Man in the Shadow (1957)

Thanks for the memories!

Just perfect...

Highly Overrated But Still Good

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Man in the Shadow is directed by Jack Arnold and written by Gene L. Coon. it stars Jeff Chandler, Orson Welles, Colleen Miller, Ben Alexander, John Larch and Barbara Lawrence. Uncredited music is by Hans J. Salter and Herman Stein, and cinematography by Arthur E. Arling.The cattle town of Spurline is ruled by Virgil Renchler (Welles), one man refuses to bow to his despotic rule - Sheriff Ben Sadler (Chandler).Obreos No Son Permitidos A Traves De Esta Cerca.The above statement means that field hands are not permitted beyond this fence, it's an opening salvo that greets viewers of this atmospheric and relevant CinemaScope picture, and it's something that perfectly sets up the unseemly tone of the story.The story is simple enough, a town is run by an unsavoury business man who thinks he and his cronies are above the law, the townsfolk think he is as well and tow the line, even in view of the overt racism and treatment to those of other ethnicity. When a murder is committed it brings in the upright and loyal to the law Sheriff, who as you might guess will have to stand alone against tyranny."Now you're shocked? All you decent people were shocked? For god's sake why? Because my name's Ben Sadler instead of Juan Martine, cuz I'm a tax payer instead of a drifter?"With mood established, both in narrative thrust and monochrome magic, film is more concerned with political bile, the abuse of power and troubled consciousness than being an action piece. You may well know how this is all going to end, but it's told and performed in such a gripping fashion that it holds court from first frame till last. A number of striking images would grace many a film noir, the night shots of the town, a dastardly crime perpetrated in the shadow of a swinging lamp, the ominous lighting of the Renchler Ranch, and then there's the potency of the criminal acts, which are admirably constructed. Both Arnold and Arling proving to have keen eyes for visual impact.Welles doesn't have to stretch himself but makes a telling mark as the big bad, while Larch does a nice line in snarly henchmen villainy. Sadly where Miller is concerned, as Renchler's daughter it's a token role that any gal could have played, the role seemingly only serving to have her strip to her undies and be annoyed with her dad. Head and shoulders above everyone is Chandler, there are those who call him wooden (amongst over things), not a bit of it. The right role, such as this, showcases his worth, his subtleties, his physicality and a calming grace that makes one lament his too short career and life.Thematically this sort of piece has been done much better elsewhere, but this is laudable stuff all told and well worth discovering for potential first time viewers. 7/10

MAN IN THE SHADOW – 1957This Universal Studio's production is sort of a western updated to 1957. We have Orson Welles as the big land owner, Colleen Miller as his daughter and Jeff Chandler as the local Sheriff. The film is set in the American Southwest.The film starts on Welles' Golden Empire Ranch. A young Mexican farm hand, Joe Schneider, is dragged out of one of the ranch bunkhouses by two men, John Larch and Leo Gordon. They take Schneider to a nearby shed where they start to work the lad over. It seems that the young man has been over friendly with ranch owner Welles' daughter, Miller. Welles sent the two men to teach him a lesson. Schneider however is a stronger go than Gordon and Larch expected. A handy pick axe handle soon ends the fight by splitting the lad's skull open. Watching this whole thing from the shed window is, Martin Garralaga. Garralaga is another one of the many Mexican farmhands employed by Welles' ranch. He fades back into the dark and returns to the bunkhouse.The next morning, Garralaga decides to pay a visit to the law in the local town of Spurline. Spurline is a small one horse town with just a Sheriff, Jeff Chandler and one deputy, Ben Alexander. The town survives on the business it gets from Welles "bigger than some countries" Golden Empire Ranch.Garralaga tells his story to Chandler and Alexander. Alexander does not believe the "wetback" and urges Chandler to do the same. No point in rocking the boat with Welles without any proof. Chandler, newly elected, tells Alexander the law applies to everyone. He will go out and at least see if the young man is still there.Welles, who takes security serious, has armed men at the entrance to his property. After Welles has his men let Chandler in, Chandler politely asks about a possible "disturbance" on the ranch the night before involving a Mexican farmhand. "I have hundreds of wetbacks working here. You think I keep track of them all?' "Probably a couple of them got drunk and got in a fight." Welles also broadly hints that if Chandler wishes to keep his job, he best drop the matter. Chandler knows he'll need to dig up more evidence before pushing the matter. Back to town he goes to have a further talk the witness. Welles had only ordered his thugs to rough up Schneider. But since it ended up in murder, he is as guilty as Larch and Gordon. He calls the two into his office where they come up with a way to end the matter. Gordon takes the body of the slain young man down to an isolated spot on the highway. He dumps the body and then drives over it several times. He then contacts the Sheriff's office. He claims that the lad must have been drunk and wandered out into traffic. Deputy Alexander has no problem taking this story as gospel. When Welles' daughter, Miller, hears about Schneider's death, she contacts Chandler. Schneider and Miller had become friendly. Miller figures it most likely upset her father. Chandler adds this to the growing list of evidence. He decides to take precautions with his witness, and hides Garralaga at the farm of Royal Dano. Welles continues to stir the pot as he contacts the town managers, Paul Fix and William Schallert, and threatens to take his ranch business elsewhere. The less than subtle hint, "Get rid of Chandler or else". Welles' men also sabotage Chandler's Police car. Chandler is lucky to escape the wreck with only a few bumps and bruises. Besides the pressure from the town council to lay off the investigation, Chandler's wife, Barbara Lawrence is getting threatening phone calls. Add to all this is that the witness to the murder, Garralaga is himself murdered. This of course just makes the Sheriff all the more determined to solve the case.Welles now pulls out all the stops and has two of his men, Leo Gordon and Charles Horvath, jump Chandler. They lay a solid beating on the man and then drag him through the town streets from a rope tied to the back of a pickup. The message, Welles is really the man in charge. Chandler, who has been patched up by the local doc, Harry Harvey, has had more than enough. He arms himself with a shotgun and roars off to confront Welles at his ranch. The townsfolk, shamed by letting Welles walk all over them, arm up and likewise set off for the ranch. Needless to say there is a showdown at the ranch with several of Welles henchmen eating far too much lead than is good for them. Welles is slapped in cuffs and loaded up for a trip to jail. This one comes off as an upper level b-film, not great, but quite watchable. Welles is good as the old style land baron type. Chandler, is Chandler, he does nothing different here than we've seen in a dozen other films. Colleen Miller is more or less simply eye candy.The director, Jack Arnold, is best known for a series of great sci-fi films he made in the 1950's. These include, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, TARANTULA and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN. He touched on noir with, THE TATTERED DRESS and OUTSIDE THE LAW. He would end his career helming episodes of THE LOVE BOAT. Some nice black and white work is supplied by Oscar winning (The Yearling) cinematographer, Arthur E Arling. Arling also received an Oscar nomination for his work on, I'LL CRY TOMORROW. The following year, Welles would make, TOUCH OF EVIL.

Universal International's MAN IN THE SHADOW is a modestly entertaining thriller! Produced in 1957 by Albert Zugsmith it was adequately written for the screen by Gene L. Coon and was crisply photographed in black & white Cinemascope by Arthur E. Arling. Also known as "Pay The Devil" it was directed in a fine workmanlike fashion by the king of the B movies Jack Arnold. Now the picture has just recently been released on DVD in a splendid and sparkling widescreen transfer which in itself is something of a surprise since the movie isn't that well known or that well appreciated. But one could suspect that the reason for its DVD appearance is the presence in the cast of the great Orson Welles who takes second billing to the picture's star Jeff Chandler. Welles' part in the movie isn't very distinguished. In fact it isn't distinguished at all and could have been played by any one of a dozen Hollywood character actors such as Charles Bickford, Robert Middleton, George MacReady etc. One could further suspect that Welles took up the assignment simply to woo Universal so they would back him the following year when it came to producing his masterpiece "Touch Of Evil". Whatever the reason the great actor here just chews up every bit of scenery there is and acts the socks off everyone around him.Spurline is a quiet little modern cow town in the south west were nothing really very much happens until one day the local sheriff Ben Sadler (Jeff Chandler) gets a complaint from an old Mexican farm hand (Martin Carralaga) that his young friend and co-worker, at The Golden Empire ranch where they both work, has been beaten to death by two of the ranch foremen (John Larch and Leo Gordan). The Golden Empire is a ranch of gargantuan proportions - "Why sheriff there are some countries in Europe not as big as this ranch" stoutly declares its owner the powerful Virgil Renchler (Orson Welles) who doesn't take too kindly to Sadler when he comes to see him about the young farm hand's death. He threatens and intimidates him and not only that but the town council also want Sadler to cease his investigation so as not to compromise Renchler's investments in the town. But Sadler is not for turning and continues to probe resulting in two attempts on his life. The picture ends when after been dragged through the streets of Spurline on the end of a rope a badly beaten Ben Sadler arms himself and with no one to help him goes to The Golden Empire to arrest Renchler and his cohorts. But Renchler's men overpower him and just as they make plans to kill him the town's leading citizens, with changed hearts and minds, arrive to help their sheriff arrest Renchler and his men.Of course the acting honours goes to Welles. As the all powerful and brash land baron he just runs away with the movie whenever he's in it. Regrettably though Jeff Chandler is as wooden as ever complete with irritating facial expressions, that camera conscious manner and that affected gait when he walks. But there is some nice playing from a good supporting cast like Martin Carralaga as the old bracero, Paul Fix and William Schallert as members of the town council, John Larch and Leo Gordan as the killers, the attractive Coleen Miller as Renchler's daughter and there's a fine cameo from James Gleason as a guest of the county who sleeps it off every night in Sadler's jail cell. Also of note is the splendid score contributed by Hans Salter and Herman Stein both of whom shamefully go uncredited as was the norm for a Universal picture of the period.MAN IN THE SHADOW is by no means a great movie but it's a handsomely mounted black & white Cinemascope offering which flows quite comfortably with Arnold keeping a tight rein on the proceedings. So to sum up there are worse ways one could spend 83 minutes.

Often mistaken as a Western, this little ranch-set, (then) modern-day murder tale has ambitious themes, but fails to resolve itself with much of an impact. Orson Welles was seen to possibly his best effect onscreen in 1958 with his masterpiece Touch of Evil and his great, scenery chewing Southern patriarch in The Long, Hot Summer. Here he's barely given anything to work with, and Jeff Chandler's solid work doesn't produce a memorable character. Good atmosphere, interesting potential, but a disappointment.