The Spellbinder (1939)

Jed Marlowe is a brilliant, scheming, unscrupulous criminal lawyer whose specialty is defending criminal he knows is guilty but gets them off through loop-holes or bribery. Then his ... See full summary »

Director:

Jack Hively

Writers:

Joseph Anthony (story), Thomas Lennon (screenplay),

Stars:

Lee Tracy, Barbara Read, Patric Knowles

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Lee Tracy	...	Jed Marlowe
Barbara Read	...	Janet Marlowe
Patric Knowles	...	Tom Dixon
Allan Lane	...	Steve Kendall
Linda Hayes	...	Miss Simpson
Morgan Conway	...	Mr. Carrington
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Judge Butler - Second Trial
Roy Gordon	...	Third Trial Judge
Robert Strange	...	First Trial Judge
Elliott Sullivan	...	Harry 'Ice Box' Swinnerty
Leonid Kinskey	...	Harry Beldon - Saxophone Player

Storyline

Jed Marlowe is a brilliant, scheming, unscrupulous criminal lawyer whose specialty is defending criminal he knows is guilty but gets them off through loop-holes or bribery. Then his daughter, misled by her father's courtroom performance, but unaware of his back-room tactics, marries the killer her father has just unjustly save from the electric chair. What's a poor father to do?

---

Plot Keywords:

lawyer | bribery | trial | auditor | murderer | 

---

Taglines:

One leap ahead of the hounds of justice! Till the mighty day he had to choose - between Fool's Gold and the throbbing secret in his heart! (original poster)

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 July 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Em Defesa da Filha

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"A-Hunting We Will Go"
Traditional
Played on a saxophone by Leonid Kinskey in court

User Reviews

Like an hour-long Perry Mason episode

Watching this film, you can't help but wonder where Raymond Burr was hiding.

This somewhat dull courtroom drama feels like an hour-long Perry Mason episode, with Linda Hayes in the inevitable "Della Street" role to provide a modicum of romantic interest for the aging leading man, Lee Tracy. The plot is not worth describing; what I did find interesting that immediately after a series of amusing second features in which Tracy played youthful wise-acre roles similar to those in his Pre-Code heyday (such as "Crashing Hollywood" and "Wanted: Jane Turner"), Tracy has abruptly aged into a staid middle-aged character actor. (Interestingly he made this movie right after his return to Hollywood and his honeymoon in pre-war Europe with his bride, Helen Thomas, a former insurance agent.) In any case, he turns in a great performance- suiting the role, it's more mature and nuanced than usual, and it transcends the mediocre script. It's also intriguing to see Mr. Tracy playing a father, which was not something he did that often.