Slightly Honorable (1939)

A lawyer is framed for the murder of a young party girl and tries to clear his name.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Ken Englund (screenplay), John Hunter Lay (adaptation)

Stars:

Pat O'Brien, Edward Arnold, Broderick Crawford

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pat O'Brien	...	John Webb
Edward Arnold	...	Vincent Cushing
Broderick Crawford	...	Russ Sampson
Ruth Terry	...	Ann Seymour
Alan Dinehart	...	Commisioner 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 Vlissigen
John Sheehan	...	Mike Daley

Storyline

Attorney John Webb, is fighting the crooked political-ring headed by newspaper publisher Vincent Cushing and his crony George Joyce, the district attorney. When Alma Brehmer, Cushing's mistress and Webb's former sweetheart, is murdered, Cushing and Joyce try to railroad Webb as the killer.

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Plot Keywords:

district attorney | mistress | lawyer | murder | damsel in distress | 

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Taglines:

The MYSTERY deepens! (...and so do the laughs) as a pair of wacky Sherlocks get in an awful mess!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Music | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 December 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Send Another Coffin

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was one of two dozen Walter Wanger/Harry Sherman/Cinema Guild productions originally released by United Artists, re-released theatrically in 1948 by Masterpiece Productions, and ultimately sold by them for USA television syndication in 1950. It was first telecast in Los Angeles Sunday 4 June 1950 on KTLA (Channel 5), in New York City Saturday 24 June 1950 on WCBS (Channel 2), in Cincinnati Saturday 1 July 1950 on WKRC (Channel 11), in Chicago Monday 17 July 1950 on WENR (Channel 7), in Phoenix Sunday 20 August 1950 on KPHO (Channel 5), in Albuquerque Tuesday 22 August 1950 on KOB (Channel 4), in Atlanta Thursday 28 September 1950 on WSB (Channel 8), in Detroit Sunday 1 October 1950 on WXYZ (Channel 7), in Philadelphia Saturday 7 October 1950 on WFIL (Channel 6), in Boston Sunday 15 October 1950 on WNAC (Channel 7), in San Francisco Saturday 25 November 1950 on KGO (Channel 7), and in Pittsburgh Friday 22 December 1950 on WDTV (Channel 3).

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Goofs

The police have the suspects take off their shoes. Webb laughs and jostles Ann Seymour to look at Cushing's socks. The scene moves to Cushing, but he still has his shoes on. A police officer takes off his left shoe and he has a hole in the toe of his sock.

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Quotes

Russ Sampson: [Raising his drink] For the people!
John Webb: For the $100,000 retainer fee.

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Soundtracks

Cupid's After Me
Lyrics and music by Jule Styne
Sung by Ruth Terry

User Reviews

Gowns are by Travis Banton!!!

Quite amazing for a B movie!!! Travis Banton was Paramount's top clothes designer in the early thirties. He designed dresses for Marlene Dietrich, Claudette Colbert, Kay Francis and Carole Lombard among others.

John Webb, an attorney, (Pat O'Brien) is invited to a party by Alma (Claire Dodd), an old girlfriend, who is now the mistress of Cushing (Edward Arnold). He meets an annoying singer Ann (Ruth Terry), who he later rescues from the paws of a drunken guest. When Webb finds Alma murdered, he determined to "square" it but can't shake the irritating Ann. Helped by his sassy secretary (Eve Arden) and dopey associate (Broderick Crawford), he is stymied by District Attorney Joyce (oily Alan Dinehart) who is in pretty thick with Cushing. Suspects pile up - Alma's ex husband George (Douglas Dumbrille), even Ann puts her foot in it by implicating Webb!!! As one of the reviewers implied, Ann and Webb would have to be the odd couple of the century. In real life he would never find happiness with an air head like her!!! When Webb's secretary is found dead (Eve Arden didn't get much of a chance to strut her stuff), suspicion puts Webb on the top of the list. Evelyn Keyes has a bit as the new secretary and Phyllis Brookes also has a small part as Cushing's beautiful daughter. Things come to a head in a little Texas cemetery.

The film is excellent because of the superior quality of everyone associated with it. The cast was top notch - aside from Pat O'Brien you have Edward Arnold, Broderick Crawford, Douglas Dumbrille and Alan Dinehart, one of the most suave villains of the 30s. Then on the female side you have the beautiful Claire Dodd, Phyllis Brooks, sassy Eve Arden and the lovely Evelyn Keyes (who would have been excellent as Ann, not nearly so annoying as Ruth Terry). Tay Garnett was a real "man's" director who was at home with action adventures ie "China Seas" (1935) and "Trade Winds" (1938).

Claire Dodd, is definitely my favourite bad girl. When she appeared in a film, good girls like Joan Blondell, Ann Dvorak and Helen Twelvetrees had some pretty anxious moments - she even played Della Street in a couple of early Perry Masons. Whoever she played she always looked a dream. Phyllis Brooks had been a McClelland Barclay model and although she was decorative her acting skills were almost non existent. Evelyn Keyes was more noted for her wit and racy memoirs but she was extremely vivacious and it was always nice to see her in movies.

Recommended.