Criminal Lawyer
1937
72 minutes
Overview
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.
Top Cast
Lee Tracy
Brandon
Margot Grahame
Madge Carter
Eduardo Ciannelli
Gene Larkin
Betty Lawford
Betty Walker
Erik Rhodes
Tony Bandini
Frank M. Thomas
William Walker
Wilfred Lucas
Brandon's Assistant
William Stack
District Attorney Hopkins
Charles Lane
Attorney (uncredited)
Aileen Pringle
Mrs. Manning (uncredited)
Francis McDonald
Jack 'Fingy' Doremus (uncredited)
Lita Chevret
Nora James (uncredited)
Theodore von Eltz
Larkin's Attorney (uncredited)
Cyril Ring
Extra at Larkin's Nightclub (uncredited)
Edward Van Sloan
Bit (uncredited)
William Worthington
Party Guest (uncredited)
Sidney Bracey
Wilson - Walker's Butler (uncredited)