One of Gildy's best. The mix of characters is artfully coordinated by underrated director Douglas. As a blustery juror in a criminal case, Gildy is suspected of bribery in exonerating the defendant. After all, there is the offer to him of a thousand dollars from the criminal gang if the jury votes "not guilty". This puts him in a bad way with his arch-adversary, Judge Hooker. No doubt about it—it's a baaad day for our small town hero. Meanwhile, Margie has to figure out which swain to go to the dance with, while LeRoy and Birdie look on at the hijinks in amusing fashion.
I love the touch with the little guy walking under the sawhorse plank instead of around it. It's touches like this that lift a programmer from the merely routine. Then there's Peary's patented array of bottom-of-the-well sound effects. That humorless laugh and rich baritone are among the most distinctive in all moviedom. Anyhow, it's a lively 60-minutes of amusing mix-up, thanks in large part to the versatile supervision of Director Douglas.
(In passing—I just saw 1957's dead serious "12 Angry Men". Catch some of the similarities in jury room plot line. It's coincidence, I would assume, but interesting, nevertheless.)
I love the touch with the little guy walking under the sawhorse plank instead of around it. It's touches like this that lift a programmer from the merely routine. Then there's Peary's patented array of bottom-of-the-well sound effects. That humorless laugh and rich baritone are among the most distinctive in all moviedom. Anyhow, it's a lively 60-minutes of amusing mix-up, thanks in large part to the versatile supervision of Director Douglas.
(In passing—I just saw 1957's dead serious "12 Angry Men". Catch some of the similarities in jury room plot line. It's coincidence, I would assume, but interesting, nevertheless.)