THE SHADOW (1994)
In the days before Bruce Wayne was given three dimensions and Tony Stark a sense of humor, there was only one place you could turn for a superhero who was both dark and funny. This was The Shadow, an admittedly-flawed film starring Alec Baldwin as the legendary hero of old timey radio dramas. As billionaire playboy Lamont Cranston, Baldwin would hint at the arch wit that he would later fully embrace on "30 Rock." However, we are also treated to a hero with a very dark past. The character already had a memorable catch phrase, which was, "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows." He knows of this evil because he has seen that darkness on full display in his own heart. Unlike Bruce Wayne, Cranston has not turned to crimefighting because he was so deeply wronged, but rather because he has done so much wrong himself. His quest is his way of atoning for his sins. As I said, it's not a great film, but no amount of filmmaking flaws could hide such a fascinating main character, fully realized by a talented actor.
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