The premise of Two Seconds was put over far better in the novel by James M. Cain and the film made from that novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice. It's the idea of a man being convicted of the wrong murder and paying the wrong debt to society. But the acting of leads Edward G. Robinson and Preston Foster put the story over somewhat.
The film is adapted from a play by Elliott Lester that ran for 59 performances on Broadway in 1932. Preston Foster in fact appeared in the original production as the best friend of the protagonist. On stage the role that Edward G. Robinson has was played by Edward Pawley who later did join Warner Brothers and played various varieties of hoodlum henchmen.
Quite a bit of rewriting had to be done as the play is completely set in a prison death house where Pawley/Robinson is going to the electric chair. The title refers to the exact amount of time that the prisoner has when the warden throws the switch and he actually expires from the electricity. It's in this time that Robinson's character reflects on how he got there.
From the claustrophobic setting of the death house, Warner Brothers got as far as possible when we see Edward G. Robinson and Preston Foster as a pair of riveters working on girders building those skyscrapers that tickle the heavens in New York. A pair making the princely sum of $62.50 a week and Foster doesn't think Robinson spends enough because you can't take it with you.
But before long Robinson is in the hands of goldigging Vivienne Osborne who's finding all kinds of uses for his money and that drives the two men apart. Osborne gives a great performance as a two timing pre-Code type of gal who later would have her act considerably cleaned up by the censors.
Robinson and Foster do all right, but Two Seconds will not be rated as in the top ten for either of these film stalwarts.
The film is adapted from a play by Elliott Lester that ran for 59 performances on Broadway in 1932. Preston Foster in fact appeared in the original production as the best friend of the protagonist. On stage the role that Edward G. Robinson has was played by Edward Pawley who later did join Warner Brothers and played various varieties of hoodlum henchmen.
Quite a bit of rewriting had to be done as the play is completely set in a prison death house where Pawley/Robinson is going to the electric chair. The title refers to the exact amount of time that the prisoner has when the warden throws the switch and he actually expires from the electricity. It's in this time that Robinson's character reflects on how he got there.
From the claustrophobic setting of the death house, Warner Brothers got as far as possible when we see Edward G. Robinson and Preston Foster as a pair of riveters working on girders building those skyscrapers that tickle the heavens in New York. A pair making the princely sum of $62.50 a week and Foster doesn't think Robinson spends enough because you can't take it with you.
But before long Robinson is in the hands of goldigging Vivienne Osborne who's finding all kinds of uses for his money and that drives the two men apart. Osborne gives a great performance as a two timing pre-Code type of gal who later would have her act considerably cleaned up by the censors.
Robinson and Foster do all right, but Two Seconds will not be rated as in the top ten for either of these film stalwarts.