Attorney for the Defense: A Cold Look at a Pre-Code Legal Mess

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for old black-and-white dramas where the lawyers are almost as crooked as the criminals, you will probably dig Attorney for the Defense. It’s not subtle. It’s not even particularly fair to its own characters. But if you’re looking for a sharp, cynical slice of 1930s storytelling, it hits the spot.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Attorney for the Defense (1932) through its definitive frames.

People who hate movies where the protagonist starts off being a total jerk might want to skip this one. Edmund Lowe plays the kind of guy who would sell his own grandmother for a guilty verdict. You don’t exactly spend the first act rooting for him.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Attorney for the Defense (1932) through its definitive frames.

The vibe

There is this moment in the middle where he finally realizes he ruined a life, and the movie just sort of... hangs there. It doesn’t do that thing where the music swells to tell you how sad to feel. It’s just awkward. I liked that.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Attorney for the Defense (1932) through its definitive frames.

The dialogue moves faster than the plot half the time. Sometimes it feels like they’re trying to cram three hours of legal posturing into a tight runtime. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Duchess of Doubt, though this one definitely has a darker appetite.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Attorney for the Defense (1932) through its definitive frames.

Odd notes from the screen

• The courtroom scenes look like they were filmed in a closet. Everything feels claustrophobic.
• Nat Pendleton shows up and just looms in the background like he’s waiting for a paycheck. It’s great.
• There’s a scene involving a telephone that goes on for way too long. The silence in the room while he’s waiting for the answer is actually kind of tense.
• The way the light hits the office set? It’s almost distractingly bright. Maybe they were trying to hide the cheap furniture?

It’s not trying to be high art. It’s just trying to get you from the crime to the confession before the popcorn runs out. 🍿

I found myself thinking about how much of this was just standard studio padding. You can almost feel the writers trying to figure out how to stretch the redemption arc without losing the grit. It mostly works, but it feels a bit stitched together at the seams.

If you’re a fan of movies like Under the White Robe, you might find the legal maneuvering here a bit simplistic. But it’s got a bite to it that keeps you watching. Just don’t expect a grand moral epiphany that changes the world. It’s small, petty, and kinda mean. Perfect for a rainy afternoon.