Lynn Shores Movies

Escaped gangster Steve McBirney (Marc Lawrence), vowing to get even with Oriental sleuth Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler), lies in wait at a spooky wax museum run by demented plastic surgeon Dr. Cream (Henry Gordon). Chan is lured to the museum's opening day ceremonies on a ruse, along with a variety of strange characters ranging from a girl reporter (Joan Valerie) to a radio announcer (played by real-life announcer Ted Osborn). The subsequent murder spree is complicated by the fact that no one-not even the wily Chan--can tell the wax effigies from real thing. The explanation of the film's events-and the revelation of the killer-are quite a surprise. With Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, 20th Century-Fox's "Chan" series reached its peak: from here, it could only go downhill. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this romantic crime drama, a newspaper reporter and his female rival learn that a priceless Rembrandt, believed to have been destroyed years before, is still around. The mayhem begins as they compete to retrieve it from the thieves who swiped it from the elderly spinster who owns it. Fortunately, the spinster marked the back of the canvas with some distinctive indecipherable markings and the crooks are unable to fence the masterpiece. Angered, they decide to kill her. The female reporter, who moved in with the woman to save her, is also endangered when the crooks torch the old woman's house. Fortunately, the other reporter gets there in time to save the ladies and bring the crooks to justice. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Flash Casey (Eric Linden), per his nickname, is an ace photojournalist--at least, he will be once he gets out of high school. After winning a prize in a photography contest, Flash vows that within two years of his graduation, he'll own his own newsphoto agency. To attain his goal, Flash goes after a big scoop, and nearly breaks his neck in the process. Co-starring as Eric's faithful girl is Boots Mallory, at one time the sister-in-law of James Cagney. Here's Flash Casey is an agreeable piece of non-think entertainment from the Grand National quickie mills. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Shadow, the famed radio and pulp-novel hero with the mysterious power to "cloud men's minds" so that they cannot see him, was first brought to the screen by low-budget Grand National Pictures in 1937. Former matinee idol Rod LaRocque stars as the Shadow's man-about-town alter-ego Lamont Cranston, a lawyer-criminologist who occasionally adopts his celebrated disguise to prey on the consciences of the guilty. The only person who knows the true identity of the Shadow is Cranston's faithful manservant Henry (Margot Lane, the Shadow's "constant friend and companion" who shared his secret in the radio version, does not appear in the picture). On this occasion, Cranston tries to solve the murder of a wealthy "gentleman" who had enemies galore, with suspects ranging from the victim's heirs to a gang of racketeers. Since the film's budget precluded the special effects needed to cloud men's minds, Cranston must rely on his wits -- and a none-too-concealing cloak and mask -- to outmaneuver the villains. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Karl Dane, the hulking comedy relief in many an MGM film, is top-billed in the FBO action melodrama Voice of the Storm. Dane and Warner P. Richmond play a couple of rough-and-tumble telephone lineman who find themselves up to their hip-boots in danger when Richmond falls in love with scientist's daughter Martha Sleeper. While working on a mysterious "doomsday" weapon, the scientist is murdered by an enemy spy and his formula is stolen. Richmond is blamed for the murder, whereupon Dane decides to play detective and track down the real killer. Just as Dane and Sleeper find the evidence necessary to free Richmond, the latter is preparing to take the "long walk" to the electric chair. With all the telephone lines down, Dane must brave a ferocious storm to rescue his pal (A question: If the power lines are down, wouldn't that affect the "chair" as well?) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this mostly silent drama, an overprotective brother tries to keep his sister from getting further involved with a group suspicious characters. Meanwhile he falls in love with a jazz-lover whose father is his father's mortal enemy. At the film's climax, the brother races his car against a trolley car. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Having grown up under the thumbs of her two maiden aunts, 17-year-old Joan Hastings (Marceline Day) has never had a boyfriend. This seems due to change when Joan meets handsome garage mechanic Bill (Rex Lease), but their budding romance is squashed by the overbearing aunties. Fed up with being treated like a hothouse orchid, Joan runs off to San Francisco, where she becomes a successful model with the help of wealthy Curtis Barstow (Owen Moore). Joan assumes that Barstow's interest in her is entirely platonic, but he proves otherwise when he gets her alone in his mountain cabin. Fortunately, faithful Bill happens to be strolling by at just the right moment to rescue Joan from her would-be seducer. This sublimely predictable yarn was based on a serialized magazine story by Hazel Livingston. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi