The Shadow Laughs (DVD)

A shadowy figure murders a guard while robbing $100,000 from a bank, then kills his reluctant accomplice and keeps all the loot for himself. Ambitious reporter Robin Dale, eager to crack the case, persuades bank secretary Ruth Hackett to help him obtain a list of serial numbers of the stolen bills. She comes to regret cooperating with Dale after her brother George falls under suspicion. Ruth is unaware that the real criminal believes she knows more about the crime than she has told and is determined to silence her.

Unseen for decades following its limited theatrical release in 1933, this obscure independent mystery was believed by film buffs to have some connection to "The Shadow" of radio and pulp-magazine fame. Actually, writer-producer-director Arthur Hoerl was only interested in capitalizing on the "real" Shadow's notoriety to make his movie more commercial. Shot in New York, The Shadow Laughs employed a cast primarily comprised of stage actors, the principal exceptions being Rose Hobart (who had already achieved some success in Hollywood) and Cesar Romero (who was just about to).

• mystery
• thriller