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You are here: Home / Archives for Courtroom Drama

Real-Life Society ‘Honor Slaying’ Inspires Two 1932 Films

January 14, 2015 By Cliff Aliperti 6 Comments

Edward Allen shoots Francis Donaldson III

A look at two pre-Code courtroom melodramas, Unashamed and Two Against the World, compared to the sensational real-life society murder that inspired the movies. Unashamed stars Helen Twelvetrees, Robert Young, and Monroe Owsley, while Two Against the World stars Constance Bennett and Neil Hamilton.

Filed Under: News - Notes Tagged With: 1932, Allen Vincent, Constance Bennett, Courtroom Drama, Gavin Gordon, Helen Twelvetrees, Helen Vinson, John Miljan, Lewis Stone, MGM, Murder, Neil Hamilton, pre-Code, ripped from the headlines, Robert Warwick, Robert Young, Warner Bros.

The Mouthpiece (1932) – Warren William Becomes a Star; 1932 William J. Fallon Cycle Begins

September 9, 2014 By Cliff Aliperti 4 Comments

Warren William in The Mouthpiece by Firestone

Warren William has his breakthrough role in The Mouthpiece, first and best of the 1932 cycle of William J. Fallon inspired lawyer films. Background on Fallon and his legacy included.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1932, Aline MacMahon, Courtroom Drama, Donald Henderson Clarke, Elliott Nugent, First National, Gene Fowler, Guy Kibbee, James Flood, Ralph Ince, Sidney Fox, Walter Walker, Warner Bros., Warren William, William J. Fallon, William Janney

Gladys George Is Madame X (1937), Plus Brief Biography

August 25, 2014 By Cliff Aliperti 8 Comments

Madame X 1937 trade ad

A history of Madame X concentrates on the 1937 film version starring Gladys George. Includes a biography of Gladys George with comparison to Ruth Chatterton’s 1929 performance.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews, Movie Star Biographies Tagged With: 1937, Courtroom Drama, Dramas, Emma Dunn, Gladys George, Henry Daniell, John Beal, melodrama, MGM, Reginald Owen, remakes, Ruth Chatterton, Sam Wood, Warner Archive, Warren William

Elsie Ferguson’s Only Talkie, Scarlet Pages (1930)

May 20, 2014 By Cliff Aliperti Leave a Comment

Elsie Ferguson in Scarlet Pages

Stage legend Elsie Ferguson plays in her final film and only talkie, Scarlet Pages (1930), a courtroom drama offering a view of feminism at that time. Due to its mature content Scarlet Pages was successfully marketed as what was considered a “dirty picture” by 1930 standards.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1930, Courtroom Drama, Elsie Ferguson, feminism, First National, Fred Kelsey, Grant Withers, Jean Bary, Jean Laverty, John Halliday, Marian Nixon, Ray Enright, Warner Archive, William B. Davidson

The Witching Hour (1934), Hypnotized by John Halliday

October 9, 2013 By Cliff Aliperti 4 Comments

John Halliday in The Witching Hour

Paramount’s 1934 version of The Witching Hour is light on stars and, despite the title, isn’t even a horror movie. An early Henry Hathaway film based on the 1907 hit play by Augustus Thomas and featuring strong performances from John Halliday and Sir Guy Standing. It’s all covered here.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1934, augustus thomas, Courtroom Drama, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Gertrude Michael, Henry Hathaway, John Halliday, John Larkin, Judith Allen, Murder, mysticism, olive tell, Paramount, pre-Code, Ralf Harolde, Richard Carle, Sir Guy Standing, the witching hour, Tom Brown, William Frawley

Night Court (1932) Starring Phillips Holmes and Walter Huston

March 24, 2013 By Cliff Aliperti 1 Comment

Phillips Holmes - The Speech

Phillips Holmes takes on Walter Huston’s corrupt judge in MGM’s Night Court (1932), a pre-code drama directed by W.S. Van Dyke and also featuring Anita Page, Lewis Stone and Noel Francis.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1932, Anita Page, corruption, Courtroom Drama, Great Depression, Jean Hersholt, John Miljan, Lewis Stone, Mary Carlisle, MGM, night court, Noel Francis, Phillips Holmes, pre-Code, Tully Marshall, W.S. Van Dyke, Walter Huston, Warner Richmond

