User Reviews

Spencer Tracy's only venture into the noir genre finds him playing James P. Curtayne, an alcoholic criminal lawyer who is living with daughter Diana Lynn. She's essentially put her life on hold to take care of her father.

Friends from his old neighborhood ask him to defend their son, James Arness, who is being charged with a homicide during the course of a what we would now call a home invasion.

Tracy's not up to it, he's past his prime and unable to break down the perjured testimony of William Campbell who says Arness was the trigger man in the crime. He's got a sharp District Attorney in John Hodiak going against him. And he's got a client who's lying about his real whereabouts to shield someone else.

When the verdict of guilty is read against Arness in The People Against O'Hara it should be over. But not quite.

I liked John Hodiak as the District Attorney. He's good in anything he does and his role here is as an honest lawyer who's more interested in finding out the truth than scoring another prosecutorial notch on his belt. That in itself is very refreshing.

Given Spencer Tracy's own alcholism this must have been a part way too close to home for him. But he also is determined to serve his client to the best of his abilities which are sharply impaired when he makes a bad error in judgment in bribing witness Jay C. Flippen. Usually Flippen plays upright characters so this portrayal of a witness willing to sell his testimony to the highest bidder is against type and good.

Other good performances of note are Eduardo Ciannelli as the mob boss of the Fulton Fish Market, Pat O'Brien as Tracy's long time friend and homicide cop, and in a bit role in the end Ann Doran as a policewoman who puts herself on the line in the final confrontation scene.

Both Tracy and Hodiak in this film are two of the best portrayals of the legal profession on the screen. Even Tracy's ethical lapses are done with the best of intentions.

The People Against O'Hara is a great example of film noir at it's best and one of the screen's finest players in his only venture in noir.

It's a shame this movie never lives up to the dark promise of its opening images: Night in a run-down quarter of the city; an all-night coffee shop, like Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks"; an old Swedish salt stumbling around. In deep background, a door opens, flooding a stairway with light. Then, shots ring out. What it's all about is a young man framed for a murder, whose impoverished parents coax "retired" defense attorney Spencer Tracy to exonerate him; Tracy plays half Clarence Darrow and half gumshoe. Despite the obligatory falling-off-the-wagon scene (where he succumbs to ethical temptation) it's a solid job. The noir influence goes beyond the camerawork; the ending is darker than you might be led to expect.

An excellent performance by Spencer Tracy in "The People Against O'Hara" lifts this all too familiar plot line to a different level. Tracy is an alcoholic who, for the sake of his health and sobriety, becomes a civil attorney, only to be drawn back into criminal work when neighborhood friends need him to defend their son. The son is played by a pre-Gunsmoke, blond James Arness, and it was a pleasure to see him do something besides the one-note Matt Dillon. Diana Lynn does an excellent job as Tracy's protective daughter, and a pathetically young Richard Anderson is her patient fiancé.

Tracy's performance drives the film, which is really just an excuse for a character study, and who better to essay it. He beautifully shows the man's torment and loss of abilities. The ending is tense and suspenseful.

There is a fine cast, including the above, Pat O'Brien John Hodiak, Eduardo Cianelli, and William Campbell (who in real life was for a time married to Judith Exner, the woman who went public with her affair with JFK).

I think Spencer Tracy is always worth watching, and this film is no exception.

