A middling crimnal drama stars the always magnificent Spencer Tracy as a troubled widower , as he was formerly a noted advocate in law who gets into trouble when he takes a twisted criminal case . Stars Jim Curtayne (Spencer Tracy) , formerly a successful defense attorney who has turned to civil law because of his problems with the bottle . As he's nowadays a recovering alcoholic , being helped by his daughter (Diana Lynn) who has delayed her wedding (to Richard Anderson) due to dad's illness , as Jim tries a comeback when he defends a neighbor's son (James Arness) facing a homicide charge. He then repents for unethical bahavior during the hard case . But things go wrong when he carries out a wrong malpractice with a doubtful witness (J. C. Flippen) . Complications arise more and more when Jim retakes his drunkness hobbies and while experiencing lapses in memory , as well as an uncooperative client. As he repents and attempts to restore his standing as a right lawyer . Against sinister forces that prey on youth!. O'hara might beat murder , if his lawyer can beat the bottle !
Average court drama about an alcoholic and previously successful criminal defense attorney at law who becomes involved into a complex criminal case . In the film there's raw court drama , suspense , action , intrigue , police procedural , murders and being interesting enough . The movie follows the style to noir cinema of the 40s and 50s with those stylish , innovative films that usually played Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas , Cornel Wilde and Glenn Ford. This interesting but failed film is decent but resulting to be slow-moving , extremely talking and packing some flaws and gaps . Stars the always awesome Spencer Tracy who gives a very good acting in his usual style as a lawyer who sees the chance to salvage his self-respected career by taking a difficult case to trial , a similar role to starred many years later by Paul Newman in Sidney Lumet's The Verdict (1982) . Here the main entertainmen is to look for a lot of known actors giving nice and some brief interpretations , such as : Diana Lynn as the good daughter who attempts to care her daddy in order to keep him on the straight and narrow , Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak , Eduardo Ciannelli , James Arness , Yvette Duguay , Jay C. Flippen , William Campbell, Richard Anderson , Henry O'Neill , Arthur Shields, Ann Doran , Emile Meyer , Regis Toomey . And look fast for Charles Bronson as one of William Campbell's brothers , Jack Kruschen as a Detective , Mae Clarke as a receptionist and William Schallert as an Intern with Ambulance .
It displays an atmospheric cinematography with plenty of lights and shades by John Alton , who along with Nicolas Musuruca , Lucien Ballard, John Seitz are the best camera craftsmen . These dark settings depict this type of cinema and these cameramen are the principal photographers of the peculiar Film Noir genre . As well as a thrilling and imaginative musical score by Carmen Dragon . The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by John Sturges, though with no much enthusiasm , and including some moments amazingly inept. Sturges began his directing career at Columbia Pictures, from there he moved on to MGM where he filmed more "B" pictures, albeit on a larger budget . He established an independent production company in 1959, releasing through United Artists. From 1960-67 he worked under contract for United Artists. His first major hit was the western Dog Day at Black Rock (1955) , which he shot in just three weeks, wrapping up virtually every scene in a single take . He specialized in robust action pictures, particularly westerns. He excelled at bringing to life tautly written stories about tough characters facing difficult circumstances . Throughout his career he regularly alternated hits with misses . He has also been criticized for his lack of stylistic trademarks , though his best films remain exciting to watch . Sturges was expert on all kind of genres , but especially warlike such as : ¨Great Escape¨, ¨Ice Station Zebra¨ and ¨Eagle has landed¨ and Western such as ¨Last train of Gun Hill¨, ¨Magnificent Seven¨, ¨Backlash¨, ¨Law and Jake Webb¨, ¨Joe Kidd¨ and Chino¨, among others . Rating : 6/10 . Passable and acceptable , but a little bit dull and tiring . Well worth seeing for Spencer Tracy fans .
Average court drama about an alcoholic and previously successful criminal defense attorney at law who becomes involved into a complex criminal case . In the film there's raw court drama , suspense , action , intrigue , police procedural , murders and being interesting enough . The movie follows the style to noir cinema of the 40s and 50s with those stylish , innovative films that usually played Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas , Cornel Wilde and Glenn Ford. This interesting but failed film is decent but resulting to be slow-moving , extremely talking and packing some flaws and gaps . Stars the always awesome Spencer Tracy who gives a very good acting in his usual style as a lawyer who sees the chance to salvage his self-respected career by taking a difficult case to trial , a similar role to starred many years later by Paul Newman in Sidney Lumet's The Verdict (1982) . Here the main entertainmen is to look for a lot of known actors giving nice and some brief interpretations , such as : Diana Lynn as the good daughter who attempts to care her daddy in order to keep him on the straight and narrow , Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak , Eduardo Ciannelli , James Arness , Yvette Duguay , Jay C. Flippen , William Campbell, Richard Anderson , Henry O'Neill , Arthur Shields, Ann Doran , Emile Meyer , Regis Toomey . And look fast for Charles Bronson as one of William Campbell's brothers , Jack Kruschen as a Detective , Mae Clarke as a receptionist and William Schallert as an Intern with Ambulance .
It displays an atmospheric cinematography with plenty of lights and shades by John Alton , who along with Nicolas Musuruca , Lucien Ballard, John Seitz are the best camera craftsmen . These dark settings depict this type of cinema and these cameramen are the principal photographers of the peculiar Film Noir genre . As well as a thrilling and imaginative musical score by Carmen Dragon . The motion picture was uneven but professionally directed by John Sturges, though with no much enthusiasm , and including some moments amazingly inept. Sturges began his directing career at Columbia Pictures, from there he moved on to MGM where he filmed more "B" pictures, albeit on a larger budget . He established an independent production company in 1959, releasing through United Artists. From 1960-67 he worked under contract for United Artists. His first major hit was the western Dog Day at Black Rock (1955) , which he shot in just three weeks, wrapping up virtually every scene in a single take . He specialized in robust action pictures, particularly westerns. He excelled at bringing to life tautly written stories about tough characters facing difficult circumstances . Throughout his career he regularly alternated hits with misses . He has also been criticized for his lack of stylistic trademarks , though his best films remain exciting to watch . Sturges was expert on all kind of genres , but especially warlike such as : ¨Great Escape¨, ¨Ice Station Zebra¨ and ¨Eagle has landed¨ and Western such as ¨Last train of Gun Hill¨, ¨Magnificent Seven¨, ¨Backlash¨, ¨Law and Jake Webb¨, ¨Joe Kidd¨ and Chino¨, among others . Rating : 6/10 . Passable and acceptable , but a little bit dull and tiring . Well worth seeing for Spencer Tracy fans .