The Shadow Strikes

The Shadow Strikes

Year: 1937

Runtime: 62 mins

Language: English

Director: Lynn Shores

Mystery

Lamont Cranston dons his alter ego, The Shadow, to stop a robbery in an attorney’s office. When police sweep the scene he impersonates the lawyer to avoid suspicion. A summons then draws the “attorney” to the mansion of wealthy client Delthern, who has requested a new will. Moments after Cranston arrives, Delthern is shot, thrusting The Shadow into a fresh murder investigation.

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Timeline & Setting – The Shadow Strikes (1937)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Shadow Strikes (1937). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1930s

The narrative unfolds in a period marked by classic detective fiction and aristocratic estates. Wealth, family pressure, and secret identities drive the plot within a framework of formal manners and early investigative techniques. The timeframe shapes how clues are exchanged, concealed, and uncovered.

Location

Attorneys' office, Delthern residence

The action centers on the Delthern estate and the attorney's office, where wills and motives collide. The Shadow operates between these key locations, moving through interiors that reflect wealth and power while clues and alibis unfold. The setting blends formal, aristocratic environments with the danger and intrigue of a high-stakes inheritance plot.

🗺️ Urban 🕰️ 1930s

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 13:37

Main Characters – The Shadow Strikes (1937)

Meet the key characters of The Shadow Strikes (1937), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lamont Cranston / The Shadow (Rod La Rocque)

A master of disguise who uses The Shadow persona to intervene in a murder plot and slip past the police. He impersonates the attorney Chester Randall to move unseen and relentlessly pursues the truth. His calculated resourcefulness and willingness to take risks drive the investigation forward.

🕵️‍♂️ Hero 🗝️ Disguise 🧭 Cunning

Chester Randall (John Elliott)

An attorney whose private line becomes a tool for misdirection and manipulation. His absence triggers a cascade of misperceptions as others try to masquerade as him. He anchors the legal side of the inheritance intrigue and represents official authority.

⚖️ Lawyer 🗂️ Estate 🧩 Plot device

Marcia Delthern (Agnes Anderson)

The Delthern heiress whose potential disinheritance hinges on her marriage choice. She discovers a pistol link to the murder and takes an active role in safeguarding the will. Her actions reveal family tensions and the high stakes of wealth and lineage.

💎 Heiress 🕊️ Family secrets

Captain Breen (Kenneth Harlan)

A police captain pursuing the truth while testing The Shadow's disguises and alibis. He embodies official law but is repeatedly challenged by the clever ruses and covert operations surrounding the case.

👮 Police 🕵️ Investigation

Winstead Comstock (Walter McGrail)

The eldest nephew who stands to inherit a large portion of the estate. He is arrested on suspicion but later cleared by alibis, illustrating the perilous scrutiny faced by potential heirs.

🏛️ Nobility 💰 Wealth

Jasper Delthern (James Blakeley)

A nephew with gambling debts who pressures others for a larger loan to settle his obligations. His financial desperation makes him a volatile figure in the inheritance drama.

🎰 Gambler 🧩 Risk

Humphrey Comstock (William Kellogg)

An heir whose choices and alliances complicate the truth surrounding the will. His involvement adds to the web of motives and cross-purposes driving the plot.

🧭 Motives 🗝️ Secrets

Barney Brossett (Cy Kendall)

A casino club owner entangled in debt who pressures Jasper for repayment and seeks to retrieve the will. His suspicions about The Shadow intensify the danger around the document.

💳 Debtor 🕶️ Crime link

Wellington (Wilson Benge)

The Delthern butler who harbors a hidden motive to divert funds. He confronts The Shadow and dies in a confrontation, his death sealing a key motive behind the inheritance plot.

🧭 Servant 🗝️ Secrets

Warran Berringer (John Carnivale)

The would-be heir whose ambitions intersect with the will, drawing him into the dangerous web of deceit and rivalry surrounding the estate.

💼 Heir 🗡️ Rivalry

Detective Kelly (James C. Morton)

A detective who informs The Shadow about the pistol caliber mismatch and assists the investigation with procedural insight, representing official law amid the intrigue.

🔎 Detective 🧩 Clues

Miss Hughes

Randall's secretary who, through phone interactions, aids in staging misdirection and advances the plot's twists.

🗣️ Secretary 💬 Communications

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 13:37

Major Themes – The Shadow Strikes (1937)

Explore the central themes of The Shadow Strikes (1937), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Deception Deception

The Shadow's use of disguise and impersonation drives the central suspense, as characters wear false identities to mislead others. Alibis are manufactured, lines of communication are manipulated, and appearances must be scrutinized to uncover the truth. Deception creates the danger that keeps the mystery alive and reversible.

💰 Inheritance Inheritance

A will and a vast estate become the core battleground for competing relatives and correspondingly dangerous ambitions. Motives rooted in wealth push Jasper, Winstead, Humphrey, and others to risky actions and betrayals. The pursuit of the will exposes loyalties and fractures within the family.

🕵️ Detective Detective

Official police scrutiny and The Shadow's stealthy investigation intersect, creating a cat-and-mouse dynamic. Forensic-like tests, calibers, and listening devices illustrate the era's investigative constraints and ingenuity. Clues accumulate as investigators and vigilantes race toward the same truth.

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 13:37

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The Shadow Strikes Summary

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The Shadow Strikes (1937) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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