After a successful career as a D. A, James P. Curtayne (Spencer Tracy) decides to forgo civil law and accept a homicide criminal case involving an old time family friend. Det. Vincent Ricks (Pat O'Brien) a police detective and friend advises him as does his daughter Virginia (Diana Lynn) not to do it as does his heart and former bout with alcoholism. Still Johnny O'Hara (James Arness) needs his established reputation to save him from prison. The story is fraught with dangers which involve the local mob as well as Curtayne's inability to deal with his return to drinking as the case tests his ethics. For Tracy this is a remarkable film as one sees the sober lawyer deal with an inability to deal with his weaknesses. This remarkable B/W film is designed to entertain and highlight Tracy's unique talent. A great movie and one easily recommended to Tracy fans. Although not credited, you can see a very young Charles Bronson making an appearance. ****

Spencer Tracy,(James P. Curtayne), plays a lawyer who wants to get away from Criminal Law and go into Civil suits with not very much pressure, because he has a drinking problem. Jim Curtayne's daughter,(Diana Lynn),(Virginia,Ginny,Curtayne) is staying with her father and keeping an eye on him for at least two years, in order to keep him away from the booze. James Curtayne soon gets involved with a family he has known all his life and decides to help them when their son gets involved with a murder. John Hodiak,(Louis Barra) is the Defense Attorney and gives James Curtayne a hard time in the court room. Pat O'Brien,(Detective Vincent Ricks) is an old friend of James Curtayne and tries to help him stay focused on his law case and does give him some important leads. There are many twists and turns in this crime drama and Spencer Tracy gives one of his best performances in this Classic 1951 film.

People Against O'Hara, The (1951)

*** (out of 4)

Part noir and part courtroom drama, this film isn't a complete success but it has enough going for it to make it worth viewing. In the film Spencer Tracy plays an alcoholic lawyer who decides to help a couple poor friends out by defending their son (James Arness) who has been accused of murder. The lawyer knows the kid is innocent but he can't get enough information on the streets as to who the real killer is so he must put his own life on the line to try and clear his client. Sturges and Tracy would re-team four years later on the masterpiece BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK and while this film is no where near that one, this here at least offers up some fine performances and a terrific ending. I think the weakest aspect of the film was the actual court case. I'm not sure what it was but it really seemed like Sturges was struggling with how to build up any type of suspense during these scenes. The courtroom stuff just didn't contain enough suspense or anything overly interesting to make it work very well. I thought the director did a much better job with the personal demons battling Tracy as he's trying to avoid drinking but as the pressure builds he keeps wanting back at the bottle. Sturges handled these scenes extremely well including a heartbreaking and rather shattering one between Tracy and his daughter (Diana Lynn) as both of them break down and let their emotions show. It comes as no shock but Tracy is terrific as usual. He did a really good job with the role and the scenes with him battling the alcoholism were very well handled and you could tell Tracy was giving it his all. He suffered from drinking his entire life so I'm sure he put some of his own feelings into the role and they show. Pat O'Brien gets a pretty good bit as the Detective working the case and John Hodiak is very good as the D.A.. Lynn shines in her scenes including the unforgettable moment mentioned earlier and we also Eduardo Ciannelli playing a gangster. I really wasn't too impressed with Arness here who gets several scenes where he's suppose to be playing scared and frustrated yet I didn't believe either emotion. If you look quick you'll see Charles Bronson sitting around a diner table. While the courtroom stuff doesn't work too well the director makes up for this in the final fifteen-minutes where we get a masterfully directed sting sequence. Basically Tracy, the D.A. and the cops try to lure the real killers out and this is done with Tracy leading the way yet we never get to see him. It's filmed from the cops point-of-view as they listen to Tracy over a radio and the way this is done builds up a terrific amount of suspense and easily makes the film worth sitting through for.

***SPOILERS*** Courtroom drama in and out of the halls of justice with former high profile defense attorney James Curtayne, Spencer Tracy,handling a murder case for the first time in years. As Curtayne finds out that he just doesn't have it anymore in defending the accused. With his boss Bill Sheffield shot down in front of his building young Johnny O'Hara, James Arness,is picked up going to his parents apartment the next morning and arraigned for Sheffield's murder.

With his car identified at the murder scene and Johnny having no alibi to were he was at the time things don't look too good for the ex-con and WWII vet. Fingered by one of the notorious Korvac brothers Frankie (William Campball), who's fingerprints were found in the car, as the hit-man made Johnny's conviction for the murder of Sheiffeld a lead pipe cinch. Defense attorney Curtayne nonetheless took up the case for Johnny, pro Bono, because he knew him all his life and felt that he was innocent.

