IMDb > Slightly Honorable (1940)

Slightly Honorable (1940) More at IMDbPro »

Videos
Slightly Honorable (1940) -- A lawyer is framed for the murder of a young party girl and tries to clear his name.

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   110 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Ken Englund (screenplay)
John Hunter Lay (screenplay)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Slightly Honorable on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 January 1940 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
It's Gay! It's Goose-pimply! It's grand! It's ga-ga! more
Plot:
A lawyer is framed for the murder of a young party girl and tries to clear his name. | add synopsis
User Comments:
A rare find more (7 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Pat O'Brien ... John Webb
Edward Arnold ... Vincent Cushing

Broderick Crawford ... Russ Sampson
Ruth Terry ... Nightclub singer
Alan Dinehart ... District Attorney Joyce
Claire Dodd ... Alma Brehmer
Phyllis Brooks ... Sarilla Cushing
Eve Arden ... Miss Ater
Douglass Dumbrille ... George Taylor
Bernard Nedell ... Pete Godena
Douglas Fowley ... Madder
Ernest Truex ... P. Hemingway Collins
Janet Beecher ... Mrs. Cushing
Evelyn Keyes ... Miss Vlissingen
John Sheehan ... Mike Daley
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Send Another Coffin (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
85 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Alma Brehmer: Look, there are very few things in my life that I really regret. One of them is the time I wasted on you.
Pete Godena: Cool off, Snow White! Now let's you and me have a nice little heart-to-heart talk, hmm?
Alma Brehmer: What would you use?
more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful.
A rare find, 17 October 2005
10/10

What a surprise. This film, which showcases the under-remarked comic skills of Pat O'Brien is a genuine treat which belongs right up there with "The Front Page" (with O'Brien and James Cagney) its remake "His Girl Friday" and the best of the 'Thin Man' series. Director Tay Garnett is probably best known for directing some of the better series in the early days of television ("Bonanza", "The Untouchables" "Naked City", "Rawhide")and at least two film classics ("The Postman Always Rings Twice" , "A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court"). After seeing this film one can only guess that the reason his name is not as well known as that of Sturgess or Capra or even Wilder is that he moved to television at a time when that medium was seen as a real threat to the film industry and thereby encountered some resentment. How else to explain the fact that "Slightly Honorable" is not mentioned on more 'Best' lists?

O'Brien is probably more likable (and believable as a semi-romantic lead) here than in almost any of his other films. Always effective in serious dramas he reminds us of how versatile some of our greatest stars of middle period American cinema (Cagney, John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn,Clark Gable) were-switching effortlessly from drama to comedy in a way that seems to be beyond the scope of some later stars.

Much the same can be said for Ruth Terry who would own this film were it not for the strength of her co-star's performances. Terry retired before she was 45 years old. By that time she was reduced to bit parts but a look at her work here will have you shaking your head in wonder at how that happened.

A great performance from Broderick Crawford and standout supporting turns from Eve Arden and Claire Dodd (among others) crackerjack pacing and set design,snappy clever and first rate dialogue combine to make for a wonderful hilarious film that deserves a wide audience and a restoration treatment to enhance the sometimes muddy soundtrack and occasional glitch in the currently available print. Do NOT hesitate to rent this one.

By the way, contrary to IMDb's spell checking feature "dialogue" is NOT a misspelling. Look it up.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (7 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Slightly Honorable (1940)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Penthouse Strangers on a Train The Thin Man Ann Vickers The Talk of the Town
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits IMDb Mystery section
IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.