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Michael Shayne Private Detective (1941)

Director: Eugene Forde

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From Time Out Film Guide

Nolan's 'keyhole dick' is ludicrously quick with his fists and has an annoying habit of twirling a keychain round his finger, he's also not above faking a murder (with a mickey finn and a bottle of catsup) to frighten the sense back into the headstrong girl (Weaver) he's supposed to be chaperoning. Based on a novel by Brett Halliday, Dividend on Death, this is the first in a series of 12 produced by Fox between 1940 and '47. It's an extremely convoluted betting and horse-swapping mystery, with a mildly diverting subplot featuring an elderly Ellery Queen fan (Patterson) who helps Shayne with this not terribly diverting 'baffle book' case. Nolan is a reliable player, and Bogart's Marlowe may have learned something from him, but he lacks ingrained world-weariness.

Author: JPy 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Eugene Forde

Producer: Sol M Wurtzel

Cast: Lloyd Nolan, Marjorie Weaver, Elizabeth Patterson, Joan Valerie, Walter Abel, Donald MacBride, Douglas Dumbrille full cast

Duration: 77 mins


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