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IMDbPro

Judge Priest

  • 19341934
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
On this IMDbrief, we celebrate four unsung Black heroes of film history and four films to watch to get to know them better.
Play clip4:30
Unsung Black Heroes of Film History
1 Video
11 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Judge Priest, a proud Confederate veteran, uses common sense and considerable humanity to dispense justice in a small town in the Post-Bellum Kentucky.Judge Priest, a proud Confederate veteran, uses common sense and considerable humanity to dispense justice in a small town in the Post-Bellum Kentucky.Judge Priest, a proud Confederate veteran, uses common sense and considerable humanity to dispense justice in a small town in the Post-Bellum Kentucky.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John Ford
  • Writers
    • Irvin S. Cobb(based on: character of "Judge Priest")
    • Dudley Nichols(screen play)
    • Lamar Trotti(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Will Rogers
    • Tom Brown
    • Anita Louise
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Ford
  • Writers
    • Irvin S. Cobb(based on: character of "Judge Priest")
    • Dudley Nichols(screen play)
    • Lamar Trotti(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Will Rogers
    • Tom Brown
    • Anita Louise
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 37User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Unsung Black Heroes of Film History
    Clip 4:30
    Unsung Black Heroes of Film History

    Photos11

    Tom Brown, Anita Louise, and Henry B. Walthall in Judge Priest (1934)
    Rochelle Hudson, Anita Louise, and Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
    Tom Brown and Anita Louise in Judge Priest (1934)
    Tom Brown and Rochelle Hudson in Judge Priest (1934)
    Tom Brown in Judge Priest (1934)
    Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
    Tom Brown, Rochelle Hudson, and Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
    Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
    Tom Brown, Anita Louise, and Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)
    Will Rogers in Judge Priest (1934)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Will Rogers
    Will Rogers
    • Judge Priestas Judge Priest
    Tom Brown
    Tom Brown
    • Jerome Priestas Jerome Priest
    Anita Louise
    Anita Louise
    • Ellie May Gillespieas Ellie May Gillespie
    Henry B. Walthall
    Henry B. Walthall
    • Rev. Ashby Brandas Rev. Ashby Brand
    David Landau
    David Landau
    • Bob Gillisas Bob Gillis
    Rochelle Hudson
    Rochelle Hudson
    • Virginia Maydewas Virginia Maydew
    Roger Imhof
    Roger Imhof
    • Billy Gaynoras Billy Gaynor
    Frank Melton
    Frank Melton
    • Flem Talleyas Flem Talley
    Charley Grapewin
    Charley Grapewin
    • Sergeant Jimmy Bagbyas Sergeant Jimmy Bagby
    Berton Churchill
    Berton Churchill
    • Senator Horace Maydewas Senator Horace Maydew
    Brenda Fowler
    Brenda Fowler
    • Mrs. Caroline Priestas Mrs. Caroline Priest
    Francis Ford
    Francis Ford
    • Juror No. 12as Juror No. 12
    Hattie McDaniel
    Hattie McDaniel
    • Aunt Dilseyas Aunt Dilsey
    • (as Hattie McDaniels)
    Stepin Fetchit
    Stepin Fetchit
    • Jeff Poindexteras Jeff Poindexter
    Melba Brown
    • Black Singeras Black Singer
    • (uncredited)
    Thelma Brown
    • Black Singeras Black Singer
    • (uncredited)
    Vera Brown
    • Black Singeras Black Singer
    • (uncredited)
    Grace Goodall
    Grace Goodall
    • Mrs. Maydewas Mrs. Maydew
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Ford
    • Writers
      • Irvin S. Cobb(based on: character of "Judge Priest")
      • Dudley Nichols(screen play)
      • Lamar Trotti(screen play)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      "Based on Irvin S. Cobb's character of 'Judge Priest'" was a compromise onscreen source credit. Fox wanted to use "Based on the Judge Priest Stories by Irwin S. Cobb," but Mr. Cobb objected because he had written over 70 stories, was still writing them, and the statement might inhibit future sales of them.
    • Quotes

      Judge William 'Billy' Priest: Your honor, as I recollect the procedure, at the time bein' I'm an ordinary member of the bar in good standing.

      Judge Floyd Fairleigh: Not ordinary, sir, but absolutely in good standing.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening card: The figures in this story are familiar ghosts of my own boyhood. The war between the states was over, but its tragedies and comedies haunted every grown man's mind, and the stories that were swapped took deep root in my memory. There was one man Down Yonder I came especially to admire for he seemed typical of the tolerance of that day and the wisdom of that almost vanished generation. I called him Judge Priest, and I tried to draw reasonably fair likenesses of him and his neighbors and the town in which we lived. An old Kentucky town in 1890. --- --- Irvin S. Cobb
    • Connections
      Featured in Black History: Lost, Stolen or Strayed (1968)
    • Soundtracks
      My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night
      (1853) (uncredited)

      Music and Lyrics by Stephen Foster

      Played during the opening and end credits, and often in the score

      Also Sung by Hattie McDaniel, Melba Brown, Thelma Brown, Vera Brown,

      Will Rogers and others

    User reviews37

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Excellent subtle '30's John Ford comedy.
    '30's comedies aren't exactly known for their subtlety and they mostly consist out of physical humor. This movie forms a great and wonderful exception to this.

    This is one great subtle comedy that is mostly funny thanks to its very amusing and extreme stereotyped characters. It of course also really helps that they are being portrayed by some really great actors and are being directed by one great director; John Ford.

    Will Rogers was totally great in his role. He seemed very natural with his acting but at the same time managed to play his character in a comical way. He was a greatly talented comedy actor, who was already a popular one during the silent era. He would had continued to play many more comical roles I'm sure, had he not died one year after this movie, in a plane crash piloted by the one-eyed pioneer aviator Wiley Post. Hattie McDaniel also does in this movie what she is best known for, playing a likable maid role. She is best known for her Acedemy Award winning role in "Gone with the Wind", which also made her the first black actor winning the great award.

    Even though John Ford began directing movies as early as 1917, it wasn't until the '30's that his career really took off and he gained a real big celebrity status. He also isn't best known for comedies but mostly for his western's, often starring John Wayne. Till this date he is still the director with the most Academy Awards for best directing (4 of them). I think that says already enough about the qualities of this man. With this movie he also really seemed ahead of its time, by picking an all different and very humble approach of the story and comedy.

    The story is actually quite simple but oh so great. It actually is quite well layered, even though the movie its simplicity might make you overlook this. It features lots of different element involving the characters in this movie, on both the comical as well as the more dramatic level. I also especially really like how the judge tries to hook up his cousin with his neighbor girl.

    The movie also truly benefits from its typical southern atmosphere. The movie is set in a southern town, which shows in the movie its characters, their accents and just overall atmosphere of the entire movie.

    This movie was a great pleasant surprise!

    9/10

    http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
    helpful•23
    8
    • Boba_Fett1138
    • Mar 29, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 28, 1934 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Old Judge Priest
    • Production company
      • Fox Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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