This was really an exciting film to watch. Great performance by Lionel Atwill as a lawyer defending his son accused for murdering a shrewd gold digger played by the wonderful Greta Nissen. Trying to con innocent men from falling for her charms backfires and results in a murder that has several twist before resolved. The film has both atmosphere and drama. It moves quickly from court room to the scene of the crime. The actors portrays the characters with personality and talent. It is interesting to watch Greta Nissen in a role that makes her look and act like Jean Harlow. It was Jean Harlow that replaced Nissen when Howard Hughs decided to re-shoot HELLS ANGELS (1930) and make it into a sound film. But Greta Nissen proves in this film that she was a star to be reckoned with. Enjoy this gem and lets hope that Fox will restore "Silent Witness" to its glory and release it on video/DVD... We are allowed to hope !
5 Reviews
This was better than I'd thought it would be
AlsExGal21 March 2021
This seldom seen Fox courtroom melodrama at first looks like it is a paint by numbers precode, but the second half shows that it is more than that.
In London, Young Anthony Howard (Bramwell Fletcher) is seeing a slightly older more worldly woman, Nora (Greta Nissan). But one day when visiting her flat he finds her extranged husband visiting, acting like he comes and goes at will and making fun of Tony. When the husband leaves, Tony and Nora get into a fight, she breaks up with him, and Tony strangles her in a fit of passion. He flees the scene in a panic. He tries to keep it from his family, but then he learns the police are on the way and he spills everything. His dad , Sir Austin (Lionel Atwill), sends everyone else upstairs while he speaks to the police, who are indeed there to talk about Nora's murder. But they are actually there to speak to Sir Austin, because they found his billfold in Nora's flat. Now that's a surprise. So Sir Austin goes on trial for Nora's murder unwilling to say his son did it, but also thinking that he can get acquitted himself.
But then, like the title says, there is a silent witness. OK, exactly how many men did Nora have stuffed in her apartment that night, none knowing about the others? And what kind of police force risks the life of a witness when they know the bad guy has a cane that ... shoots bullets???
It turned out far less conventional than I thought it was going to be, and it is great seeing Lionel Atwill before he was typecast in B horror films involving cannibalism, vampirism, and wax museums. Greta Nissan played the female lead in the silent version of Hell's Angels, but was replaced by Jean Harlow when it was remade with sound. And the irony is that is exactly who Greta Nissan reminds me of here - Jean Harlow. She has the voice and the attitude.
In London, Young Anthony Howard (Bramwell Fletcher) is seeing a slightly older more worldly woman, Nora (Greta Nissan). But one day when visiting her flat he finds her extranged husband visiting, acting like he comes and goes at will and making fun of Tony. When the husband leaves, Tony and Nora get into a fight, she breaks up with him, and Tony strangles her in a fit of passion. He flees the scene in a panic. He tries to keep it from his family, but then he learns the police are on the way and he spills everything. His dad , Sir Austin (Lionel Atwill), sends everyone else upstairs while he speaks to the police, who are indeed there to talk about Nora's murder. But they are actually there to speak to Sir Austin, because they found his billfold in Nora's flat. Now that's a surprise. So Sir Austin goes on trial for Nora's murder unwilling to say his son did it, but also thinking that he can get acquitted himself.
But then, like the title says, there is a silent witness. OK, exactly how many men did Nora have stuffed in her apartment that night, none knowing about the others? And what kind of police force risks the life of a witness when they know the bad guy has a cane that ... shoots bullets???
It turned out far less conventional than I thought it was going to be, and it is great seeing Lionel Atwill before he was typecast in B horror films involving cannibalism, vampirism, and wax museums. Greta Nissan played the female lead in the silent version of Hell's Angels, but was replaced by Jean Harlow when it was remade with sound. And the irony is that is exactly who Greta Nissan reminds me of here - Jean Harlow. She has the voice and the attitude.
A British Director in Hollywood
JohnHowardReid25 December 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Silent Witness (1932), the first of Marcel Varnel's 38 films as a director (this one was apparently co-directed with Lefty Hough) was actually made in Hollywood even though it seems British to the core.
Lionel Atwill repeats his performance from the stage play, although the splendidly vampish Greta Nissen and character players Herbert Mundin and Alan Mowbray easily manage to steal his thunder.
The problem is that the play has such a really great Second Act, it tops both the so-so First and the somewhat disappointing Third and Final in which, as we strongly suspect from his fearfully exaggerated mannerisms, the player who enacts the villain gets his expected desserts.
Billy Bevan valiantly attempts to save the day, but he is only partly successful. Nonetheless, the movie is well worth seeing just for Nissen, Mundin and Mowbray alone.
(Formerly available on a VintageFilmBuff DVD which I would rate as at least 8/10 in quality).
Lionel Atwill repeats his performance from the stage play, although the splendidly vampish Greta Nissen and character players Herbert Mundin and Alan Mowbray easily manage to steal his thunder.
The problem is that the play has such a really great Second Act, it tops both the so-so First and the somewhat disappointing Third and Final in which, as we strongly suspect from his fearfully exaggerated mannerisms, the player who enacts the villain gets his expected desserts.
Billy Bevan valiantly attempts to save the day, but he is only partly successful. Nonetheless, the movie is well worth seeing just for Nissen, Mundin and Mowbray alone.
(Formerly available on a VintageFilmBuff DVD which I would rate as at least 8/10 in quality).