Having been away from dealing with criminal cases for years put a tremendous strain on the once brilliant defense attorney. Curtayne once successfully defended 18 murder cases in a row getting his clients off. Turning to the bottle and being drunk while handling Johnny's defense Curtayne lost his grip on the case and had assistant D.A Louis Barra ,John Hodiak, run circles around him in the courtroom and easily had Johnny convicted of murder.

Johnny himself didn't help his case at all by not revealing that he was with his girlfriend Catrina, Vetta Duguay, at the time of the Sheffield killing since she's married to big time mobster Sol "Knockles" Lanzetta,Eduardo Ciannelli. That revelation would mean curtains for both Johnn & Catrina of them if "Knockles" ever found out.

Curtayne desperately trying to get his client off the hook even went so far as to pay off a witness local stevedore Sven Norson, J.C Flippen, to change his testimony with a $500.00 personal check no less! This not only would get him disbarred but thrown behind bars. Convicted and waiting for a sentence that may well strap him into the electric chair Johnny still didn't want to bring out the fact that he was with Catrina when Sheffield was shot and killed; even when she came forward herself willing to be a witness for his defense.

It was later in the movie that Catrina unknowingly brought out the real reason for the Seffield murder and it was something that was right in front of both D.A Barra, in fact he was photographed with it. Curtayne all during the trial would not only identify the killer, or killers since by revealing it would bring them out in the open and put her life in danger.

A bit confusing at times "The People Against O'Hara" does hold together pretty well with James Curtayne risking his life in the end to save Johnny O'Hara from being executed by the state for a murder that he didn't commit. Attorney Curtayne having himself "wired" to get the goods on the real murderers had him make up for all the mistakes he made in the movie by putting his life on the line to do it.

Though I saw this as part of a noir festival at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, "The People Against O'Hara" doesn't feel like much of a noir. There are bookend scenes drenched in noirish atmosphere, but other than that this is a straight up courtroom drama that finds Spencer Tracy defending a man accused of murder who has an alibi but is reluctant to share it for fear that it will endanger his life. It's a slick film, anchored by Tracy's gravelly resolve.

The film is a bit refreshing in its unpredictability, especially where Tracy's character is concerned. You might think that Tracy, being Tracy, will eventually triumph in the courtroom, perhaps with a snag or two along the way. But that doesn't happen. He's an alcoholic, you see, and his disease gets in his way. He botches the defense and loses the case, and still redeems the accused but in a way we're not expecting. The movie's treatment of alcoholism indeed is one of the things that sets it apart as a memorable little product of 1951, and in fact I think it's more notable for that than it is as an addition to the noir canon.

Grade: B+

The People Against O'Hara is a slightly offbeat film to have come out in 1951. It's both a crime picture and a fairly realistic study of alcoholism. The photography is by noir tyro John Alton, and in many of its night-time and shadowy scenes the movie looks like a thriller, which it really isn't. Director John Sturges was an up and comer at the MGM of this time, and the film was one of the earlier shots at A level film-making. The cast,--Spencer Tracy, Diana Lynn, Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak--are all fine.

I can't say that the script is any great shakes, but it gets the job done. The story goes off in several directions, as it deals with everything from father-daughter love to gangsters. I like the film more than most people and think that had the script been tidied up it might have been a great movie. There are some splendid moments, and one in the courtroom in particular stands out, when a young thug delivers such a double-talking testimony that lawyer Tracy almost has a nervous breakdown while questioning him. The kid senses that Tracy is vulnerable and keeps on twisting his words deliberately, and Tracy goes for the bait. It's a tough scene to watch, alternately sad, realistic and infuriating.

