"Guilty Hands" was made in 1931, but it looks ahead of its time - both technically (the opening sequence is particularly impressive) and thematically (it tells the story of a "justifiable murder" - and the murderer is the main character!). There are strong doses of black humor in the dialogue ("Gordon Rich was entirely responsible for his own death"), the "alibi" is a very clever one, and the ending caps it all off with a nicely ironic touch. The film also offers two absolutely gorgeous (though largely forgotten today, sadly) women - Kay Francis and Madge Evans. It's easy to see why Francis was so popular especially in the early 1930s; apart from being beautiful she is also very expressive. Madge Evans is charming, while Lionel Barrymore plays the main character with an appropriate and enjoyable hamminess. **1/2 out of 4.
Review of Guilty Hands
