The Judge Steps Out (1949)

A Boston judge bored with his life leaves his family and heads off for adventure. He gets a job as a short-order cook at a roadside diner and soon finds romance with the pretty owner. He ... See full summary »

Director:

Boris Ingster

Writers:

Boris Ingster (screenplay), Boris Ingster (story),

Stars:

Alexander Knox, Ann Sothern, George Tobias

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alexander Knox	...	Judge Thomas Bailey aka Tom Brown
Ann Sothern	...	Peggy
George Tobias	...	Mike
Sharyn Moffett	...	Nan
Florence Bates	...	Chita
Frieda Inescort	...	Evelyn Bailey
Myrna Dell	...	Mrs. Joan Winthrop
Ian Wolfe	...	Hector Brown
H.B. Warner	...	Chief Justice Hayes
Martha Hyer	...	Catherine Bailey Struthers III
James Warren	...	John Struthers III
Whitford Kane	...	Dr. Charles P. Boyd
Harry Hayden	...	Judge Davis
Anita Sharp-Bolster	...	Martha, the Maid (as Anita Bolster)

Storyline

A Boston judge bored with his life leaves his family and heads off for adventure. He gets a job as a short-order cook at a roadside diner and soon finds romance with the pretty owner. He also gets involved in helping her adopt an orphan. His bliss may be short-lived when he has to choose between staying at the diner or returning home.

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Plot Keywords:

judge | husband wife relationship

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Taglines:

He Handed Down a Decision IN FAVOR OF HIMSELF!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Indian Summer

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed between mid-January and late March 1947, this movie was held back until its Manhattan premiere at the Palace Theatre on June 2, 1949, followed by its wide release on June 11, 1949, by which time four cast members, William B. Davidson, Paul Everton, Elmer Jerome, and Carl Faulkner had already passed away.

User Reviews

Nearly steps past production code but chickens out.

This is a movie that was almost great, but the had to force the ending to fit the "Hays Office" guidelines. You wanted to scream at the judge not to be a weeny and not go back to a wife clearly ill-suited for him. When he had a fine woman waiting for him. But Proper Morality wins out. Though they stretch it out till nearly the last minute of the film.

Still this is a nice showcase for too often overlooked actors. Lead actor Alexander Knox is best known for the stodgy Woodrow Wilson biopic, but here shows a delicate comedic sense. Ann Southern was never more appealing. George Tobias showed why he never seemed to be out of work. Whitford Kaye nearly steals the movie as the wise country doctor. And the great Ian Wolfe is marvelously smarmy as only he could be.

This is a movie that could have been longer as it zips right along, and a few scenes were not developed enough (especially the romance and the relationship of Peggy and Nan).

Pity this one got sandbagged by conventionalism, but is mighty tasty till then.