The Mouthpiece (1932)

When a hot young prosecutor learns that a man he got convicted and executed was in fact innocent, he quits his DA job and becomes a defense attorney. He grows rich and powerful defending ... See full summary »

Directors:

James Flood, Elliott Nugent

Writers:

Frank J. Collins (play), Joseph Jackson (screenplay),

Stars:

Warren William, Sidney Fox, Aline MacMahon

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Warren William	...	Vincent 'Vince' Day
Sidney Fox	...	Celia Farraday
Aline MacMahon	...	Miss Hickey, Day's Secretary
John Wray	...	Mr. Barton
Mae Madison	...	Elaine
Ralph Ince	...	J.B. Roscoe
Morgan Wallace	...	E.A. Smith
Guy Kibbee	...	Bartender
J. Carrol Naish	...	Tony Rocco (as J. Carroll Naish)
Walter Walker	...	District Attorney Forbes
Stanley Fields	...	Mr. Pondapolis
Murray Kinnell	...	Thompson, Day's Butler
Noel Francis	...	Miss DeVere
William Janney	...	John 'Johnny' Morris

Storyline

When a hot young prosecutor learns that a man he got convicted and executed was in fact innocent, he quits his DA job and becomes a defense attorney. He grows rich and powerful defending guilty racketeers, but eventually sees the errors of his ways.

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Plot Keywords:

underworld | ambush | frame up | playboy | moral transformation | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 May 1932 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Vince Day character is very loosely based on Bill "The Great Mouthpiece" Fallon, one of the great criminal defense attorneys of the 1920s, who successfully defended gambler Arnold Rothstein in the "Black Sox" Fix of the 1919 World Series.

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Goofs

As we follow Vince Day across a street in a crane shot, the shadow of the crane, as well as a camera and cameraman and focus puller, fall across the street in front of him.

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Connections

Version of Illegal (1955)

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Soundtracks

"Goopy Geer"
(uncredited)
Music by Herman Hupfeld
Played when Vince is leaving the first party

User Reviews

Terrific Drama with Wonderful Cast

The Mouthpiece (1932)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Highly entertaining moral tale from Warner about D.A. Vincent Day (Warren William) who has a change in heart after sending an innocent man to the electric chair. He decides to switch sides and take the money in return for getting criminals off of crimes they've committed but he starts to have second thoughts after falling for a woman (Sidney Fox) who works for him. THE MOUTHPIECE is such a good film that after viewing it I was rather shocked to realize that not too many people know of it. Warner was the king at delivering these moral tales during this period so it's kind of shocking that this here has been swept under the rug and forgotten. It's certainly a prime candidate for being rediscovered because there's just so many great things going on here. We can start with the terrific cast being led by William in one of the greatest performances I've seen from him. Yes, he can play that ruthless character better than anyone else but this here shows the actor at his very best. The supporting cast is equally great with Fox really coming across good as the woman the lawyer falls for. Aline MacMahon is also very memorable as the secretary and we also get great work from John Wray, Ralph Ince, Morgan Wallace, J. Carrol Naish and J. Carrol Naish who plays one of the thugs. The film has several sequences taking place inside the courtroom and these are some of the most imaginative court scenes you're going to witness. It was wickedly fun watching William work his magic and especially during one scene involving some poison. If I had a problem with the film it was the love story aspect. I just never fully bought why this lawyer would fall so hard for this girl but this really doesn't take away much. THE MOUTHPIECE is a terrific little drama that has the studio and cast doing their best and it needs to be viewed by more people.