Atwill Before He Became Typecast
boblipton21 March 2021
Bramwell Fletcher is incensed when he goes to see his lover, Greta Nissen, and finds her making love to another man, Weldon Heyburn, her husband. Fletcher orders him out of the flat he pays for, and then quarrels with Miss Nissen. He strangles her. Then, in terror, he rushes home to his parents, Lionel Atwill and Mary Forbes. Soon the police come seeking Miss Nissen's murderer and arrest Atwill. To shield his son, Atwill goes into the defendant's box to face and crumble beneath the questions of the prosecuting attorney.
It's a pretty good movie, and after watching seemingly dozens of movies in which Atwill played a bad guy, it's a fine performance. The courtroom scenes are terrific, and the denouement is good too, even though Heyburn sounds enough like Clark Gable to be startling.
It's the first directorial credit for Marcel Varnel, in collaboration with more frequent production manager R.L. Hough. Varnel would leave Hollywood for England in a few years, where he would become an expert in cut glass farce, refereeing films starring Will Hay, the Crazy Gang, and George Formby.
It's a pretty good movie, and after watching seemingly dozens of movies in which Atwill played a bad guy, it's a fine performance. The courtroom scenes are terrific, and the denouement is good too, even though Heyburn sounds enough like Clark Gable to be startling.
It's the first directorial credit for Marcel Varnel, in collaboration with more frequent production manager R.L. Hough. Varnel would leave Hollywood for England in a few years, where he would become an expert in cut glass farce, refereeing films starring Will Hay, the Crazy Gang, and George Formby.
Sensuous Greta Nissen
kidboots3 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Greta Nissen was a beautiful Norwegian star who was dazzling and sophisticated in silents, often appearing opposite Adolphe Menjou. Unfortunately there was a reason Greta didn't achieve the same success in talking films - her thick Norwegian accent made her, at times, almost impossible to understand. She will always be remembered as being the star of the first silent version of "Hell's Angels" but by the time the costly film was completed sound had hit Hollywood and Howard Hughes, the producer, scrapped the movie, along with Greta, who was supposed to be playing an English girl (Jean Harlow didn't handle the accent much better) - unfortunately, Greta's career didn't really recover.
Eager Tony Howard (Bramwell Fletcher) is keen to make Nora (Nissen) his wife. "Aren't you glad to see me" would have to be the most extraneous line in the movie as Nora so obviously isn't!!! She already has a husband, an oily cad (Weldon Heyburn trying to put on a Continental accent)!! Tony sees Nora as she really is and his love soon turns to hate as she taunts him with "You wouldn't have the nerve to kill me"!!!....
When Tony arrives home he is a wreck, thank heaven he has a discarded sweetheart Sylvia (Helen Mack in one of her first credited roles) to pull him through, although when his parents come home from the theatre he is like a babbling idiot!! They finally get the truth out of him but when Scotland Yard come calling they are far more interested in his father, Sir Austin Howard (Lionel Atwill) whose wallet and cheque are found near the girl's body.
Some excellent character performances are what keeps this movie a cut above the average court room drama. Of course Lionel Atwill is just splendid as Sir Austin, the father who will do and say anything to keep his son's name in the clear. He has a couple of wonderful dramatic scenes that he plays with great sincerity. Alan Mowbray is excellent as the supercilious lawyer. Herbert Mundin ("Barkus is willing" in "David Copperfield") has a really memorable "piece de resistance" on the witness stand as a cockney cabbie and Billy Bevan is super as a definitely surprise witness, one of Laura's paramours, who's evidence insures that the right person is arrested for the crime.
Bramwell Fletcher had a few memorable roles at that time ("The Mummy", "Svengali") but he is more famous for being the first husband of Diana Barrymore. Even though Weldon Heyburn is uncredited in the IMDb cast list, in the movie's original cast he is listed 3rd - even though he doesn't have a huge amount to do. Interestingly, Greta Nissen did find a husband in him but sadly their marriage didn't last. Apparently when they were on their honeymoon in London, there was talk they would soon seek a Mexican divorce!!!
Eager Tony Howard (Bramwell Fletcher) is keen to make Nora (Nissen) his wife. "Aren't you glad to see me" would have to be the most extraneous line in the movie as Nora so obviously isn't!!! She already has a husband, an oily cad (Weldon Heyburn trying to put on a Continental accent)!! Tony sees Nora as she really is and his love soon turns to hate as she taunts him with "You wouldn't have the nerve to kill me"!!!....
When Tony arrives home he is a wreck, thank heaven he has a discarded sweetheart Sylvia (Helen Mack in one of her first credited roles) to pull him through, although when his parents come home from the theatre he is like a babbling idiot!! They finally get the truth out of him but when Scotland Yard come calling they are far more interested in his father, Sir Austin Howard (Lionel Atwill) whose wallet and cheque are found near the girl's body.
Some excellent character performances are what keeps this movie a cut above the average court room drama. Of course Lionel Atwill is just splendid as Sir Austin, the father who will do and say anything to keep his son's name in the clear. He has a couple of wonderful dramatic scenes that he plays with great sincerity. Alan Mowbray is excellent as the supercilious lawyer. Herbert Mundin ("Barkus is willing" in "David Copperfield") has a really memorable "piece de resistance" on the witness stand as a cockney cabbie and Billy Bevan is super as a definitely surprise witness, one of Laura's paramours, who's evidence insures that the right person is arrested for the crime.
Bramwell Fletcher had a few memorable roles at that time ("The Mummy", "Svengali") but he is more famous for being the first husband of Diana Barrymore. Even though Weldon Heyburn is uncredited in the IMDb cast list, in the movie's original cast he is listed 3rd - even though he doesn't have a huge amount to do. Interestingly, Greta Nissen did find a husband in him but sadly their marriage didn't last. Apparently when they were on their honeymoon in London, there was talk they would soon seek a Mexican divorce!!!
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