Secrets involving mother and child usually have the mother in trouble, but this one is quite the opposite. Frieda Inescort and Rochelle Hudson are quite good in this crime drama where Hudson is the defendant in a murder case, having been blackmailed by the man she killed (Arthur Loft), determined to keep her secret of why she committed murder. Judge Inescort has no idea of the ties that bind them, and her romantic friendship with the prosecuting attorney (Otto Kruger) makes a change when circumstances have her as Hudson's defense attorney after she must step down from judging the case.
A well written and acted B crime from Columbia, directed by Nick Grinde (who was behind the camera in many of their fun programmers), this is filmed on their best sets and has Inescort as glamorous as Kay Francis when not in her judge's robes. The best performance in this film comes from Mayo Methot as Hudson's best friend, tough but loveable, risking everything for her. Married to Humphrey Bogart at the time, she is top notch, making her sad fate truly tragic. Beryl Mercer as Inescort's housekeeper also deserves a shout out. Quite a gripping programmer and one of the top forgotten films of the greatest year in the motion picture industry.
A well written and acted B crime from Columbia, directed by Nick Grinde (who was behind the camera in many of their fun programmers), this is filmed on their best sets and has Inescort as glamorous as Kay Francis when not in her judge's robes. The best performance in this film comes from Mayo Methot as Hudson's best friend, tough but loveable, risking everything for her. Married to Humphrey Bogart at the time, she is top notch, making her sad fate truly tragic. Beryl Mercer as Inescort's housekeeper also deserves a shout out. Quite a gripping programmer and one of the top forgotten films of the greatest year in the motion picture industry.
