"Mr. District Attorney" is based on a radio and Tv series of the same name. It was produced on the cheap by Columbia Pictures. The superior cast makes this little "Noir" better than it should be.
Adolph Menjou plays DA Craig Warren a blustery no nonsense gun toting lawyer with a staff that includes Investigator Harrington (Michael O'Shea) and secretary Miss Miller (Jeff Donnell). Warren overhears young lawyer Steve Bennett (Dennis O'Keefe) backing out of a case because of faulty evidence. He takes a liking to Bennett and hires him as an Assistant DA.
Bennett meets Marcia Manning (Marguerite Chapman) a predatory femme fatale with whom he gets involved. Warren fearing that her influence on Bennett will harm his career, goes to see her to ask her to leave Bennett alone. When she refuses, Warren sends Bennett to Italy for three months.
When Bennett returns, he finds that Marcia has marries Real Estate tycoon James Randolph (George Coularis). Bennett confronts Warren on his role in his personal life, they argue and Bennett resigns. He goes to Randolph and is hired. With Marcia still on the prowl, Bennett begins work for whom he thinks is a legitimate business man.
Bennett learns that Randolph is causing traffic problems in an area where he is buying up businesses dirt cheap and re-selling them later at a handsome profit. at the same time Marcia continues to make a play for Bennett. At a party Randolph's lawyer Ed Jamison (Ralph Morgan) unable to cope with the pressure, appears to commit suicide when he goes out on the terrace with Marcia who has gone inside to get him a drink. Jamison's death opens up an opportunity for Bennett to handle all of Randolph's legal affairs.
Meanwhile, Randolph, through his goon squad is working on a pawnshop owner to sell his business. Warren hears of this and lays for the thugs. They are surprised but the pawn shop owner is killed along with Randolph's thug who dies before he can reveal who hired him.
Bennet becomes wise to Randolph and confronts him with a gun. Randolph pulls out his gun but is shot in self-defense by Bennett. Randolph's gun is stolen by business partner Beretti (Steven Geary) who later attempts to bribe the now rich Marcia for $50K to aid in his escape.
Bennett is accused of murder and since Randolph's gun is missing, is charged. Marcia throws herself and her newly found fortune at Bennett. He refuses her advances seeing her for what she is. Beretti is gunned down by Maria as he threatens Bennett. Maria tries one more time to lure Bennett but................
Dennis O'Keefe continued his string of strong film-noir performances as the hapless lawyer. Menjou is a little over the top as the crusading DA. It's Chapman who steals the film as the ambitious femme fatale who is lethal to the men around her. O'Shea is along for comic relief as the wise cracking Harrington.
I wonder what Anthony Mann could have done with this story and cast. Hmmmmmm.
Adolph Menjou plays DA Craig Warren a blustery no nonsense gun toting lawyer with a staff that includes Investigator Harrington (Michael O'Shea) and secretary Miss Miller (Jeff Donnell). Warren overhears young lawyer Steve Bennett (Dennis O'Keefe) backing out of a case because of faulty evidence. He takes a liking to Bennett and hires him as an Assistant DA.
Bennett meets Marcia Manning (Marguerite Chapman) a predatory femme fatale with whom he gets involved. Warren fearing that her influence on Bennett will harm his career, goes to see her to ask her to leave Bennett alone. When she refuses, Warren sends Bennett to Italy for three months.
When Bennett returns, he finds that Marcia has marries Real Estate tycoon James Randolph (George Coularis). Bennett confronts Warren on his role in his personal life, they argue and Bennett resigns. He goes to Randolph and is hired. With Marcia still on the prowl, Bennett begins work for whom he thinks is a legitimate business man.
Bennett learns that Randolph is causing traffic problems in an area where he is buying up businesses dirt cheap and re-selling them later at a handsome profit. at the same time Marcia continues to make a play for Bennett. At a party Randolph's lawyer Ed Jamison (Ralph Morgan) unable to cope with the pressure, appears to commit suicide when he goes out on the terrace with Marcia who has gone inside to get him a drink. Jamison's death opens up an opportunity for Bennett to handle all of Randolph's legal affairs.
Meanwhile, Randolph, through his goon squad is working on a pawnshop owner to sell his business. Warren hears of this and lays for the thugs. They are surprised but the pawn shop owner is killed along with Randolph's thug who dies before he can reveal who hired him.
Bennet becomes wise to Randolph and confronts him with a gun. Randolph pulls out his gun but is shot in self-defense by Bennett. Randolph's gun is stolen by business partner Beretti (Steven Geary) who later attempts to bribe the now rich Marcia for $50K to aid in his escape.
Bennett is accused of murder and since Randolph's gun is missing, is charged. Marcia throws herself and her newly found fortune at Bennett. He refuses her advances seeing her for what she is. Beretti is gunned down by Maria as he threatens Bennett. Maria tries one more time to lure Bennett but................
Dennis O'Keefe continued his string of strong film-noir performances as the hapless lawyer. Menjou is a little over the top as the crusading DA. It's Chapman who steals the film as the ambitious femme fatale who is lethal to the men around her. O'Shea is along for comic relief as the wise cracking Harrington.
I wonder what Anthony Mann could have done with this story and cast. Hmmmmmm.