Tracy plays his role as a recovering alcoholic with sincerity and a conspicuous absence of sentiment. This man is not a saint and never was. Even when clean and sober he's a far cry from perfect, and he always will be.

'The People Against O'Hara' did sound really intriguing and immediately grabbed my attention hearing about it. Have not liked everything that John Sturges did (i.e. don't care personally for example for 'Ice Station Zebra') but he did make classics such as 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'The Great Escape'. Spencer Tracy was a fine actor and even when battling demons that did not stop him from giving so many compelling performances. The subject is the kind that is up my alley when watching any film or series.

While there is a lot to like in 'The People Against O'Hara', there was potential for it to have been quite a bit better than it turned out. It is a very worthwhile and impressive film, just not a great one. The latter of which it could easily have been and should have been considering what it had going for it. Tracy certainly does not disappoint, any problems 'The People Against O'Hara' has has nothing whatsoever to do with him and there are some powerful moments, but with a better lead (no Tracy actually isn't the lead here strictly speaking) and a tighter paced middle the film could have been great.

Have just said that Tracy's role is not really strictly speaking the lead, though actually in terms of performance and because his character is the most interesting it certainly feels like it is. Namely because the actual lead James Arness makes so little impression, found him very stiff and a complete blank. His acting does not here match his wonderfully imposing physique.

Did feel that the middle act was at times bogged down by too much admittedly thoughtful but a bit too over-literate talk and too over-deliberate a pace. Although Pat O'Brien does a good job in his role, for high up billing his screen time and the character himself is too limited so actually to me O'Brien felt underused.

For all those issues, there is a lot to admire about 'The People Against O'Hara'. First and foremost Tracy, in one of his most personal roles with it being very close to home. He is absolutely terrific here and dominates the screen with intensity, authority and at times pathos with no signs of hamminess. Although Diana Lynn and especially a refreshingly honest (in terms of character that is) John Hodiak are also strong, they don't quite match Tracy. The film is beautifully shot, with a striking grit but done stunningly. Strueges generally directs solidly, especially in the final act which really redeems the film along with Tracy.

Script is often thought-probing and has an uncompromising toughness in Curtayne's character writing and sincerity. The story starts off really well in a gritty, taut fashion, already making one excited for what's to come. Although the middle act isn't as strong, there are powerful moments still as Curtayne is such an interesting character and some of his scenes do wrench the gut. The final act fares the best, tense and intriguing finishing with an ending that is both suspenseful and moving.

In summary, much to admire but could have been better. 7/10

Spencer Tracy plays a seasoned attorney with his work cut out for him defending a young man in a murder trial. In some ways a routine courtroom drama, but it goes beyond that. Tracy is terrific, doing his usual crusty cynic bit but that's what we love him for. The role has some depth to it, as the character is a struggling alcoholic who makes a mistake in a moment of weakness. The rest of the cast doesn't match his performance, although John Hodiak is pretty good as the opposing counsel. The plot takes some interesting turns and goes into true noir territory in the third act. And cinematography by John Alton... need I say more? Those brilliant patches of light amidst deep, deep shadows look fantastic as always. I'll be honest, courtroom movies don't generally excite me, but this one is a cut above the usual fare.

The People Against O'Hara was enjoyable to watch mainly because of the great list of actors. Spencer Tracy will always be good to see in any role, from Bad Day to Mohicians to this movie. They don't make actors like Tracy and Bogart any more. It was nice to see an old favorite, James Arness at such a young age of 29. For a huge man of 6'7" he does a commendable job of not appearing out of place and acting the necessary age of his character. Throw in all time favorite, Charles Buchinski, better known as the Pennsylvania coal mine, better known as Charles Bronson, and one has a decent film devoid of modern-day vulgar language. If you have a chance to see this movie you should do so. sit back and enjoy acting as it should be done.

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 .

