Shadow Over Elveron

Shadow Over Elveron is a 1968 television crime drama film directed by James Goldstone and starring James Franciscus, Shirley Knight, and Leslie Nielsen.[1][2] It aired on NBC in March 1968. The story is based on the novel Shadow Over Elveron by Michael Kingsley.[3]

Shadow Over Elveron
Directed byJames Goldstone
Screenplay byChester Krumholz
Based onShadow Over Elveron
Produced byJack Laird
Starring
Production
company
Distributed byNBC
Release date
March 1968
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Cast

Production

The film was produced by Jack Laird for Universal City Studios. The screenplay, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Kingsley, was adapted by Chester Krumholz. The film was directed by James Goldstone.[4] Filming took place in 1966.[5]

The lead role was regarded as a career resurgence for James Franciscus, who considered the project as more of a feature film than a television film.[5]

Critical reception

Critical reviews were mixed. The Baltimore Sun called the film "a thoroughly rotten, vicious film", citing its "greatly exaggerated" scenes of police brutality. It characterizes Sheriff Drover, played by Leslie Nielsen, as "Elveron's little Hitler" and decries the image of the United States that the film projects in the guise of a "typical" small town riddled by corruption.[6] The San Francisco Examiner sums up the film as "sick", with its battle between Nielsen as "a repulsively delinquent sheriff" and James Franciscus as the "true, blue hero–dauntless, fearless, incorruptible, indestructible".[7] The Boston Globe called the film "a hysterical, cheap melodrama".[8]

The Los Angeles Times, in contrast, described the film as "a first-class motion picture by any standards". This review praised both the direction and acting, calling Franciscus' performance "sensitive and penetrating" and Nielsen's role "perhaps...the finest performance of his career"; the review also singled out Franchot Tone, Don Ameche, and Jill Banner for their work.[9] According to the Herald & Review, Nielsen's portrayal of a corrupt small-town sheriff "steals the show", while Ameche is "a close second in his totally humorless role as the town's main financial factor".[10]

References
  1. Roberts, Jerry (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 202. ISBN 9780810863781.
  2. "Shadow Over Elveron, New Drama". Daily Herald. March 4, 1968. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. Goble, Alan, ed. (2011). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter. p. 949. ISBN 9783110951943.
  4. "TV Week Movie Highlights". Pasadena Independent Star-News. March 3, 1968. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  5. Page, Don (March 6, 1968). "Perhaps The Time Is Now". Los Angeles Times. Austin American-Statesman. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  6. "Look and Listen with Donald Kirley". The Baltimore Sun. March 8, 2020. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  7. Newton, Dwight (March 6, 1968). "Vile Case of Morbid Adult Delinquency". San Francisco Examiner. p. 63 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  8. Shain, Percy (March 26, 1968). "'Premiere Season' At Best Indifferent". The Boston Globe. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  9. Page, Don (March 7, 1968). "'Shadow Over Elveron' Shown on Channel 4". Los Angeles Times. p. 93 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  10. "TV Previews: TV Portrait Drawn of Clark Gable's Life". Herald & Review. March 5, 1968. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.open access
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