The Shadow **** (1994, Alec Baldwin, John Lone, Penelope Ann Miller, Tim Curry, Ian McKellen) – Classic Movie Review 2324

Director Russell (Highlander) Mulcahy’s vastly underrated 1994 release is a highly entertaining comic-book fantasy adventure, based on the Advance Magazine character.

Alec Baldwin gives an engaging, easy-going performance as The Shadow and his alter ego playboy Lamont Cranston, the 1930s hero torn between good and evil who turns into a shadow of himself to avenge wickedness. John Lone is splendidly intense as Shiwan Khan, The Shadow’s dark mirror and nemesis, who arrives in New York City to use The Shadow’s inner conflict to his dastardly advantage.

In screenwriter David Koepp’s new story based on Walter B. Gibson’s character, The Shadow finds himself battling Shiwan Khan as he is building an atomic bomb.

Ian McKellen is oddly cast as Dr Reinhardt Lane, the A-bomb making scientific boffin, and Penelope Ann Miller is not obvious casting as his daughter Margo Lane, the romantic interest for Baldwin’s character. Much better are Peter Boyle as The Shadow’s driver Moe Shrevnitz, a hilarious Tim Curry as the demented scientist Farley Claymore and Jonathan Winters as Wainwright Cranston, the police commissioner and The Shadow’s uncle.

Mulcahy directs with a great sense of pace, humour and period and an eye to catching visuals. It is not nearly as stately or dark as Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, but it is nearly as rousing and as much fun. It really rattles along and delivers the fantasy goods. The lavish, inventive art deco production designs are quite gorgeous.

The Shadow superhero character, along with The Phantom, was the precursor of Batman and Superman.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2324

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