloak. Although Victor Jory plays Cranston earnestly, the serial just barely takes itself seriously: when the hammy villain speaks his lines with an overdone sneer, or when Jory sneaks up on some gangsters DISGUISED AS A TREE, it's hard to accept the film as a legitimate drama. But there are some good moments, including very clever staging for the villain, who materializes as a vaporous beam of light. Serial fans will enjoy this most, and Jory's performance is the best part of the show (he's got The Shadow's trademark laugh down cold!).
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