Considering that this film stars Edward G. Robinson, it's of course worth watching. Heck, I'd watch him in any film. However, I must admit that this is one of his weaker films--especially because it ended in a very clichéd manner.
The film begins with Robinson working as a prosecuting attorney. He has just done a masterful job and sent a man (DeForest Kelley) to the death house. However, in a twist, they discover another man was the murderer and Robinson tries, in vain, to stop the execution. Having him call only a second or two too late was a good way to build tension but it was also a cliché--you just KNEW it would be too late and this lacked realism.
As a result of this, Robinson has a breakdown and spends the next few scenes drinking, getting in fights and quitting his job. He just can't stand the idea of prosecuting another innocent man. But, in an odd twist and through a strange series of events, he soon finds himself defending mobsters--and manipulating the law and ethics as much as he possibly can to get these obviously guilty men off. So, you are expected to believe that Robinson went from crusading prosecutor to a sleazy shyster in such a short amount of time--an interesting idea but one that is hard to believe.
By the end of the film, however, the mob is trying to convict an old lady friend of Robinson. He tries, in vain, to get the mob to relent, but when they won't Robinson springs to her defense--and incurs the wrath of the mob bosses for which he used to work. The final scenes, with Robinson being shot and yet convincing the court and then dying right there was once again exciting to watch but very contrived.
Overall, there were just too many situations in which the impossible occurred. Credibility is strained to the breaking point by the end of the film. Exciting and worth watching, but also tough--very tough-- to believe.
By the way, Jayne Mansfield appears here in her first film. Yet despite it being a very small role, I noticed she was very prominently displayed on the DVD case (I'm actually surprised they could fit her on it considering her ample...assets). The same thing has been done with many early Marilyn Monroe films--she barely appears in it at all but is front and center on the DVD art.
UPDATE: I finally got to see the original version, "The Mouthpiece". It's significantly better...and a lot racier!
The film begins with Robinson working as a prosecuting attorney. He has just done a masterful job and sent a man (DeForest Kelley) to the death house. However, in a twist, they discover another man was the murderer and Robinson tries, in vain, to stop the execution. Having him call only a second or two too late was a good way to build tension but it was also a cliché--you just KNEW it would be too late and this lacked realism.
As a result of this, Robinson has a breakdown and spends the next few scenes drinking, getting in fights and quitting his job. He just can't stand the idea of prosecuting another innocent man. But, in an odd twist and through a strange series of events, he soon finds himself defending mobsters--and manipulating the law and ethics as much as he possibly can to get these obviously guilty men off. So, you are expected to believe that Robinson went from crusading prosecutor to a sleazy shyster in such a short amount of time--an interesting idea but one that is hard to believe.
By the end of the film, however, the mob is trying to convict an old lady friend of Robinson. He tries, in vain, to get the mob to relent, but when they won't Robinson springs to her defense--and incurs the wrath of the mob bosses for which he used to work. The final scenes, with Robinson being shot and yet convincing the court and then dying right there was once again exciting to watch but very contrived.
Overall, there were just too many situations in which the impossible occurred. Credibility is strained to the breaking point by the end of the film. Exciting and worth watching, but also tough--very tough-- to believe.
By the way, Jayne Mansfield appears here in her first film. Yet despite it being a very small role, I noticed she was very prominently displayed on the DVD case (I'm actually surprised they could fit her on it considering her ample...assets). The same thing has been done with many early Marilyn Monroe films--she barely appears in it at all but is front and center on the DVD art.
UPDATE: I finally got to see the original version, "The Mouthpiece". It's significantly better...and a lot racier!