OMDB
Home Movies Series Search
OMDB

Built by Torkel Aannestad with Next.js Next.js and shadcn/ui shadcn/ui.

Data provided by TMDB.

GitHubSource code
The Shadow Laughs poster

The Shadow Laughs (1933)

Back to main

Reviews

CinemaSerf
CinemaSerf
Rating 40%

June 13, 2022

When banks start being robbed, and sequential thousand dollar bills are left attached to the bodies of corpses - the local cops are quite effectively confused. Enter local newspaper man Hal Skelly ("Robin Dale") who takes up the cudgels to investigate. What could the motive possibly be for such profligacy? Well, Skelly (a sort of cross between Harold Lloyd and "Popeye") alongside an annoying, if pretty, Rose Hobart ("Ruth Hackett") are soon on the trail of our hooded scallywag (or ought that to be Skellywag?) and the suspense is palpable - when/if we are ever going to actually get a laugh; hell I'd have settled for a smile, a smirk - but no, just grimaces - lots and lots of grimaces. The banter is certainly fast paced, but at times it is barely audible, unfunny and left me desperate for the thing to end. Cesar Romero cut his teeth on this nonsense, otherwise it would be entirely irredeemable. Luckily for us, he persevered - something I can't say I'd recommend anyone else does with this.