Source (Universal Studios)
Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of men? The Shadow knows! That tagline is perhaps more well known than the actual character.
The Shadow, a huge part of the pulp magazine and radio serial era of the 1930s, was a distant memory at the end of the 20th Century. The story of Lamont Cranston was not well known. A World War I fighter pilot, who became a warlord and opium dealer in the Far East, Cranson was chosen by a Tibetan mystic to harness the powers of his mind and find redemption battling the evil in the world. But in 1994, Hollywood took a chance, and the hero jumped to the big screen in a big-budget summer blockbuster.
On paper, it looked like a smart bet. Alec Baldwin as the millionaire playboy with a dark past was inspired casting. Fresh off his starring roles in Glengarry Glen Ross and Prelude to a Kiss, plus his turn as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October, cemented him as a versatile leading man and action star. He headlined a cast filled with talent including a pre-Sir Ian McKellen, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, and the always entertaining Tim Curry. Behind the camera, director Russell Mulcahy developed a visceral, kinetic style of directing helming music videos for Queen, Duran Duran, and Def Leppard before directing the first two Highlander films. As for writer David Koepp, he was coming off hits Jurassic Park and Carlito’s Way.
The Shadow leans into its star’s affable charm. Baldwin shows off his ability to walk between drama and comedy, showcasing his wit. Keopp sat in rehearsals and absorbed Baldwin’s wry sense of humor into the scripting. While that served to give Lamont Cranston some wonderful character moments and quippy one-liners (“Oh that knife” and “Brooks Brothers, on 45th”), it denied him a chance to play into the character’s sense of guilt and his journey to redemption. Rather, we jump ahead several years during a time The Shadow was already well into his battle.
The film’s light tone did not help the other characters. Archvillain Shiwan Khan (John Lone) plays into that humor, and it undercuts the action and sense of danger needed to fully buy into his plot to conquer the world. The rest of the cast finds themselves saddled with gimmicky bits. Ian McKellen’s absent-minded professor character doesn’t know the difference between red and green. Tim Curry entertains as the base and corrupt scientist Farley Claymore. Curry clearly enjoyed eating all the scenery he could stomach. Only Penelope Ann Miller’s Margo Lane, the psychic socialite (and Ian McKellen’s daughter), gets some meat to perform. She gets into the Shadow’s mind and his head. Margo serves as a strong foil to Cranston. More a partner than a sidekick or damsel in distress, Miller’s heroine is a highlight of the cast.
What resulted was an enjoyable if muddled pulpy flick that failed to connect to an audience. The film is too dark and drab to appeal to kids, too campy and glib to draw in action fans, and not quite serious enough for fans of crime noir. Director Mulcahy built huge set pieces, filled them with ornate art deco furnishing and shinning glass, but he allowed it to overshadow his plot.
In the film’s finale, the battle between psychic warriors resulted in little more than a staring contest. (In the director’s defense, the elaborate hall of mirrors in the finale suffered destruction — an earthquake hit during filming. Its loss prevented the director’s intended climactic battle between good and evil.)
Aimed at the same audience that made Batman a huge hit, the film failed to connect with teen boys of the early 90s. It was the beginning of the internet. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ruled toy aisles and cartoon ratings. Sure Batman was riding high (Tim Burton’s two Bat-films came out in 1989 and 1992), but it would be another few years before comic book movies would be a regular thing.
The Shadow prepares to celebrate his 90th anniversary in 2021. With comic book heroes riding high, it may be time to revisit the evil in men’s hearts. Now may be the best time to tell Shadow’s story to a new generation.
If you liked this Rewind Review, be sure to check out the whole series as we take a look back at some of our favorite corners of popular culture from years past!
