Shake Hands with Murder ** (1944, Iris Adrian, Frank Jenks, Douglas Fowley) – Classic Movie Review 12,205

Producer-director Albert Herman’s 1944 crime noir comedy mystery thriller B-movie Shake Hands with Murder stars Iris Adrian, Frank Jenks, and Douglas Fowley, is made by American Productions, and is released by the low-budget distributor Producers Releasing Corporation.

Iris Adrian enjoys a rare star role as Patsy Brent, who runs a small bail bond company with an ambitious but dim partner, Eddie Jones (Frank Jenks). While chasing suspected criminal Steve Morgan (Douglas Fowley), who is accused of embezzling $100,000 from his bank and has skipped bail, bail-bond agents Patsy Brent and Eddie Jones (Iris Adrian and Frank Jenks) find themselves implicated in the killing of the accused’s business partner, the bank’s president.

Adrian, Jenks and Fowley are very welcome presences in an amusing, entertaining and suspenseful second-feature crime/ murder melodrama, with all the expected trimmings nicely organised, and zesty handling by Albert Herman in just 62 minutes.

Also in the cast are Jack Raymond, Claire Rochelle, Herbert Rawlinson, Juan de la Cruz, Forrest Taylor, George Kirby, I Stanford Jolley, Gene Roth, Anitra Sparrow, and Buck Harrington.

John T Neville’s screenplay is based on a story by Martin Mooney.

The cast are Iris Adrian as Patsy Brent, Frank Jenks as Eddie Jones, Douglas Fowley as Steve Morgan, Jack Raymond as Joe Blake, Claire Rochelle as secretary Miss Johnson, Herbert Rawlinson as John Clark, Juan de la Cruz as Mr. Stanton, I. Stanford Jolley as Mr. Haskins, Forrest Taylor as Mr. Kennedy, George Kirby as George Adams, Gene Roth as William Howard, Anitra Sparrow as Waitress, Buck Harrington as Police Sergeant.

Shake Hands with Murder is directed by Albert Herman, runs 62 minutes, American Productions, PRC, is written by John T Neville, based on a story by Martin Mooney, is shot in black and white by Robert E Kline, is produced by Albert Herman, is scored by Lee Zahler, and is designed by Paul Palmentola.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,205

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