Victor Scott: “If the lid blows off, don’t blame me.”
Frank Garland: “I don’t blame people, I bury them.”
The front door to an apartment swings open. . . an unseen figure walks through the living area and approaches a beautiful blonde woman wearing a robe as she walks around the bathroom. . .he then deliberately empties the barrel of his revolver into her – this is the jarring cold opening to the film noir Illegal (1955), directed by Lewis Allen, and one thing is for sure, it knows how to grab your attention. Funnily enough, this was the third adaptation of the 1929 play “The Mouthpiece” by Frank J. Collins, following Mouthpiece (1932) and The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) – and they say movies are remade too much today.
Flash to Victor Scott (Edward G. Robinson), a district attorney who is wise to all the angles and is graced with a silver tongue. With an unyielding desire to win (he got it from growing up and fighting his way out of the slums), he argues every case like it is his last. Getting his most recent victory, poor Edward Clary (DeForest Kelley – eleven years before playing Dr. McCoy on Star Trek), despite claiming his innocence, is sentenced to death by way of the electric chair. Of course, the young man is innocent, and is electrocuted before Scott can stop it.
For the first time in his life, he doubts his drive – it doesn’t help that this scandal has dashed his hopes of announcing a run for Governor and has turned many of his friends ‘former’. Deciding to leave the illustrious position, he has a rough couple weeks, before deciding to turn his skills to being a defense attorney (his first try at it is a most memorable and humorous scene).
Opening an office with loyal Miss Hinkel (Ellen Corby – she was Esther ‘Grandma’ Walton on The Waltons some seventeen years after this), who has followed him from his former position, he now never has to put anyone to death, but instead helps many of the scum he used to put behind bars go free.
His charming wordsmith skills make him very popular amongst the criminal underworld, much to the chagrin of his daughter-like protégé, Ellen Miles (Nina Fochs), who still works in the job he got for her in the D.A.’s office along with her new husband, Ray Borden (Hugh Marlowe). They now both work for the man who took over Scott’s former position, Ralph Ford (Edward Platt – ten years before his popular turn as the Chief on Get Smart). . . who might just need to get smart to outsmart Scott.
Of course, when you’re this good, it does not take long for the city’s infamous crime boss, Frank Garland (Albert Dekker), to come sniffing around. Looking to hire the man, much like he just hired his new piano-playing dame, Angel O’Hara (Jayne Mansfield – her first substantial role in her first year of acting), Scott has stronger morals than that, promptly turning him down and staying a free man. . . though Garland will frequently put his fixer, Andy Garth (Jan Merlin), on his tail. It is worth noting that Garland’s impressive art collection displayed on his walls was, in fact, part of Edward G. Robinson’s famed personal collection – including works by Paul Gaugin, Edgar Degas, Carolus-Duran, as well as his own wife, Gladys Lloyd. . . even at the time, these pieces were worth more than two hundred thousand dollars.
Leading to many a question, will Scott be able to stay on the straight and narrow, or will his deep desire to win cause him to cheat at his job? Could he get sucked into the darker side of the profession by dealing with the mob? Might his longtime connection to Ellen lead to some unsavory questions regarding his consistent winning versus the new D.A.?
A most meaty role for Edward G. Robinson, his character is charming yet stringent, brilliant yet teetering on unscrupulous, successful but greedily so, a sort of anti-hero who is fun to root for, despite his flaws. When surrounded by the faces of so many great character actors, there is no doubt that this is a cast that is very much worth watching.
Featuring a strong story co-written by illustrious screenwriter W.R. Burnett (think the original Scarface, The Asphalt Jungle, and The Great Escape), a superb starring role from Robinson, a great supporting cast, and just enough moody noirish charm for a courtroom crime drama, Illegal is a lesser known noir that must be seen. It is also worth noting that this B movie touts an A score from top composer Max Steiner. So, take a shot at this underseen film noir, you won’t be found guilty for enjoying it.