Plot
Brett Halliday's flippant Irish-American private eye Michael Shayne was first brought to the screen by 20th Century-Fox in 1940, with Lloyd Nolan cast to perfection as Shayne. In dire financial straits as usual, Mike allows himself to be hired by his millionaire pal Brighton (Clarence Kolb) to keep the old man's chronic-gambler daughter Phyllis (Marjorie Weaver). This won't be easy, since Phyllis has been associating with such hardcase types as gambling boss Gordon (Douglas Dumbrille) and his handsome flunkey Harry Grange (George Meeker). To teach Phyllis a lesson, Mike knocks out Harry and makes it look as though the man was murdered. Unfortunately, Harry ends up murdered for real, and soon both Mike and Phyllis are high on the suspect list. Our hero manages to expose the real murderer with the assistance of Phyllis' maiden aunt Olivia (Elizabeth Patterson), an eccentric mystery-novel enthusiast. An expert blend of comedy and suspense, Michael Shayne, Private Detective (based on Halliday's novel Dividend for Death) bode well for the brief "Shayne" series that followed. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviReview
Although Michael Shayne, Private Detective has a fine lead in Lloyd Nolan, he's not enough to lift this, the debut title in the B-level Michael Shayne series, above the routine. Fans of hardboiled detective films will certainly enjoy it, but those who are not thrilled by ham-fisted dialogue, overly intricate plots that defy logic and the "man's man" world view evinced by Shayne will be a bit bored. Shayne does have some light moments that will keep non-crime aficionados entertained, and it has an amazingly entertaining supporting performance from dear Elizabeth Patterson, but it lacks the universal appeal of a Maltese Falcon or Big Sleep. It's also true that, as fine as he is, Nolan lacks the star power of someone like Humphrey Bogart, who could make Shayne likeable while still playing up his less appealing aspects. Shayne would also be a better film if a direction with a real feel for the genre, or with an individuals sense of style, were at the helm. Eugene J. Forde's direction is pretty much strictly by-the-numbers, and he can't coax powerful performances from Marjorie Weaver or Joan Valerie. Still, even with its flaws, Shayne will appeal to those who can't get enough of this film genre. ~ Craig Butler, RoviCast
- Lloyd Nolan - Michael Shayne
- Marjorie Weaver - Phyllis Brighton
- Joan Valerie - Marsha Gordon
- Walter Abel - Elliott Thomas
- Elizabeth Patterson - Aunt Olivia
Credit
Lewis H. Creber - Art Director, Richard Day - Art Director, Herschel McCoy - Costume Designer, Eugene J. Forde - Director, Alfred de Gaetano - Editor, Emil Newman - Composer (Music Score), Emil Newman - Musical Direction/Supervision, George Schneiderman - Cinematographer, Sol Wurtzel - Producer, Thomas K. Little - Set Designer, W.D. Flick - Sound/Sound Designer, Harry M. Leonard - Sound/Sound Designer, Stanley Rauh - Screenwriter, Manning O'Connor - Screenwriter, Brett Halliday - Book Author| Michael Schenker: Live In Tokyo 1997 (1997 Film), Michael Schenker: Doctor, Doctor - Live (Film) | |
| Michael Strogoff (1914 Film), Michael Tilson Thomas: Richard Strauss (2011 Film) |
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