''Michael Shayne, Private Detective'' is a 1940 American

mystery film A mystery film is a film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, ...

directed by

Eugene Forde Eugene Forde (1898–1986) was an American film director. Selected filmography * '' Daredevil's Reward'' (1928) * '' Painted Post'' (1928) * '' Son of the Golden West'' (1928) * '' Charlie Chan's Courage'' (1934) * '' Charlie Chan in London'' ( ...

and starring

Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American stage, film and television actor who rose from a supporting player and B-movie lead early in his career to featured player status after creating the role of Captain Qu ...

, Marjorie Weaver and Joan Valerie.Backer p.106 It is based on Brett Halliday's novel '' The Private Practice of Michael Shayne''. It was the first in a series of

Michael Shayne Michael "Mike" Shayne is a fictional private detective character created during the late 1930s in a series of novels written by writer Brett Halliday, a pseudonym of Davis Dresser. The character appeared in a series of seven films starring Llo ...

films starring Nolan.

Plot

In this film, much of the main plot has already happened or happens off-camera. We see a subplot that out-of-work private detective Mike Shayne is hired by his friend, wealthy racing executive Hiram Brighton, to, while he's out of town, watch over his spirited daughter Phyllis, who gambles her money away and has begun dating underworld character Harry Grange, to the consternation of the father. The key plot involves wealthy but shady Elliott Thomas who owned a horse, Banjo Boy. The odds were 15 to 1 against that horse winning. Thomas had a run of bad luck and needed a quick infusion of cash. In south America he found a champion to switch with the same markings as, and a dead-ringer for, Banjo Boy. So as not to affect the track odds, Thomas engaged Grange as a shill to "spread around" Thomas' large bet of $10,000. The substitute horse wins, and the payoff is $150,000 (equivalent to over $2 million in 2021 purchasing power). But Grange would not pay Thomas his money, so Thomas hired another shady character, Larry Kincaid, who tries to hire Shayne to go to Shayne's friend and Grange's boss, casino owner Benny Gordon, to ask him to pressure Grange. Shayne refused, so Kincaid went straight to Grange. When Grange told Kincaid the backstory, Kincaid decided to cut himself in on the pot by blackmailing Thomas. As a result, Thomas and Kincaid brawled, Kincaid ended up dead, and Grange knew of the meeting. At that point, Thomas felt he had no choice but to do away with Grange. Shortly before Thomas kills Grange, after a meeting in Gordon's casino, Grange had been drugged, then driven to the woods, smeared with ketchup and left in the convertible by Shayne in a scheme to teach Phyllis a lesson about hanging with shady characters. The scheme backfires when they find Grange has actually been shot dead and Shayne's gun is on the ground, having been fired. Shayne has already tipped the police to "a murder in the woods" in the plan to scare Phyllis. Now sirens are heard. Shayne rushes Phillis away in her car but his car won't start and cops arrest him. In reality, Gordon's daughter Marsha, Grange's angry ex who had been jilted by Grange, happened to stumble upon the crime scene first, became distraught and rushed to her father. In order to protect her from any kind of suspicion, Gordon framed Shayne, having conveniently seen him leave the casino earlier with Grange. Eventually, Shayne correctly deduces what happened with the murder of Grange, and engineers a trap for Thomas in front of the police, at which point Thomas confesses the horse race plot, the death of Kincaid and throwing his body in the bay, and the murder of Grange, at which point the movie ends.

Cast

as Michael Shayne * Marjorie Weaver as Phyllis Brighton * Joan Valerie as Marsha Gordon *

Walter Abel Walter Abel (June 6, 1898 – March 26, 1987) was an American stage, film, and radio actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Life Abel was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of Christine (née Becker) and Richard Michael Abel. Abel ...

as Elliott Thomas * Elizabeth Patterson as Aunt Olivia *

Donald MacBride Donald Hugh MacBride (June 23, 1893 – June 21, 1957) was an American character actor on stage, in films, and on television. MacBride launched his career as a chorister at St Thomas Fifth Avenue and then at Garden City Cathedral in New Yo ...

as Chief Painter *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as Gordon *

Clarence Kolb Clarence William Kolb, sometimes given as C. William Kolb, (July 31, 1874 – November 25, 1964) was an American vaudeville performer and actor known for his comedy routines that featured a Dutch dialect. Biography Kolb started out as one hal ...

