Criminal Lawyer (1937): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1937, Criminal Lawyer is an action, drama, krimi and liebesfilm film directed by Christy Cabanne, running about 72 minutes.

What it’s about. Barry Brandon, a criminal lawyer, visits the night club of Denny Larkin, his primary client, with Betty Walker, a spoiled society girl. The police raid the club and Brandon pleads that the whole group is guilty, just to get even with Larkin for a rebuke. On the same night in court, Madge Carter is on trial for disorderly conduct, and Brandon volunteers to defend her, and proves the case against her if a frame-up. Finding that she is penniless, Brandon hires her as his secretary, and falls in love with her. Brandon is appointed district attorney and has ambitions of becoming the state governor. Having dinner at Betty's home, she maneuvers him, while he is drunk, into marrying her. Later, Madge is a witness when Larkin shoots down a fellow gangster. By threatening Brandon's life, he forces her to commit perjury at his trial, and say he fired in self-defense. Brandon, the prosecuting attorney (who has had his marriage to Betty annulled) knows she is lying but doesn't know why.

Who’s in it. Criminal Lawyer stars Lee Tracy as Brandon, Margot Grahame as Madge Carter, Eduardo Ciannelli as Gene Larkin and Betty Lawford as Betty Walker, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.8/10, Criminal Lawyer has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Criminal Lawyer page.

If you liked it. Fans of Criminal Lawyer tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Der Herr der Ringe - Die Rückkehr des Königs, Inception and Der Herr der Ringe - Die Gefährten.