Criminal lawyer
| Criminal Lawyer | |
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Theatrical poster for the film
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| Directed by |
Christy Cabanne Edward Killy Jimmy Anderson (assistant) |
| Produced by |
Samuel J. Briskin Cliff Reid |
| Screenplay by | G. V. Atwater Thomas Lennon |
| Story by | Louis Stevens |
| Cinematography | David Abel |
| Edited by | Jack Hively |
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Production
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Release date
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Running time
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72 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Criminal Lawyer is a 1937 American drama film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by G. V. Atwater and Thomas Lennon, based on a story by Louis Stevens. The film stars Lee Tracy, Margot Grahame and Eduardo Cianelli. RKO produced the film and premiered it on January 26, 1937 in New York City, with a national release a few days later on January 29. It was the second time Stevens' story had been used for a film, the first being 1932's State's Attorney, starring John Barrymore and Helen Twelvetrees, directed by George Archainbaud, and also produced and released by RKO.
Barry Brandon is an unscrupulous defense attorney. He will use any means necessary to win his clients' cases. While in court defending one of his criminal clients, Gene Larkin, he sees a young woman on trial for prostitution, Madge Carter. Believing her to be framed for the activity, he defends her for free, winning her acquittal, after which he gives her a job as his secretary.
Larkin, thinking that he can control Brandon, uses his influence to get Brandon elected to the district attorney's office. Once there, Brandon tells Larkin that he no longer will work for him, that he intends to take the D.A. job seriously. His zeal for his new position pays off, and soon he is the district attorney. With eyes on the governorship, he becomes romantically involved with Betty Walker, whose father has deep political connections, even though Brandon is in love with Madge. After a night of heavy drinking, Brandon wakes up to find out that he has been married to Betty.
Crushed, Madge goes to Larkin's office to discuss something with him, and sees him shoot a rival gangster. When Larkin is arrested for murder, he attempts to use his influence with Brandon to get released. When that fails, and Brandon begins to prosecute him, Larkin blackmails Madge to lie on the stand and cover for him, threatening to expose Brandon's earlier nefarious tactics as an attorney. As Madge is testifying, Brandon realizes what is happening, and confesses in open court to his past underhanded and illegal tactics as a defense attorney, throwing himself on the mercy of the court.
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