Behind the Mask (Monogram) (1946)

“BEHIND THE MASK" REVEALS COMEDY MYSTERY LOVE TEAM (Review) Kane Richmond and Barbara Reed rate as a delightful team that should please fans who like a “boy and girl” story performance in Monogram’ of adventure and fresh, aep romance, Their co-starring “Behind the Mask” drew a very warm reception at the theatre yesterday, in the second of the new Shadow mys-* tery comedy-dramas. Richmond has a swashbuckling air about him as he plays Lamont Cranston, the police commissioner’s playboy nephew, who craves excitement and responds to his whim in the guise of the mysterious Shadow, solver of puzzling crimes. The amateur. detective needs a_ vivacious, sparkling girlfriend to keep him in place, and Barbara Reed ,as Margo, does just that in a merry, farcical manner. The two lovebirds are about to join in holy wedlock when Richmond learns that a newspaper columnist, who is also a blackmailer, has been killed by someone wearing a costume identical to that worn by the Shadow. Since the finger of suspicion points to Richmond, he decides to investigate and find the guilty party. Of course, the marriage is put off, which doesn’t exactly please Miss Reed, since she feels a bit suspicious about the whole thing. She does a little sleuthing on her own and borrows | one of the Shadow’s outfits, which results in one of the funniest sequences seen in a mystery film in a long time. Kane Richmond manages to be romantic, tough and the cunning detective all at the same time, and Barbara Reed turns in a neat performance as his excitable girl friend. George Chandler is amusing as the Shadow’s chauffeur. Joseph Crehan is the police inspector who usually trails behind the Shadow’s clues with Dorothea Kent, Pierre Watkin, Robert Shayne and June Clyde among the top-notch members of the supporting cast. Phil Karlson’s direction keeps the Joe Kaufman production moving at a lively pace. George Callahan wrote the screenplay from an original story by Arthur Hoerl, based on the copyrighted stories published: in the Shadow Magazine. William E. Sinclair contributes excellent photography. HAT STYLIST Barbara Reed is a lover of novelty hat styles—the more novel the better. Miss Reed co-stars with Kane Richmond in “Behind the Mask,” latest in the Monogram Shadow series, now at the.......... theatre. INJURY HEALS Injured a year ago during the making of a scene in a film in which ‘She was appearing, Dorothea Kent launches her screen comeback with her supporting role in Monogram’s “Behind the Mask.” The mystery comedy thriller is the latest of the new series based upon the copyrighted stories “published in the Shadow Magazine, with Kane Richmond and Barbara Reed co-starred. The Joe Kaufman production comes tothe 222 theatre on “Behind The Mask" New Shadow Film Kane Richmond and _ Barbara Reed are again co-starred in the latest of Monogram’s new Shadow mystery series, “Behind the Mask,” COMMAS pos wd to ie. theatre. The screenplay of George Callahan, from Arthur Hoerl’s original story, is based on the copyrighted stories published in the Shadow Magazine. Among those in the supporting cast are George Chandler, Dorothea Kent, Joseph Crehan, Pierre Watkin, Robert Shayne, June Clyde, James. Cardwell, Marjorie Hoshelle, Joyce Compton, Edward Gargan, Bill Christy, Lou Crosby, Nancy Brinckman, Dewey Robinson, Jean Carlin and Laura Stevens. Phil Karlson directed the Joe Kaufman production, and William Sickner was director of photography. | Edward Kay was musical director. THE STORY (Not for Publication) Jeff Mann (James Cardwell) been blackmailing a number his office. Lamont Cranston police commissioner Weston , newspaper columnist who has of racketeers, is murdered in (Kane Richmond), nephew of (Pierre Watkin) and secretly. The Shadow, is forced to delay his marriage to Margo Lane (Barbara Reed)) and investigate the crime because the murderer was wearing The Shadow’s costume. Margo and her maid Jennie (Derothea Kent) hide in Cranston’s apartment while Mann‘s secretary, Edith Merrill (June Clyde), tells Cranston that she has the key to Mann's private files, and suggests they may contain a clue. Margo, suspecting that Cranston is romantically interested in Edith, creates a scene, during which Edith is murdered and the key stolen. Since neither inspector Cardona (Joe Crehan) nor The Shadow seem to be getting anywhere except in each other's hair with their investigations, Margo. goes to Mann's apartment, dressed in a Shadow costume, to see if she can solve the crimes. In a fight with the real Shadow and the masquerading killer, she is eis killed. Cranston and his cab-driv -er-butler (George Chandadtisr), much to their embarrassment with Margo and Jennie, get involved in and solve two rackets that were paying off to Mann—a badger game run by Lulu (Joyce Compton) and a bookie joint run by Mae Bishop (Mar jorie Hoshelle). When the evidence indicates that Mann’‘s publisher, Brad Thomas (Robert Shayne) is the killer, Cranston exposes the rackets and Thomas in such a way that Cardona thinks he solved the case, and The Shadow is cleared and free to marry Margo. Giervic BARBARA " moncoram THE CAST Lamont Cranston......... Pee KANE RICHMOND Mareo“lame ge .. BARBARA REED . GEORGE CHANDLER Jennie.... DOROTHEA KENT Cardona. JOSEPH CREHAN Weston... PIERRE WATKIN Brad. 1 nemas.¢.3. ee. ane ROBERT SHAYNE Edith Merrill.. JUNE CLYDE Jeff Man. JAMES CARDWELL Mee Bishoe-. 60). 5. -. MARJORIE HOSHELLE Bt ee JOYCE COMPTON Dixon... EDWARD GARGAN Marty Greane........... _LOU CROSBY Copy Boy.. _ BILL CHRISTY SUsOn 3 . NANCY BRINCKMAN Headwaiter. 35.2. 2. eee DEWEY ROBINSON Cigarette Girl............ inte eee ee JEAN CARLIN Hazel..... LAURA STEVENS CREDITS Produced by JOE KAUFMAN Directed by PHIL KARLSON Associate Producer LOU BROCK Screenplay by GEORGE CALLAHAN Original Story by ARTHUR HOERL Director of Photography WILLIAM SICKNER, S.S.C. Supervisor of Production GLENN COOK Production Manager CHARLES KERR Edited by ACE HERMAN _ Assistant Director THEODORE JOOS Musical Director EDWARD KAY Technical Director DAVID MILTON Sound Recording TOM LAMBERT Set Decorations GEORGE MITCHELL Based on the copyrighted stories published in the Shadow Magazine. — ate