Behind the Mask (1946 film)

Behind The Mask
Directed by	Phil Karlson
Written by	Arthur Hoerl George Callahan Walter B. Gibson
Produced by	Joe Kaufmann
Starring	Kane Richmond Barbara Read Dorothea Kent
Cinematography	William A. Sickner
Edited by	Ace Herman
Music by	Edward J. Kay
Production company	Monogram Pictures
Distributed by	Monogram Pictures
Release date	May 25, 1946 (1946-05-25)
Running time	67 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Behind The Mask is a 1946 American comedy mystery film directed by Phil Karlson ^[1] and starring Kane Richmond, Barbara Read, George Chandler and Dorothea Kent. It was the second in a series of three films released by Monogram in 1946 starring Richmond as the crimefighter The Shadow, ^[2] the others being The Shadow Returns and The Missing Lady . ^[3]

Plot

Lamont Cranston, alias The Shadow, has to clear his name of the murder of a blackmailing newspaper reporter by solving the crime himself.

Cast

• Kane Richmond as Lamont Cranston (The Shadow)
• Barbara Read as Margo Lane
• George Chandler as Shrevvie
• Dorothea Kent as Jennie Delaney
• Joseph Crehan as Police Inspector Cardonna
• Pierre Watkin as Police Commissioner Weston
• Robert Shayne as Brad Thomas
• June Clyde as Edith Merrill
• James Cardwell as Jeff Marin
• Marjorie Hoshelle as Mae Bishop
• Joyce Compton as Lulu

Reception

Film historian Larry Langman dismissed Behind the Mask as a "feeble entry in the Shadow mystery series". ^[4] Critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a mixed review, describing it as a "decent low-budget whodunit" with "some nice visual touches but way too much 'comedy' relief." ^[5]

References

1. Mayer, Geoff (2012). Historical Dictionary of Crime Films. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 235. ISBN   978-0810867697.
2. Erickson, Hal (2014). From Radio to the Big Screen: Hollywood films featuring broadcast personalities and programs. McFarland. pp. 108–109. ISBN   9781476615585.
3. Okuda, Ted (1999). The Monogram checklist: the films of Monogram Pictures Corporation, 1931-1952. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 213. ISBN   0786407506.
4. Langman, Larry (1998). The Media in the Movies: A Catalog of American Journalism Films, 1900-1996. McFarland. p. 33. ISBN   147660925X.
5. Leonard, Maltin, ed. (2015). Turner Classic Movies Presents Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide: From the Silent Era Through 1965. Penguin. ISBN   9780698197299.

External links

• Behind the Mask at IMDb
• Behind the Mask at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films