Movie spotlight
Criminal Lawyer
Barry Brandon, a criminal lawyer, visits the night club of Denny Larkin, his primary client, with Betty Walker, a spoiled society girl. The police raid the club and Brandon pleads that the whole group is guilty, just to get even with Larkin for a rebuke. On the same night in court, Madge Carter is on trial for disorderly conduct, and Brandon volunteers to defend her, and proves the case against her if a frame-up. Finding that she is penniless, Brandon hires her as his secretary, and falls in love with her. Brandon is appointed district attorney and has ambitions of becoming the state governor. Having dinner at Betty's home, she maneuvers him, while he is drunk, into marrying her. Later, Madge is a witness when Larkin shoots down a fellow gangster. By threatening Brandon's life, he forces her to commit perjury at his trial, and say he fired in self-defense. Brandon, the prosecuting attorney (who has had his marriage to Betty annulled) knows she is lying but doesn't know why.
Insights
Plot Summary
A slick defense attorney, known for getting guilty clients acquitted, finds himself in a moral quandary when he takes on the case of a young woman accused of murder. As he delves deeper into the investigation, he begins to question her innocence and his own methods. The case forces him to confront his cynicism and re-evaluate what truly matters.
Critical Reception
Criminal Lawyer was a moderately received film in its time, praised for its fast-paced plot and Lee Tracy's energetic performance. While not a major critical success, it offered solid entertainment value within the crime drama genre of the late 1930s, with audiences appreciating its courtroom drama elements.
What Reviewers Say
Lee Tracy's dynamic performance as a morally flexible lawyer is a highlight.
The courtroom sequences provide engaging drama and suspense.
The film offers a typical, albeit competently executed, crime narrative for its era.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for this 1937 film is not readily available in a comprehensive or aggregated format.
Fun Fact
The film was based on the play 'The First Offender' by Albert Mannheimer.
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