SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT (1944)
Article #890 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 8-22-2003
Posting Date: 1-19-2004
Directed by Eugene Forde
Featuring Warner Baxter, Nina Foch, George Zucco

A woman consults a psychiatrist to try to figure out if her strange dreams are really dreams; he visits her home and becomes embroiled in a murder mystery.

The Crime Doctor series was based on a popular radio show; there were ten movies made in the series, but this is the first one I’ve seen. Though it’s certainly more of a mystery than any other genre, there are touches of both horror and science fiction in the mix; a bizarre phantom-like figure appears at certain points, and a ‘hypnotic gas’ plays a part in the proceedings. This one is truly satisfying; it’s efficient, fast-moving, well-acted, and some of the events that take place are very mysterious indeed. Not only that, there is enough information to figure out who the culprit is by the time the last reel comes around. And for horror fans, there is always George Zucco to enliven the proceedings. This one is solid b-movie fun.