This one was Predictable going in, an Overrated Director, John Sturges, and an Actor, when commenting on, becomes Blasphemous to call Overrated, but a case could be made, Spencer Tracy, always seemed to be Old On Screen even in the Early Days and although

He could be Commanding and Intense, the Range was Small and He Rarely Played anything other than Spencer Tracy. But He is much Beloved.

MGM was Late to Film-Noir and Never seemed to Get it quite Right and this is another Excellent Example of the Studio Trying but Coming Up Short. John Alton's Cinematography in the First Act and the Third Act give the Film a Distinctive Urban-Crime Feel and the Ending is Surprising considering the Studio.

But the Film is Clunky at times and Tracy Struggles to show the Difference between His Drunk and Non Drunk Scenes. James Arness as the one on Trial is Miscast and pretty Stiff. The Rest of the Familiar Cast go through the Motions Without Much Flare, even the Flamboyant Criminals.

Overall, it is Highly Melodramatic and Not a lot of it Works that Well. But it is Worth a Watch for Spencer Tracy Fans, John Alton's Noir-ish Look and to See Director Sturgess before He Became completely Formulaic and a Mainstream Hack that Delivered Popcorn Pictures Masquerading as Artful Cinema like "The Great Escape" (1963) and "The Magnificent Seven" (1960).

John Alton's wonderfully noirish cinematography almost makes you forget that this movie was largely made on the back lot (probably woulda been completely ersatz if not for the presence of its star) and Tracy's portrayal of a vain, guilt ridden, ethically challenged and aging attorney (kind of an early 50s F. Lee Bailey) makes you wish he'd essayed more bad guy roles (I can only think of three; "Jekyll/Hyde", "Edward My Son" and this one, maybe four if you count "Sea Of Grass") but otherwise this is fairly pallid stuff. John Monks' screenplay has a major story hole...namely, why would a DA as careful and savvy as the one John Hodiak plays here allow his star witness to run around NYC unsupervised when he's gone to the trouble of putting him up at a hotel, under guard?...and it really flattens out after the funeral scene for Toby The Honest Lawyer, with rather unsuspenseful scenes of Curtayne trying to redeem himself by wearing a wire. And the performances beyond Tracy are, with the notable exception of William Campbell as an overly talky, arrogant street thug, unmemorable, except that is for Jay C Flippen's Swedish accent which has to be the worst I've ever heard (guess John Qualen wasn't available). Give it a generous C plus for Spence and Alton. PS...Really disconcerting to see Jim Arness out of Dodge in a suit and tie, no less.

Shots ring out in the middle of the night. The police tracks down the car and takes in the owner, Johnny O'Hara (James Arness). He insists that his car was stolen. Detective Ricks (Pat O'Brien) and District Attorney Barra (John Hodiak) are on the case. Former DA Jim Curtayne (Spencer Tracy) is a recovering alcoholic and trying to keep to civil litigations. He is brought back to the criminal court by the appeal of Johnny's poor parents. His daughter Ginny Curtayne (Diana Lynn) is worried about falling off the wagon. Petty criminal Pete Korvac points the finger at Johnny.

Old trial films are always a little odd to me. The rules of the game is a little different from today and I keep wondering if the movie is right about them. I don't know why Curtayne tries to limit Korvac's testimony. Let him run his mouth off although it is interesting that Curtayne is struggling to think. I'm reminded of Newman in The Verdict. This one is not as good. This is mostly a slower twisty courtroom trial. Some of the acting is a little broad. The check is a dumb idea but he was drunk. Of course, the guy is going to double-cross him.

One of the not so nice things about Spencer Tracy is that although he was a fine actor, he also was a nasty alcoholic. Stories of his violent and destructive behavior while drunk are many and it's not exactly a well kept Hollywood secret. This is why Tracy starring in "The People Against O'Hara" is so ironic, as he plays an alcoholic whose drinking has ruined his reputation as a defense attorney. You essentially have an alcoholic playing an alcoholic.

