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Maxwell Shane

Writer and director · Died October 25, 1983, aged 78 · Paterson, New Jersey, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Maxwell Shane (August 26, 1905 - October 25, 1983) was an American movie and television director, screenwriter, and producer Description above from the Wikipedia article Maxwell Shane, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 26, 1905
Died
October 25, 1983 (aged 78)
From
Paterson, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Writer and director
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 75 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 14% in 30 days

What are Maxwell Shane's films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Crime6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 16th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
30%
Bonds
25%
Self
23%
Power
12%
Survival
5%
Society
5%
Deception8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 9 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 8 · Charged 14 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 16 · Relentless 2

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Joyful
7
Thrilling
8
Warm
6
Melancholic
5
Other
16

How their films linger

Fun12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Maxwell Shane's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Maxwell Shane's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

75 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Virginian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Fatal Impulse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Producer

  • Thriller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 67 episodes · Director · Producer

  • The Mummy(1959)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • M Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 117 episodes · Producer

  • Nightmare(1956)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Naked Street(1955)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Hell's Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Screenplay

  • Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy(1955)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Three Hours to Kill(1954)

    Additional Dialogue · Writer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Glass Wall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie(1952)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • City Across the River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Shaggy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Screenplay

  • Big Town Scandal(1948)

    Radio Play · Writer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Reckless(1948)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Big Town After Dark(1947)

    Radio Play · Writer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Adventure Island (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Screenplay

  • Danger Street(1947)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Fear in the Night(1946)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Seven Were Saved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Writer

  • I Cover Big Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    Screenplay

  • Big Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • The Man Who Dared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Story

  • Tokyo Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Screenplay

  • People Are Funny(1946)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Follow That Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Writer

  • Midnight Manhunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Associate Producer

  • Scared Stiff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

  • High Powered(1945)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Mummy's Curse(1944)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Double Exposure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Screenplay

  • One Body Too Many(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dark Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Writer

  • The Mummy's Ghost(1944)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Gambler's Choice(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Navy Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Screenplay

  • Timber Queen(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Minesweeper(1943)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Tornado(1943)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Submarine Alert(1943)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Alaska Highway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Screenplay

  • Cowboy in Manhattan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Story

  • High Explosive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Screenplay

  • Aerial Gunner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Screenplay

  • The Price of Victory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Writer

  • Wrecking Crew (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Screenplay

  • The Mummy's Tomb(1942)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • We Refuse to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Screenplay

  • Eyes of the Underworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Story

  • A Letter From Bataan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Writer

  • Wildcat(1942)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • I Live on Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Screenplay

  • Top Sergeant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Writer

  • Torpedo Boat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Screenplay

  • No Hands on the Clock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

  • Flying Blind(1941)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • A Dangerous Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

  • Too Many Blondes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Story

  • Forced Landing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

  • Power Dive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

  • The Mummy's Hand(1940)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Leather Pushers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Writer

  • Golden Gloves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Original Story · Screenplay

  • The Invisible Killer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Story

  • Grand Jury Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Story

  • S.O.S. Tidal Wave(1939)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Federal Man-Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Screenplay

  • Adventure in Sahara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Screenplay

  • Tip-Off Girls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Screenplay

  • She's Got Everything(1937)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • You're a Sweetheart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Story

  • Hitting a New High(1937)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • This Way Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Story

  • You Can't Beat Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Screenplay

Career shape

A full career of 75 titles from 1937 to 1962.

Highest rated

The Naked Street (1955)

Midcredits 57th

Most popular right now

The Mummy's Hand (1940)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing7 of 75: 1 only directing, 6 with another roleWriting67 of 75: 60 only writing, 7 with another role · typical Midcredits score24thProducing7 of 75: 3 only producing, 4 with another roleOther crew3 of 75: 3 only other crew, 0 with another role

75 titles, 8 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 5 of them.

By decade

1930s11 · crew1940s52 · crew1950s9 · crew1960s3 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Maxwell Shane's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 24th percentile, the median of all 28; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 30th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

20thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

16thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th16

Shape of the crowd

15 of their 28 titles are Broadly Agreed.

  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed15
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · writer

S.O.S. Tidal Wave (1939)

60th percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952)

Midcredits 73rd · 65% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 50/100 and the plot and story 44/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Maxwell Shane work with?

People who share at least 2 of Maxwell Shane's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; William C. Thomas shares the most, 16.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers