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6.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Lawyer's Secret remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for those early 1930s movies where the microphones were clearly hidden in flower pots, then yes, you should watch this. It’s perfect for people who like watching actors try to figure out how to talk and move at the same time.
But if you hate slow-moving plots or that fuzzy, static-filled sound that comes with 1931 films, you will probably want to skip it. It’s definitely not a fast-paced thriller by modern standards.
I watched this on a Tuesday night when I couldn't sleep, and honestly, it’s the kind of movie that feels better when you're a little tired. The atmosphere is heavy. There’s a lot of shadow in the office scenes that makes it feel almost like a horror movie, even though it’s just a crime drama.
The whole thing kicks off with a murder during a rainy night. You can barely see what's happening because the film quality is a bit grainy, but that actually makes it scarier.
Charles 'Buddy' Rogers plays this guy named Laurie who gets mixed up in the crime. Usually, Rogers plays the 'nice boy' next door, so seeing him look this sweaty and panicked is a bit of a shock. 😮
Then you have Clive Brook as the lawyer, Drake. Brook has this incredibly stiff posture. Like, he looks like he swallowed a ruler before the cameras started rolling.
He finds out the truth because Laurie confesses to him. But here is the catch: Drake can't say anything because of 'lawyer-client privilege.' Meanwhile, this other guy, Joe (played by Richard Arlen), is getting blamed for the whole thing.
It is a classic 'what would you do?' scenario. If you tell the truth, you lose your career. If you stay quiet, a man dies.
I couldn't stop looking at the hats. Everyone in 1931 wore these massive hats that seemed to have a life of their own.
There is a scene where Jean Arthur is talking to Clive Brook, and the way the light hits her eyes is actually quite beautiful. You can see the movie star she’s going to become, even if she isn't quite there yet. Her voice is a little higher than I remembered from her later films.
One thing that felt really weird was the pacing. A character will walk across a room, and the camera just stays on them for like ten seconds too long. You can almost hear the director holding his breath behind the scenes.
If you've seen Interference, you'll recognize Clive Brook's specific way of acting. He doesn't move his face much. He lets his mustache do most of the emotional heavy lifting. It's a very specific vibe.
Jean Arthur and Fay Wray are both in this, which is wild for a movie this short. Fay Wray isn't screaming at King Kong here, but she’s got this very worried look the entire time.
I feel like the movie doesn't really know what to do with them, though. They mostly just stand around looking concerned while the men argue about 'honor' and 'the law.'
There's a moment where Jean Arthur has to deliver this really dramatic line about her brother, and you can see her trying so hard to make the dialogue sound natural. It doesn't quite work, but I appreciate the effort. It’s much more grounded than something like The Soul of Broadway which feels way more theatrical.
The ending feels super rushed. Like they realized they only had five minutes of film left and had to fix everything immediately.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a good example of how movies were changing back then. The silence in the room during the tense scenes actually feels uncomfortable because there’s no background music. It’s just the sound of people breathing and the hiss of the film.
I don't think I'd watch it again, but I’m glad I saw it once. It’s a strange little time capsule. 🕰️
If you’re into the history of how actors transitioned from silent movies to 'talkies,' this is a great case study. You can see some of them still using those big, dramatic silent-movie hand gestures while they're trying to speak quietly. It’s a bit of a clash of styles.
Anyway, it’s short. It won't take up much of your night. Just don't expect a courtroom explosion or a car chase. It’s all about people in suits looking very, very stressed out in dimly lit rooms.
IMDb 4.2
1927
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