Street of Shadows, also known as Shadow Man, is a 1953 British film noir written and directed by Richard Vernon and starring Cesar Romero, Victor Maddern, Kay Kendall and Edward Underdown. It is based on the 1951 novel The Creaking Chair by Laurence Meynell.
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Plot
Luigi, the owner of a Soho pin table saloon, is romancing an unhappily married socialite, Barbara Gale. He is accused of the murder of his former girlfriend Angela, who was found stabbed in his apartment. He evades the police and asks his friend Limpy for help, but Limpy is revealed to be Angela's killer.
Cast
Cesar Romero as Luigi
Kay Kendall as Barbara Gale
Edward Underdown as Det. Insp. Johnstone
Victor Maddern as Limpy
Bill Travers as Nigel Langley
Simone Silva as Angela Abbe
Liam Gaffney as Constable Fred Roberts
Robert Cawdron as Det. Sgt. Hadley
John Penrose as Gerald Gale
Molly Hamley-Clifford as "Starry" Darrell
Eileen Way as Mrs. Thoms
Paul Hardtmuth as J.M. Mayall
Tony Sympson as Nikki
Rose McLaren as Rose
Michael Kelly as Merchant Seaman West
Fred Griffiths as cab driver
Harry Purvis as Darrell
Lionel King as cardsharp
Production
It was shot at the Merton Park Studios in London and on location in the city's West End. The film's sets were designed by the art director George Haslam. It was an early production of Anglo-Amalgamated who had signed a deal with Lippert Pictures who distributed the film in the United States. While much of the company's output at the time were second features, this was a more expensive film aimed at the first feature market. It was the first Anglo film to use an imported star.
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A conventional thriller. The sound track is somewhat enlivened by Tommy Reilly's harmonica solos, particularly 'The Limping Man', which seems destined to share the fate of the 'Harry Lime Theme'."
Kine Weekly wrote: "Seamy side romantic crime melodrama, with pathological overtones. ... The picture, complete with harmonica accompaniment, makes a muddled start, but once romance between Luigi and Barbara is clearly established and the chip on Limpy's shoulder bared, the dizzy low-life kaleidoscope acquires human interest."
Variety wrote: "Typical British attention to characterization in bit parts is carried out in the film, but without any slowdown, as Richard Vernon's direction puts his script through its paces. The suspense element is well established by the direction and the mood of the piece is heightened by the harmonica eniphasis in the Eric Spear score and by the low-key, interestingly angled lensing of Phil Grindrod."