The Man Who Wouldn't Die (1942)

Simply Perfect

Awesome Movie

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I was so impressed by "Dressed To Kill", the first Mike Shayne film I saw, that I decided to buy the boxed set of four other Shaynes. "The Man Who Wouldn't Die" was the first I watched and I was disappointed. For some reason it lacked the professionalism of the first in several areas; the script lacked the sparkle and cleverness of "Dressed To Kill" and the acting seemed forced and unnatural. The story is too far-fetched, about a magician who was married to the wife of an important Senator and who comes back to blackmail him through his wife. The magician is thought to be killed and buried, but comes back to collect his blackmail money... oh, never mind. It gets even more confused and loopy as the story continues. Through it all Lloyd Nolan, as the affable title character, tries to solve the mystery for his friend, played in over-the-top fashion by Marjorie Weaver. I thought her acting job particularly hammy and detracted from the movie, as she was an integral part of the story.Starting a new paragraph for Olin Howland, who was especially bad and out of place as the investigating Police Chief. It was poor casting on Fox's part as Howland acted as if he had wandered on to the set during a break from a Judy Canova picture. The damage, however, was already done with the weak, unbelievable script and plot.I rated this one a five, due mainly to the presence and efforts of Lloyd Nolan.

Detective Shayne helps out an old girlfriend, following some mysterious happenings at her family mansion.That Gothic opening is a real grabber. So what's going on with guys that are digging a nighttime grave in the middle of a storm with a sinister mansion in the background. It takes the rest of the 60-minutes to find out. Speaking of spooky effects, there're also the two glowing eyes in the dark looming over an hysterical Cathy (Weaver). No wonder she screams bloody murder.But these creepy effects, along with the ever-reliable Lloyd Nolan as Shayne are probably the best parts of a sometimes murky narrative. The whodunit part is treated rather casually; at the same time, maybe you can figure out the solution-- I got lost. But that's okay, because the Shayne series depended more on characters than mystery. Here, Nolan and Weaver spark the proceedings with some lively dialog, including some surprisingly suggestive bedroom banter. Include Olin Howland as the addled hayseed sheriff, plus an ambulatory corpse, and it all adds up to an entertaining, if unexceptional, series entry.

Lloyd Nolan is Michael Shayne, private detective in "The Man Who Wouldn't Die," a 1942 entry into this short series from Twentieth Century Fox.A friend of Mike's, Catherine (Marjorie Weaver) gets him to pose as her husband while investigating a shooting at her family home. Her father (Paul Harvey) is in government and under investigation by the Senate, and one night, Anna is shot at. Mike finds plenty to investigate. He also has plenty to explain when Catherine's real husband shows up unexpectedly.There's lots of humor and "dark stormy night" atmosphere in this neat programmer, which also features Henry Wilcoxon and Helen Reynolds as Anna, Catherine's stepmother.Nolan is a delight as a singing, happy but very clever Shayne. I'm surprised that Marjorie Weaver didn't get further in her career, though by all accounts, she loved the career she had - she's very pretty and vivacious.Very enjoyable.

What a great old film. I am lucky enough to have found over the years a mint 16mm sound print an a very good vhs copy (Captain Bejoiu). The story starts out with a very mysterious burial scene on a cold windy nite. There is the "Old Forboding Mansion" and the usual cast of 20th Century stock players including Paul Harvey who is great as Dudly Wolfe. But as usual, Lloyd Nolan steals the show as Shayne with his whimsical irish humor and dapper acting. Marge Reynolds is great as his wife? With the reoccuring thunder storm as a backdrop and the "undead" body with glowing eyes trying to kill any and everyone in the house, it makes for a spine-tingling murder mystery that is as good as most of the sad new ones w/o the sex and overdone violence. 1942 appears to be one of the best years for movies in Hollywood. So many great features with outstanding character actors of the time. LeRoy Mason is great as the "undead" killer who stocks the remaining frightened guests and family at the Wolfe Mansion. If it shows up on Fox Movie Channel, do yourself a favor and watch it!