Wed 24 Dec 2014
ILLEGAL. Warner Brothers, 1955. Edward G. Robinson, Nina Foch, Hugh Marlowe, Jayne Mansfield, Albert Dekker, Howard St. John, Ellen Corby, Edward Platt, Jan Merlin. Screenplay: W. R. Burnett and James R. Webb. Director: Lewis Allen.
When District Attorney Victor Scott (Edgar G. Robinson) discovers that he’s sent an innocent man to the chair, not only are his ambitions for a higher office (governor) gone up in smoke, but soon after so is his political career altogether. He resigns, finds he can’t make a go of it as an attorney dealing in civil law, and in spite of the concern of his former assistant (Nina Foch), begins spending more time in bars than he does practicing law.
But as chance would have it, Scott discovers that his skills in the courtroom on one side are just as good on the other, and soon the money is rolling in as one of the best defense attorneys around, with some of his performances on behalf of his clients putting to shame even the wildest ever dreamed up by the previous master of them all, Perry Mason.
This attracts the attention of not only the local crime boss but the new D.A., who suspects an inside man is leaking information out of his office. This leads in turn to Nina Foch’s character being accused of murdering… Well, it is complicated, but to the screenwriters’ credit, the story is clearly presented from beginning to end, perhaps to the extent of being at times a little too obvious.
This is Edgar G. Robinson’s role all the way. The triumphs and failures of the character he plays need someone with a super-sized sense of the extravaganza, and Robinson is just the person to do the job. The rest of players are mere moths flitting around his constant flame.
Save, just maybe, Jayne Mansfield’s character, a wasp-waisted singer and live-in companion for the aforementioned crime boss makes her a perfect witness on the stand, her breathy whisper-like Marilyn Monroe voice making everyone in the courtroom sit up and take notice.
December 24th, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Not writing an essay but there are a pair of worthwhile prior versions:
1. The Mouthpiece (1932) with Warren William in the lead and,
2. The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) with George Brent.
The Williams film is without doubt a better example of storytelling but I preferred Brent in the part. It is, of course, based on events in the life of Robert Fallon, who many distinguished clients included Arnold Rothstein.
December 24th, 2014 at 8:03 pm
Just so. I’ve not seen either, but I find it hard to believe that either William or Brent could outshine Edward G. Robinson, but I’m biased. Robinson could do little wrong in any role he was in, in my opinion.
There is another film some critics point out as being an ample precedent for ILLEGAL:
Here’s the opening paragraph of Bosley Crowther’s review from the NEW YORK TIMES:
http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0CE4DF1E3AE53BBC4151DFB667838E649EDE
“We’d be willing to bet a nickel that the people who wrote and made Warner Brothers’ ‘Illegal’ had ‘The Asphalt Jungle’ in mind and were doing their best to imitate it, difficult though that would be. For this juristic crime melodrama, which came to the Palace yesterday along with the vaudeville program, has some clear points of similarity to that 1950 thriller. It just doesn’t begin to be as good.”
Crowther goes on to point out another similarity between the two films, one that will have occurred to most of you reading this, I’m sure.
December 24th, 2014 at 8:38 pm
It’s an old fashioned story for 1955, which was my only real complaint — plus, like Barry I preferred the Williams and Brent versions.
But the story is really old, LAWYER MAN, FLAXY MARTIN, that one Sidney Sheldon did with Barry Sullivan and Arlene Dahl with the crossdressing robbers, after this PARTY GIRL with Robert Taylor.
Steve,
I actually don’t disagree with you about this or Robinson, it’s just it wasn’t tired and dated when Williams and Brent did it and the poison drinking bit had more impact because it hadn’t been done to death. With that director, that cast, and those screenwriters it should be good and it is.
Mansfield or not I don’t think they were imitating ASPHALT JUNGLE, just trying to bring in the same audience and associate it in their mind with the other film.
Yet another thankless role wasting Nina Foch.
December 25th, 2014 at 4:38 am
I agree with David. Nina Foch was really wasted in this role. She really just didn’t have much of a presence in this film and that was to the movie’s overall detriment.
I like Robinson a lot and he’s definitely the center of attention here, but I liked his character’s “trickery” in BULLETS OR BALLOTS (1936) much better
December 25th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
I just marvel at the opening premise to this movie: having sent an innocent man to his death, the DA’s ambitions for higher offer is scotched. Whereas it seems today that putting an innocent man to death merely proves you’re tough on crime and therefore QUALIFIED for higher office.
December 25th, 2014 at 8:03 pm
beb,
Here in Oklahoma and in Texas where I’m from at least one innocent man executed is virtually required for election to higher office. Being proven innocent is not necessarily a basis for pardoning one (but then technically under law simple proof of innocence can’t force a judge to reverse a decision of guilt).
Jonathan,
Just watched B&B the other day. Much more energy on all parts and I love his relations with the gangster (Barton MacLane) and his numbers running girlfriend. Then too he has Bogie to contend with in that one, and a notable ending when the depression era bankers turn out to be behind all the cities crimes.