as Hiram Brighton *

George Meeker George Meeker (March 5, 1904 – August 19, 1984 ) was an American Character actor, character film and Broadway theatre, Broadway actor. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Meeker made several films such as ''Crime, Inc.'' (1 ...

as Harry Grange * Charles Coleman as Ponsby * Adrian Morris as Al *

Robert Emmett Keane Robert Emmett Keane (March 4, 1883 – July 2, 1981) was an American actor of both the stage and screen. Biography Keane began on stage in the 1910s, his first Broadway appearance being in the production of '' The Passing Show of 1914''. He con ...

as Larry Kincaid *

Frank Orth Frank Orth (February 21, 1880 – March 17, 1962) was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series ''Boston Blackie''. Career By 1897, Orth ...

as Steve *

Irving Bacon Irving Ernest Bacon (September 6, 1893 – February 5, 1965) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 500 films. Early years Bacon was the son of entertainers Millar West Bacon (who was a teenager) and Myrtle Vane. He was born ...

as Fisherman *

Jimmy Aubrey Jimmy Aubrey (23 October 1887 – 2 September 1983) was an English actor who worked with both Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy, having gone with Fred Karno's theatrical company to America in 1908. However he left to start on his own in va ...

as Mac *

Don Brodie Donald Ellis Brodie (May 29, 1904 – January 8, 2001) was an American film and television actor. Early years The youngest of six children born to Frank Ellis Brodie and Charlotte Moonert,"California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database wi ...

as Reporter * Paul E. Burns as Furniture Company Mover * James Conaty as Gambler * Robert Conway as Riverside Terrace Desk Clerk * Sayre Dearing as Racetrack Spectator *

Ralph Dunn Ralph Dunn (May 23, 1900 – February 19, 1968) was an American film, television, and stage actor. Early years Dunn was born in Titusville, Pennsylvania, on May 23, 1900. His father was a veterinarian for the U.S. Army during World War I, a ...

as First Bartender *

Fern Emmett Fern Emmett (March 22, 1896 – September 3, 1946) was an American film actress. She appeared in 212 films between 1930 and 1946. Emmett's film debut came with Universal in a two-reel production in 1914. Emmett was born in Oakland, Califo ...

as Jenny *

Bess Flowers Bess Flowers (November 23, 1898 – July 28, 1984) was an American actress best known for her work as an extra in hundreds of films. She was known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in more than 350 feature films and numerous ...

as Racetrack Spectator * Dick French as Reporter * Harold Goodwin as Reporter * Sherry Hall as 2nd Bartender * Paul Kruger as Parking Attendant *

Hamilton MacFadden Hamilton MacFadden (April 26, 1901 – January 1, 1977) was an American actor, screenwriter and film director. Early years MacFadden's parents were Rev. Robert A. MacFadden and Edith Hamilton MacFadden. His father died in 1909, leaving his mo ...

as Reporter * Tony Martelli as Gambler * Major McBride as Croupier * Frank Mills as Counterman * Edmund Mortimer as Gambling Casino Patron * Field Norton as Gambler * Paddy O'Flynn as Reporter *

James Pierce James Hubert Pierce (August 8, 1900 – December 11, 1983) was an American actor and the fourth actor to portray Tarzan on film. He appeared in films from 1924 to 1951. Background Pierce was born in Freedom, Indiana. He was an All-American ...

as Burly Man Downstairs * Dick Rich as Mover * Jack Richardson as Gambler *

Cyril Ring Cyril Ring (December 5, 1892July 17, 1967) was an American actor. By the time of his final performance in 1951, he had appeared in more than 350 films, nearly all of them in small and/or uncredited bit parts. Ring is probably best known today for ...

as Reporter * Bob Rose as Freddy * S.S. Simon as Nightclub Patron *

Larry Steers Lawrence Wells Steers (February 14, 1888 – February 15, 1951) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 550 films between 1917 and 1951. He was born in Indiana, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Partial filmography * ''Old ...

as Racetrack Spectator

References

Bibliography

* Backer, Ron. ''Mystery Movie Series of 1940s Hollywood''. McFarland, 2010.

External links

* * * {{Michael Shayne 1940 films 1940 mystery films American mystery films Films directed by Eugene Forde 20th Century Fox films Films produced by Sol M. Wurtzel American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films English-language mystery films