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{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = The Shadow of Silk Lennox
| name = The Shadow of Silk Lennox
| image =
| image =File:The Shadow of Silk Lennox.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =French poster
| director = {{ubl|[[Ray Kirkwood]]|[[Jack Nelson (actor)|Jack Nelson]]}}
| caption =
| director = [[Ray Kirkwood]]<br>[[Jack Nelson (actor)|Jack Nelson]]
| producer = [[Ray Kirkwood]]
⚫
| writer = {{ubl|[[Norman Springer]] (screenplay)|[[Norman Springer]] (story "The Riot Squad")}}
| producer = [[Ray Kirkwood]] (producer)
⚫
| writer = [[Norman Springer]] (screenplay)<br>[[Norman Springer]] (story "The Riot Squad")
| narrator =
| narrator =
| starring = [[Lon Chaney Jr.]]
| starring = [[Lon Chaney Jr.]]
Line 14: Line 13:
| editing = [[Holbrook N. Todd]]
| editing = [[Holbrook N. Todd]]
| distributor = Commodore Pictures
| distributor = Commodore Pictures
| released = 1935
| released = {{Film date|1935|12}}
| runtime = 60 minutes
| runtime = 60 minutes
| country = United States
| country = United States
Line 20: Line 19:
| budget =
| budget =
| gross =
| gross =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website =
}}
}}


'''''The Shadow of Silk Lennox''''' is a 1935 American gangster film directed by [[Ray Kirkwood]] and [[Jack Nelson (actor)|Jack Nelson]] and starring [[Lon Chaney Jr]] before his breakthrough into horror films.
'''''The Shadow of Silk Lennox''''' is a 1935 American [[crime film|crime]] [[drama film]] directed by [[Ray Kirkwood]] and [[Jack Nelson (actor)|Jack Nelson]] and starring [[Lon Chaney Jr]] before his breakthrough into horror films. Norman Springer wrote the screenplay, adapted from his own story ''The Riot Squad''.<ref>Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.</ref>


== Plot summary ==
== Plot ==
John Arthur Lennox is an underworld chieftain who runs a nightclub where society patrons come to rub elbows with the criminal set. He is nicknamed Silk because of his fondness for the expression that things are "fine as silk". From the club he directs a violent $50,000 bank heist and cheekily invites in two detectives to establish his alibi. While the robbery is going on, he gets his new singer Jimmy Lambert to play a recording over the intercom that makes it appear as if his men are on the premises.
John Arthur "Silk" Lennox is an underworld chieftain who runs a nightclub where society patrons come to rub elbows with the criminal set. He is nicknamed Silk because of his fondness for the expression that things are "fine as silk". From the club he directs a violent $50,000 bank heist and cheekily invites in two detectives, using them to establish his alibi. While the robbery is in progress, he gets his new singer Jimmy Lambert to play a recording over the intercom that makes it appear as if his men are on the premises.


When Deacon, the gangster holding the stolen money, tries to skip town, Silk has him killed at the train station. The money is not found on his body, but the gang suspects that it is hidden in the express office. Meanwhile, Jimmy has realised that the recording will help convict Silk of the robbery and with Nola, the dance partner in his act, plans to use it against him.
When Deacon, the gangster holding the stolen money, tries to skip town, Silk has him killed at the train station. The money is not found on his body, but the gang suspects that it is hidden in the express office. Meanwhile, Jimmy has realised that the recording will help convict Silk of the robbery and with Nola, the dance partner in his act, plans to use it against him.


As the law closes in and his allies turn against him, Silk is arrested but has to be released when witnesses, afraid of reprisals, refuse to identify him. In the police line-up, Silk meets Fingers Smalley, who agrees to break open the express office safe. After establishing an alibi at the club, Silk and Fingers leave for the office, but the police arrive as Fingers opens the safe. Silk is killed during the ensuing gunfight and Fingers explains that he is really an undercover police agent named Ferguson.
As the law closes in and his allies turn against him, Silk is arrested but has to be released when witnesses, afraid of reprisals, refuse to identify him. In the police line-up, Silk meets "Fingers" Smalley, who agrees to break open the express office safe. After establishing an alibi at the club, Silk and Fingers leave for the office, but the police arrive as Fingers opens the safe. Silk is killed during the ensuing gunfight and Fingers explains that he is really an undercover police agent named Ferguson.

