SunnyHello Nice effects though.

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

dougdoepke Routine 30's programmer with nothing particularly to recommend. John's (Bellamy) paroled from prison because he killed a man in a fight. To stay out of trouble, he retreats to a cabin in the boondocks. But there he meets Louise (Wray) who's also in trouble. Then when his ex-rival Robson (Douglas) shows up, things really go haywire, especially when John slugs a confederate of Robson's. So, can John clear himself with the cops now that his parole's in jeopardy, and maybe warm up to the plaintive Louise.Actor Bellamy's usually derided for being dull. Here, however, he shows some charisma as a leading man. But why it takes his character so long to clinch with the luscious Wray remains a cosmic mystery, especially when she walks in the door in a clinging satin gown. Oh well, it's the movies, and certainly King Kong knew better. The story idea comes from ace crime novelist Dashiell Hammett, but appears to suffer from erratic adaptation. For example, having movie sidekick Roscoe Ates clowning around undercuts any serious intent, and almost certainly didn't come from Hammett's novel. Nonetheless, fans of Wray should tune in thanks to her many glowing close-ups. Otherwise, the 60-minutes is pedestrian at best.

classicsoncall This picture gets a lot more complicated than it had to in order to tell it's story of recently released ex-con John Bradley (Ralph Bellamy) who gets mixed up with a shady gangster and his on the run moll. I was left a bit bewildered in the early going when bad guys Robson (Melvyn Douglas) and Conroy (Reed Brown Jr.) track the disheveled Louise Loring (Fay Wray) to Bradley's cabin, where Robson winds up shooting Bradley's dog. After a rather major scuffle in which Conroy is knocked unconscious and Bradley wrestles the gun away from Robson, the hoods are simply told to leave by the virtually non-plussed Bradley. Had Bradley called the authorities right then and there, the story would have been over, but then it would only have been about a twenty minute movie.After Loring reveals her relationship with Robson in a series of flashbacks, Bradley decides to help her out, but they'll have to take it on the lam because if Conroy dies, it's a manslaughter rap. Further complicating matters for Bradley is local sheriff Grant (Granville Bates), who has a personal reason to put Bradley away - his daughter Helen (Nell O'Day) has a crush on him.As if there weren't enough characters to keep track of, Roscoe Ates portrays Bradleys' buddy from the Big House, who has a penchant for hocking fancy jewelry. It didn't seem to make much sense to me that he was going to steal his own wife's watch out of her purse, but that's the kind of movie this was. Ates usually did duty as a comic relief sidekick in B Westerns of the era, but here he was a rather lame character and his gimmick didn't seem to work.Ultimately the film makes it's way to a somewhat reasonable ending, although it calls for the split second timing that films of the era relied on. Bradley arrives just in the nick of time to prevent Robson from offing his partner to put the manslaughter angle back in play. Besting Robson for a second time, Bradley and Loring close the picture out in a clinch, but I never got the feeling that they would live happily ever after.

GManfred This one came in the DVD collection and is the only reason the watch it.The best that can be said is that it is a good cast wasted. Hard to believe Dashiell Hammett had a hand in this uninteresting film. It was Pre-Code and had a few half-hearted attempts to inject sexual innuendo which would pass unnoticed nowadays. I give it 3 due mainly to an uninspired script and an outlandish storyline. The cast headed by Ralph Bellamy and Fay Wray try mightily. Melvyn Douglas is the heavy in this one and Roscoe Ates is on hand as comic relief but adds nothing - not even humor - to the proceedings. I hope no one went to great lengths to restore this picture - it wasn't worth it and I can't recommend it.

Michael_Elliott Woman in the Shadows (1934) *** (out of 4) Lightweight but entertaining crime/drama about a man (Ralph Bellamy) released from prison and deciding to stay alone in his cabin so that his bad temper won't get him back into prison. Everything's going well until a woman (Fay Wray) shows up being chased by her psychotic lover (Melvyn Douglas). There's nothing overly special about this "B" film from the Biograph Company but the three stars make it well worth watching. The pre-code elements with Wray's dress slipping down or the close-ups of her legs being shown are nice touches. Also known as Woman in the Dark. Directed by Phil Rosen who would go on to direct several Charlie Chan films as well as Spooks Run Wild and Return of the Ape Man.