Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

MartinHafer This film is also known under the title "Woman in the Shadows".Fay Wray, Ralph Bellamy,and Melvyn Douglas star in this film. It's obviously not a prestige film for the studio—as Bellamy and especially Douglas are far from familiar faces when the film debuted.The film begins with Bellamy being released from prison following a conviction for manslaughter—as he killed a man while having a fight. He knows he has a serious anger problem and needs to control it if he plans on staying on the good side of the law. However, a local sheriff seems determined to lock him up again—and the ultra-sleazy Douglas hatches a plan to destroy Bellamy—all after they have a fight that is prompted by Douglas' sexually assault on Wray! At first Wray and Bellamy try to escape—then Wray tries to kiss up to Douglas to get him to drop the charges following the fight. In the end, however, there's a bit of a twist and all is right once again. Overall, this isn't a bad time-passer, but the plot seems pretty tough to believe and the story never really felt that engaging. In addition, when the film began it made a big writing boo-boo. There was way too much exposition to explain back story instead of allowing the action to explain it. In other words, characters had VERY stilted conversations in which they discussed the back story with characters that already should have known this. Sloppy.

GManfred This one came in the DVD collection and is the only reason the watch it.The best that can be said is that it is a good cast wasted. Hard to believe Dashiell Hammett had a hand in this uninteresting film. It was Pre-Code and had a few half-hearted attempts to inject sexual innuendo which would pass unnoticed nowadays. I give it 3 due mainly to an uninspired script and an outlandish storyline. The cast headed by Ralph Bellamy and Fay Wray try mightily. Melvyn Douglas is the heavy in this one and Roscoe Ates is on hand as comic relief but adds nothing - not even humor - to the proceedings. I hope no one went to great lengths to restore this picture - it wasn't worth it and I can't recommend it.

JohnHowardReid Escaping from a predatory rich man's embrace, a lovely singing star seeks refuge in the humble cabin of a newly paroled convict.Not exactly must viewing for even the most rabid Dashiell Hammett fan, this is certainly no Maltese Falcon but rather an American (or should we say a Canadian) mouse. However, that mouse is played by the charming Fay Wray, so interest quickens quite a jot (despite the fact that her close-ups are not all that flattering, even though credited to Hollywood's ace of aces, Joseph Ruttenberg). As the movie's titles roll by, the support cast initially engenders enthusiasm too. Alas, aside from Roscoe Ates (who is always a pain), everyone is below form, although connoisseurs may relish the chance to see dapper Douglas as the vicious heavy and perennial "other man" Ralph Bellamy as the reluctant hero. Production values are also distinctly below the major studio norm. Mr Rosen's direction is certainly nothing special, competent at best, heavy-handed at worst. Even more disappointing is a Hammett plot that, despite its potential, contains no elements of mystery and few of suspense. True, it has romance a-plenty, as well as a thoroughly conventional "cute meet", plus some comic interludes with Roscoe Ates and even Frank Otto (although note that dialogue writer Charles Williams gives his desk clerk self the movie's two funniest lines), but all that is not exactly the stuff that hard-boiled dreams are made of.

drednm Sort of a very early "Twin Peaks" look at a small town and its corruption. Ralph Bellamy is a man just out of jail for accidental manslaughter but the town hates him. Fay Wray is running away (from what?) in the dark night in a slinky gown. She comes to his cabin where he is trying to get rid of the sheriff's daughter. She got him in trouble first time around.Then Melvyn Douglas and a stooge barge in looking for Fay Wray. In a tussle the stooge shoots Wray's dog so Bellamy clunks him one and he hits his head on the fireplace. Here we go again.Bellamy and Wray take off but get sidetracked by a cop and end up hiding out in the city with Bellamy's old cell mate and his wife, Roscoe Ates and Ruth Gillette.Then the cops arrest Wray for stealing jewels from Douglas (which were a gift). To get out of jail she agrees to go back to Douglas but when she catches him trying to kill the stooge (who lingers on) she changes her mind.Wild plot but the 3 stars are all pretty good. This is a 1934 film and it was made at Biograph Studies in New York City. I thought they had gone out of business 20 years before this!