=== Differences from original story ===
{{Expand section|date=April 2011}}


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
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*[[Dean Benton]] as Jimmy Lambert
*[[Dean Benton]] as Jimmy Lambert
*[[Marie Burton]] as Nola Travers
*[[Marie Burton]] as Nola Travers
*[[Jack Mulhall]] as Ferguson, alais "Fingers" Farley
*[[Jack Mulhall]] as Ferguson, alias "Fingers" Farley
*[[Eddie Gribbon]] as Henchman Lefty Sloan
*[[Eddie Gribbon]] as Henchman Lefty Sloan
*[[Larry McGrath]]
*[[Larry McGrath]]
Line 52: Line 45:
*"Forgotten Melodies" (Words and music by Dean Benton)
*"Forgotten Melodies" (Words and music by Dean Benton)
*"Walkin' in the Dark" (Words and music by Dean Benton)
*"Walkin' in the Dark" (Words and music by Dean Benton)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shadow of Silk Lennox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shadow of Silk Lennox}}
[[Category:1935 films]]
[[Category:1935 films]]
⚫
[[Category:American films]]
[[Category:1935 crime drama films]]
[[Category:1935 crime drama films]]
⚫
[[Category:English-language films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American black-and-white films]]
[[Category:American crime drama films]]
[[Category:American crime drama films]]
[[Category:Commodore Pictures films]]
[[Category:Commodore Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jack Nelson]]
⚫
[[Category:1930s English-language films]]
⚫
[[Category:1930s American films]]
[[Category:English-language crime drama films]]


{{1930s-crime-drama-film-stub}}
{{1930s-crime-drama-film-stub}}

Latest revision as of 21:35, 17 September 2024

The Shadow of Silk Lennox
French poster
Directed by
Written by
Produced byRay Kirkwood
StarringLon Chaney Jr.
CinematographyRobert E. Cline
Edited byHolbrook N. Todd
Music byDean Benton
Distributed byCommodore Pictures
Release date
  • December 1935 (1935-12)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Shadow of Silk Lennox is a 1935 American crime drama film directed by Ray Kirkwood and Jack Nelson and starring Lon Chaney Jr before his breakthrough into horror films. Norman Springer wrote the screenplay, adapted from his own story The Riot Squad.[1]

Plot

[edit]

John Arthur "Silk" Lennox is an underworld chieftain who runs a nightclub where society patrons come to rub elbows with the criminal set. He is nicknamed Silk because of his fondness for the expression that things are "fine as silk". From the club he directs a violent $50,000 bank heist and cheekily invites in two detectives, using them to establish his alibi. While the robbery is in progress, he gets his new singer Jimmy Lambert to play a recording over the intercom that makes it appear as if his men are on the premises.

When Deacon, the gangster holding the stolen money, tries to skip town, Silk has him killed at the train station. The money is not found on his body, but the gang suspects that it is hidden in the express office. Meanwhile, Jimmy has realised that the recording will help convict Silk of the robbery and with Nola, the dance partner in his act, plans to use it against him.

As the law closes in and his allies turn against him, Silk is arrested but has to be released when witnesses, afraid of reprisals, refuse to identify him. In the police line-up, Silk meets "Fingers" Smalley, who agrees to break open the express office safe. After establishing an alibi at the club, Silk and Fingers leave for the office, but the police arrive as Fingers opens the safe. Silk is killed during the ensuing gunfight and Fingers explains that he is really an undercover police agent named Ferguson.

Cast

[edit]

Soundtrack

[edit]
  • "Love Is In the Way" (Words and music by Dean Benton)
  • "Forgotten Melodies" (Words and music by Dean Benton)
  • "Walkin' in the Dark" (Words and music by Dean Benton)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Smith, Don G. (1996). "Lon Chaney Jr.". McFarland & Co. Inc. Pg. 202. ISBN 0-7864-0120-6.
[edit]


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