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Illegal (1955)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
24 August 1956 (Finland)
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Tagline:
He was a guy who marked 100 men for death - until a blonde called 'Angel' O'Hara marked him for life! more
Plot:
After an overly aggressive district attorney unknowingly sends an innocent man to the chair, he resigns, turns to drink, and acquires a criminal clientele. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
A great Edward G. Robinson performance in a good film
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Edward G. Robinson | ... | Victor Scott |
 | Nina Foch | ... | Ellen Miles |
 | Hugh Marlowe | ... | Ray Borden |
 | Jayne Mansfield | ... | Angel O'Hara |
| Albert Dekker | ... | Frank Garland |
| Howard St. John | ... | E.A. Smith |
| Ellen Corby | ... | Miss Hinkel |
 | Edward Platt | ... | Ralph Ford |
| Jan Merlin | ... | Andy Garth |
| Robert Ellenstein | ... | Joe Knight |
| Jay Adler | ... | Joseph Carter |
| Henry Kulky | ... | Taylor |
| James McCallion | ... | Allen Parker |
| Addison Richards | ... | Steve Harper |
| Lawrence Dobkin | ... | Al Carol |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
88 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Certification:
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Film debut of Jayne Mansfield.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: (At 1:23:04) During the chase scene, the film is flipped for all three cars as they make a left turn; the steering wheels are on the right side, the license plates are backwards and all the building sign-age is reversed.
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Quotes:
Victor Scott:
As for me, I'd rather see a hundred guilty men go free than convict another innocent man.
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Movie Connections:
References Miracle in the Rain (1956)
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Soundtrack:
Too Marvelous for Words
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (16 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Illegal (1955)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| Illegal in wide screen? | bradley1956 |
| Jan Merlin wannabe Richard Widmark | richsass |
| Maltese Falcon statuette | nighthawkX13 |
| DVD release: July 2007 | famalberts |
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |
The third variation of the same story (The Mouthpiece in 1932 and The Man Who Talked Too Much in 1940), the 1955 film Illegal follows District Attorney Victor Scott from riches to rags, integrity to corruption, and every other way. Mercilessly yet effortlessly prosecuting his latest case, trying Ed Clary for the murder of a woman, Scott wins the jury over with his great talent for oratory and sends Clary to the electric chair. All seems well - another scumbag put away courtesy of D.A. Victor Scott, justice served, you're welcome - but when the real murderer confesses and the innocent Ed Clary is sent to the death chair (which is ridiculous because no one gets killed via the death penalty within 24 of their trial) Scott has a morality attack, quits his D.A. position, and goes into private practice as a defense lawyer. Now, Scott finds himself in a very lucrative new position on the other side of the law where he finds himself torn amongst the authorities; his loved ones; and the crooked, powerful, and dangerous men who have him in their pockets.
While the overall story for Illegal is very good and there are a handful of excellent scenes, the particulars of the story are not especially engaging. Some parts are down-right kooky such as Scott being able to try cases when there is a severe conflict of interest, instances of boring melodrama, and other smaller aspects of the plot. However, the Victor Scott character and Edward G. Robinson's fantastic performance of that character is what holds the film together and makes it worthwhile. As usual, Edward G. Robinson lights up the screen with a bulldog-like screen presence and his trenchant way of speaking but he also allows the viewer to read the Victor Scott character like a book and root for him even though he is not always doing things that are likable. Illegal is good film and definitely worth one's time thanks mostly to Edward G. Robinson.