CrimeDramaMystery

Shadow of the Law

- Two Women Want Him...One for His Money...One for His Love...And the Law Wants Him for Life!

John Nelson, a well-to-do businessman, is escorting a woman he knows as Ethel Barry to the door of her apartment suite when a man steps out of the shadows and angrily demands to know where she has been. The embarrassed Nelson excuses himself and goes to his rooms in the same hotel. The woman rushes into his apartment followed by the man who met her in the hall. The man threatens her with violence and Nelson comes to her defense. In the ensuing fight, the man is knocked out of the window and falls to his death to the pavement many stories down. He is charged with the killing and his only witness that can prove self-defense for him has disappeared, and can not be found.

Release Date : 1930-06-06

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Jim Montgomery aka John Nelson

Original Name : William Powell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Edith Wentworth

Original Name : Marion Shilling

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ethel Barry aka Ethel George

Original Name : Natalie Moorhead

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tom Owens

Original Name : Regis Toomey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pete Shore

Original Name : Paul Hurst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel Wentworth

Original Name : George Irving

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective Lt. Mike Kearney

Original Name : Frederick Burt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prison Warden

Original Name : James Durkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lew Durkin

Original Name : Richard Tucker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain of the Guards

Original Name : Walter James

Gender : Male

Character Name : Undetermined Role

Original Name : Sammy Blum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Juror

Original Name : Allan Cavan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge

Original Name : Edward LeSaint

Gender : Male

Character Name : Undetermined Role

Original Name : Frank O'Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Broderick O'Farrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Usher

Original Name : Edward Peil Sr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elevator Operator

Original Name : Oscar Smith

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prison Barber

Original Name : Harry Strang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Engineer

Original Name : Leo Willis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Convict

Original Name : Harry Wilson

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-02-16

This packs quite a lot into an hour or so, with William Powell doing just about enough to keep it afloat. He is the wealthy "Nelson/Montgomery" who in concluding a rather promising first date before an unfortunate encounter with a stranger (to him, anyway) who ends up splatted all over the pavement several stories below. Now he's in handcuffs and the only witness to the whole affair - indeed, the entire cause of the affair, has done a bunk. After three years incarcerated, he becomes a trusty - the warden wants him to do some snitching for him, but he manages to escape. Starting from scratch, with an whole new identity, he becomes successful but never lets up with his search for "Ethel" (Natalie Moorhead) whom he hopes has some answers. This isn't the usual predictable lunchtime fayre, the story has a little more depth to it and Moorhead is actually quite efficient as the rather odious creature whom he learns can not, should not, be trusted. Can he clear his name? Well it's not that unpredictable, but there are still enough sub-plots and characters to keep it interesting and it's well enough paced to rattle along episodically, but fine.