The Vanishing Shadow
| The Vanishing Shadow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Lew Landers |
| Written by | Basil Dickey George Morgan Ella O'Neill Het Mannheim |
| Produced by | Henry MacRae |
| Cinematography | Richard Fryer |
| Edited by | Saul A. Goodkind (supervisor) Alvin Todd Edward Todd |
| Music by | Edward Ward |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 12 chapters (242 min) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Vanishing Shadow (1934) is a Universal science-fiction film serial directed by Lew Landers.[1] The serial features what is believed to be the first appearance of a hand held ray gun in film.[2]
Plot
Stanley Stanfield is the inventor of the Vanishing Ray, a wearable device which, when active, leaves only the user's shadow still visible. After meeting with a fellow scientist, Carl Van Dorn, a prototype is built. Stanley intends to sell bonds to finance his invention. He inherited them from his late father, an editor for the Tribune newspaper, but the stockbroker he meets is corruptly involved with Wade Barnett, the businessman who hounded Stanley's father to his death. Barnett wants the bonds and will go to any length to acquire them. A conflict ensues between Stanley and Barnett. However, Stanley's new girlfriend, Gloria Grant, is really Gloria Barnett, his enemy's estranged daughter. Neither hero nor villain wants to hurt Gloria and must work around this in their struggle. Many science fiction gadgets, including a robot and The Destroying Ray, also feature.
Dorgan, Barnett's "spear-point heavy", is unhappy with having to hold back to protect Gloria. Eventually he captures both Stanley and Gloria but blackmails his boss to ensure her safety. Barnett turns up with both the ransom money and the police but he is shot in the fight. Before dying, he makes his peace with his daughter. Gloria and Stanley finally marry and take over operation of the Tribune.
Cast
- Onslow Stevens as Stanley Stanfield, inventor of the Vanishing Ray and son of the late editor of the Tribune newspaper.
- Ada Ince as Gloria Grant, Stanfield's girlfriend, who is also the estranged daughter of Ward Barnett, having changed her name from the original Gloria Barnett.
- James Durkin as Carl Van Dorn, mad scientist ally of Stanfield
- Walter Miller as Ward Barnett, villainous businessman
- Richard Cramer as Dorgan, Barnett's spear-point heavy
- Edmund Cobb as Kent, one of Barnett's henchman
- Monte Montague as Badger, one of Barnett's henchman
- Al Ferguson as Stroud, one of Barnett's henchman
- Sidney Bracey as Denny, Barnett's office clerk
- J. Frank Glendon as John Cadwell, stockbroker
- William Desmond as Editor MacDonald
- Beulah Hutton as Sal, a gun moll
Chapter titles
- Accused of Murder
- The Destroying Ray
- The Avalanche
- Trapped
- Hurled from the Sky
- Chain Lightning
- The Tragic Crash
- The Shadow of Death
- Blazing Bulkheads
- The Iron Death
- The Juggernaut
- Retribution
Source:[3]
Availability
In his book on science fiction film serials, Roy Kinnard noted that the film is difficult to assess as no print of the film appears to have survived.[4] A 35mm nitrate preview trailer containing three minutes is held by George Eastman House archive in Rochester, New York but is unavailable for screening as of 1998 due it not having been recopied to safety film stock.[4] In 2010 all 12 Chapters were made available for viewing on YouTube. In August 2019, it was released on DVD by VCI 2019[5]
See also
References
- ^ Kinnard, Roy (1998). Science Fiction Serials: A Critical Filmography of the 31 Hard SF Cliffhangers. McFarland & Co. p. 11. ISBN 978-0786437450.
- ^ http://burlingamepezmuseum.com/classictoy/rayguns/
- ^ Cline, William C. (1984). "Filmography". In the Nick of Time. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 210. ISBN 0-7864-0471-X.
- ^ a b Kinnard 1998, p. 13.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0fLznQ8tvs
External links
