On Trial (1939)

Director:

Terry O. Morse

Writers:

Don Ryan (screenplay), Elmer Rice (play)

Stars:

John Litel, Margaret Lindsay, Edward Norris

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Litel	...	Robert Strickland
Margaret Lindsay	...	Mae Strickland
Edward Norris	...	Arbuckle
Janet Chapman	...	Doris Strickland
James Stephenson	...	Gerald Trask
Nedda Harrigan	...	Joan Trask
Larry Williams	...	Mr. Glover
William B. Davidson	...	Mr. Gray (as William Davidson)
Earl Dwire	...	Judge
Gordon Hart	...	Dr. Morgan
Kenneth Harlan	...	Mr. John Trumbell - Juror #3
Vera Lewis	...	Mrs. Leeds - Juror #8
Nat Carr	...	Clerk
Stuart Holmes	...	Mr. Summers - Juror #6

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

trial | courtroom | jury | robbery | elopement | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 1939 (USA)

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min 61 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Elmer Rice's play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 19 August 1914 and closed in July 1915 after 365 performances.

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Connections

Version of On Trial (1917)

User Reviews

Brisk but Subpar Courtroom Programmer

A financier is dead, and John Litel seems to have killed him. Will vanished wife Margareret Lindsay reappear in time to save her husband, ON TRIAL for murder? Sometimes the Warner Brothers penchant for remaking its old movies as Bs can result in something interesting, but in this case, the plot itself is way too Victorian to be convincing in 1939 dress. As a result, some of the plot twists just seem weird. The violations of judicial procedure will not only appall any lawyer, but have any amateur enthusiast of Law and Order or even Perry Mason chuckling about the absurdities.

John Litel and Margaret Lindsay turn in average performances. One would like to sic W.C. Fields on the child actor, who, alas, gets a lot of scream, er, screen, time. The direction is efficient, but no more than that.

In other words, not a bad movie, but also not a movie anyone would need to see. The original 1928 movie, however, appears to be lost.