The story begins with a man named O'Hara (James Arness) being arrested for murder. His family finds him a lawyer and inexplicably picks James Curtayne (Tracy)....a down and out lawyer who used to be something...until the threw it all away on booze. Supposedly Curtayne is dry now....but it isn't like his alcoholism just vanished. He still struggles with the urge to drink and his confidence in his case is a major problem. What's next? See the film.

I found that although the trial and everything leading up to it was very interesting, the better and more enjoyable portion is the last third or so of the movie...when the film goes from a courtroom drama to a good example of film noir. It looks great....and the shadows and light are amazing And, it even ends much like you'd expect with noir!

Tracy is great, as you'd expect and the film from top to bottom is quite enjoyable and well made. As I mentioned already, it's really almost like two films....and the second portion is just terrific. Well worth seeing and one of Tracy's better films...though, oddly, it's not all that well known and should be.

This is a tidy crime drama about a "retired" attorney(Spenser Tracy)dealing with his own unethical behavior. Well written and photographed. An apt group of players support the flawless Tracy: Pat O'Brien, John Hodiak, Regis Toomey, Diana Lynn and James Arness. Worth your attention.

but is it a good pattern?I have my doubts.The -of course alcoholic-retired lawyer who redeems his name and his soul by saving an innocent will be the center character of so many courtroom movies that they it's impossible to count them all.Anyway,in "les inconnus dans la maison" ,a French movie of 1941,Raimu had a similar part with desperate case,daughter et al:this Henry Decoin movie was a detective story,from a good George Simenon book.John Sturges's film would rather fall into the film noir category,complete with gangsters , bribes and false evidences .But his treatment verges on faux melodrama (the sobbing parents,the phone call when Tracy asks his daughter's squeeze to marry her,and of course the "moving" finale).the plot is never exciting,being muddled,complicated and mushy (see Johnny's attitude towards his girlfriend:it's worthy of the old folk song "the long black veil" when it lays claim to realism!The judge said "son,what's your alibi/if you were somewhere else/then you won't have to die;we really feel like screaming these lines to the fair knight Johnny)

No suspense either.Maybe if we had any doubts about Johnny's innocence ,we could get some chills.The actor's performance is listless -one does not believe his risks his neck-and frankly,Spencer Tracy's is not that much mind-boggling either.

This character and the film's ambiance seem closer to what is written about Tracy's life than anything else he ever made.

(His "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde" was dark -- Ingrid Bergman is sensational in it. But his switch from good to bad is so tacky it's literally laughable -- though not his fault.)

The last line of this dark movie is one of the bleakest in movie history. Listen for it.

In many ways he plays a character similar to the title role in "Father of the Bride," made around the same time. Everyone in that movie boozed it up, but that was thought natural and/or comical. Here is a sad semi-reformed alcoholic with a guilty conscience.

The only real flaw is the Jay C. Flippen character with the ludicrous Scandinavian accent used. The rest is a great noir.

A film noir from 1951 starring Spencer Tracy & directed by John Sturges. A man is on his way home from a bar when he witnesses a murder & O'Hara (James Arness) is identified sending his parents to contract a lawyer they've known for a long time. Tracy, who plays the lawyer, is a recovering alcoholic who hasn't taken a case to trial in years but feeling a sense of fealty to the parents & their son, he decides to move forward. Things start to stack themselves against him however since there is a mob angle (O'Hara worked on the docks where a lot of the businesses are connected to organized crime) & the prosecutor has a sure fire witness against O'Hara which shakes Tracy forcing him to make a decision he'll soon regret. Touching upon subject matter a little too close for home for Tracy (he notoriously was an alkie), Tracy imbues his character w/a noble fatalism which is admirable until he turns that fateful corner forcing him to evaluate his life & career. Tracy would reap great rewards w/his collaboration w/Sturges in Bad Day at Black Rock & The Old Man & the Sea both of which Tracy received Best Actor Oscar nominations for.