The Criminal Code (1931)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Writers:

Martin Flavin (play)
Fred Niblo Jr. (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

3 January 1931 (USA)

Genre:

Crime

Plot:

A wily D.A.(Brady) gets a 10 year conviction of a young 20 year old (Robert Graham)who he knows killed a man in self defense...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Warden | Murder | Murder Witness | Revenge

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Walter Huston	...	Mark Brady
Phillips Holmes	...	Robert Graham
Constance Cummings	...	Mary Brady
Boris Karloff	...	Ned Galloway
DeWitt Jennings	...	Yard Captain Gleason (as De Witt Jennings)
Mary Doran	...	Gertrude Williams
Ethel Wales	...	Katie Ryan
Clark Marshall	...	Runch
Arthur Hoyt	...	Leonard Nettleford
John St. Polis	...	Dr. Rinewulf
Paul Porcasi	...	Tony Spelvin (as Paul Porcassi)
Otto Hoffman	...	Jim Fales
John Sheehan	...	'Mac' McManus

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1324-R, 29 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Norway:16 (1931)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 2 October 1929 and closed in March 1930 after 173 performances. The opening night cast included Arthur Byron as Brady, Russell Hardie as Graham, Anita Kerry as Mary Brady, Burr Caruth, Ethel Griffies and Walter Kingsford. Galloway was played by Henry Crossen.

Movie Connections:

Alternate language version of El código penal (1931)

An Eye for An Eye

"The Criminal Code" is centered around the theme "An Eye for An Eye." This theme is the reason that young Robert Graham is sent to prison, the reason why the prisoners object to the D.A. becoming the Warden of the prison, and the reason why Graham is sent to "the hole" near the end of the film. For 1931, it was one of the first critical looks at this theme. It raises certain questions as to the morals of the law, and the Criminal Code versus the Prisoners Code. Phillips Holmes gives a good enough performance as Robert Graham, and Boris Karloff came off well as the inmate with a bone to pick (months before becoming Frankenstein), but the performance that I liked the most was Walter Huston, who played the D.A.-turned-prison-warden. Huston's character was a wily one, who said "Yeah" and "Yeah?" about a hundred times throughout the film.