Prosecutor becomes a defense attorney after an innocent man is sent to an electric chair.Prosecutor becomes a defense attorney after an innocent man is sent to an electric chair.Prosecutor becomes a defense attorney after an innocent man is sent to an electric chair.
J. Carrol Naish
- Tony Rocco
- (as J. Carroll Naish)
Berton Churchill
- Rocco Trial Judge
- (uncredited)
Davison Clark
- Detective Arresting Garland
- (uncredited)
Kenne Duncan
- Office Worker
- (uncredited)
Helena Phillips Evans
- Crying Prospective Client
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe 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. Nevertheless, Fallon's daughter, Ruth, won a criminal libel judgment in a Syracuse, N.Y. police court, against the owner of a theater that showed the film. It was later overturned.
- GoofsJust as Vince's car drives off after picking up Celia during her last day, a lighting stand can be seen briefly across a doorstep.
- Quotes
Miss Hickey, Day's Secretary: It's all in the days work, said the street sweeper to the elephant.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film (2008)
Featured review
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.
*** 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.
helpful•172
- Michael_Elliott
- Sep 1, 2012
Details
- Runtime1 hour 26 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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