I Am the Law (1938)

17% want to see it
(6 ratings)

I Am the Law is arguably the best of the late-1930s films inspired by the racket-busting career of New York district attorney Thomas E. Dewey. Edward G. Robinson switches to the right side of the law as the Dewey counterpart, here named John Lindsay (!) A feisty, no-nonsense law professor, Lindsay… More I Am the Law is arguably the best of the late-1930s films inspired by the racket-busting career of New York district attorney Thomas E. Dewey. Edward G. Robinson switches to the right side of the law as the Dewey counterpart, here named John Lindsay (!) A feisty, no-nonsense law professor, Lindsay is approached by a group of concerned citizens to act as special prosecutor to rid up their (unnamed) state of big-time lawbreakers. He wastes no time taking charge, storming into the prosecutor's office and firing anyone whom he suspects of being "on the take." With the help of his dedicated law students, who work alongside him for free, Lindsay purges the local government of such corrupt influences as Eugene Ferguson (Otto Kruger), the outwardly respectable "brains" behind the rackets. Among the minor pleasures in I Am the Law is watching Robinson dancing the Big Apple with gun moll Wendy Barrie in an early scene, and his firing of suspicious-looking Charles Halton with a brusque "Don't like your face! Never have! You've got shifty eyes and a weak chin!" (which, indeed, were Halton's screen trademarks). Barbara O'Neil, who the following year played Scarlet O'Hara's mother in Gone with the Wind, is quietly effective as Robinson's supportive wife. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By: Alexander Hall
Written By: Jo Swerling
Genres: Drama

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Unconvincing but lively formulaic crime drama programmer.

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Cast

            Edward G. Robinson as John Lindsay

            Barbara O'Neil as Jerry Lindsay

            Wendy Barrie as Frankie Ballou

            Otto Kruger as Eugene Ferguson

            Douglas Wood as Berry

            Robert Middlemass as Moss Kitchell

            Ivan Miller as Inspector Gleason

            Charles Halton as Leander

            Louis Jean Heydt as J.W. Butler

            Fay Helm as Mrs. Butler

            Ernie Alexander as Photographer

            Frank Bruno
            
            Frederick Burton as Governor

            James Bush as Student

            Douglas Carter Beane
            
            Lane Chandler as Policeman

            Harvey Clark as Witness

            Chick Collins
            
            Lester Dorr as Reporter

            Joseph J. Dowling as Cronin

            Eddie Fetherstone as Austin

            James Flavin as Witness

            Bess Flowers as Secretary

            Eddie Foster
            
            Chuck Hamilton
            
            Bud Jamison as Bartender

            Edward Keane as Witness

            Edward J. Le Saint
            
            Lucien Littlefield as Roberts

            Arthur Loft as Tom Ross

            Nick Lukats as Graduate Law Student

            Horace McMahon as Prisoner

            Frank Mayo as Witness

            Robert McWade
            
            Iris Meredith as Girard's Girl

            Wally Merrill
            
            James Millican as Student

            Will Morgan
            
            Anthony Nace as Student

            Emory Parnell as Brophy

            George C. Pearce as Cigar Store Proprietor

            Gaylord "Steve" Pendleton as Law Student

            Kane Richmond as Student

            Cyril Ring as Photographer

            Marshall Ruth
            
            Jeffrey Sayre as Thug

            Charles Sherlock
            
            Lee Shumway as Police Sergeant

            Reginald Simpson as Photographer

            Phillips Smalley as University Dean

            Walter Soderling as Prof. Perkins

            George Turner
            
            Theodore von Eltz as Martin

            Lloyd Whitlock as Headwaiter

            Jack Woody as Gangster

            William Worthington as Committee Man

            William Arnold
            
            John Beal as Paul Ferguson

            Marc Lawrence I as Eddie Girard

            Alan Bruce
            
            Colton Scott as Law Student

            Joseph DeStefani
            
            Eugene Anderson Jr. as Schoolboy

            Mary Brodel as Hat Check Girl

            Robert Cummings Sr.
            
            Bud Wiser as Policeman

            Edward Thomas as Steward
See full cast

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