Paramount’s The Night of June 13th (1932), Street Scene of the Suburbs

October 7, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti 2 Comments

From Film Daily, September 22, 1932

The Night of June 13th (1932) was Paramount’s answer to Street Scene in which they set an ensemble cast loose on each other in the suburbs. With Clive Brook, the first pairing of Charles Ruggles and Mary Boland, plus Lila Lee, Gene Raymond, Frances Dee, Charley Grapewin and many others.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1932, Adrianne Allen, Arthur Hohl, Charley Grapewin, Charlie Ruggles, Clive Brook, Courtroom Drama, Dramas, Frances Dee, gene raymond, Helen Jerome Eddy, Helen Ware, Lila Lee, Mary Boland, Paramount, Richard Carle, Stephen Roberts, street scene, suburbs, the night of june 13th, vera caspary

Lewis Milestone’s The Purple Heart (1944) Starring Dana Andrews

July 27, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti 15 Comments

Dana Andrews Blogathon at Classic Movie Man

The Purple Heart (1944), directed by Lewis Milestone and starring Dana Andrews, is a World War II courtroom drama imagining the trial and fate of captured Doolittle Raid fliers before the world knew exactly what had happened to them. Part of the Dana Andrews blogathon.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1944, charles russell, Courtroom Drama, dana andrews, Darryl F Zanuck, Farley Granger, John Craven, kevin oshea, Lewis Milestone, red barry, richard conte, richard loo, sam levene, the purple heart, War, World War II

Lawyer Man (1932) Starring William Powell and Joan Blondell

August 23, 2011 By Cliff Aliperti 6 Comments

William Powell Joan Blondell

Warner Brothers’ Lawyer Man (1932) starring William Powell and Joan Blondell is one of a series of pre-code era lawyer films. Loosely based on the life and style of real-life mouthpiece William J. Fallon.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1932, Alan Dinehart, Allen Jenkins, Claire Dodd, Courtroom Drama, David Landau, Helen Vinson, Jack La Rue, Joan Blondell, Lawyers, politics, Roscoe Karns, Sterling Holloway, Warner Archive, Warner Bros., William Dieterle, William J. Fallon, William Powell

Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton in Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

May 5, 2009 By Cliff Aliperti Leave a Comment

Tyrone Power’s masterful final performance as Leonard Vole in Witness for the Prosecution (1957) with Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton, directed by Billy Wilder.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1957, Agatha Christie, Billy Wilder, Charles Laughton, Courtroom Drama, Elsa Lanchester, Henry Daniell, john williams, Marlene Dietrich, Mysteries, ruta lee, suspence, TCM, Turner Classic Movies, Tyrone Power, Una O'Connor, Witness for the Prosection




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About Cliff

I write about old movies and movie stars from the 1920s to the 1950s. I also sell movie cards, still photos and other ephemera. Immortal Ephemera connects the stories with the collectibles. Read More…

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Helen Twelvetrees Perfect Ingenue by Cliff Aliperti

Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue

Kindle $5.99

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11 Pre Code Hollywood Movie Histories book

11 Pre Code Hollywood Movie Histories

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Freddie Bartholomew An Informal Biography by Cliff Aliperti

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Praise for Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue

Recommended BooksJames L. Neibaur of Examiner.com calls it: "One of the most interesting and important film books of the young year," adding, "the documentation is original and significant." Full review.

Recommended BooksJacqueline T. Lynch, author of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer.Star., says: "A prime example of a classic film fan taking the reins to produce a scholarly study of a neglected figure from the Golden Age of classic films in a way that I feel is refreshing, infinitely helpful to fans and students of old movies." Full review.

Recommended BooksSilver Screenings says: "A fascinating account of an ambitious and hard-working woman ... Aliperti’s book is well written and incredibly well researched." Full review.

Recommended BooksSpeakeasy says: "Despite her decline, this is not a sad or bleak book but an enjoyable history ... Any fan of the collectible Citadel “Films of” book series will appreciate the modern twist on that format, a full biography followed by an expanded filmography." Full review.

Recommended BooksA Classic Movie Blog says: "I think this is a good format for performers with short lives and brief careers ... I went into it with only mild curiosity about Twelvetrees and now I find my self pining for copies of unavailable, but intriguing films." Full review.

Helen Twelvetrees, Perfect Ingenue is available in paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon.com.


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