THE WITNESS CHAIR
US, 1936, 64 minutes, Black-and-white.
Anne Harding, Walter Abel, Douglass Dumbrille, Frances Sage, Maroni Olsen, Margaret Hamilton, Maxine Jennings, William 'Billy' Benedict, Paul Harvey, Murray Kinnell, Charles Arnt, Frank Jenks.
Directed by George Nicholls Jr.
This is an interesting court case film which keeps audience attention. From the beginning, the audience knows that Paula, a sympathetic Anne Harding, has something to do with the death of the head of the company. The audience sees details of her covering the situation, returning home, comforting the daughter of the associate who is planning to elope with the boss.
The body is found the next day, an arresting performance by the cleaner who discovers the body, the arrival of the Lt, Moroni Olsen, and his rather buffoonish assistant. What seem to be suicide, and a suicide note, is discerned as murder given the circumstances of the body. Suspicion is on the associate, Jim Trent, Walter Abel, and he is arrested.
Most of the brief running time of the film is in the court room, the interrogation of the various members of the staff (including a sharpish Margaret Hamilton, a would-be-glamorous Maxine Jennings, a young man intending to be a singer, Billy Benedict, the elevator man, Frank Jenks).
The main testimony is given by Paula – and the film provides many flashbacks to explain the situations and the characters, the revelation of the embezzlement of money, false accounts, bribes and the setting up of the victim.
The actual situation is shown in flashback – and, while Paula is reunited with Jim Trent, the film ends before any kind of detail is given about what will happen in terms of criminal prosecution and justice.
1. A court drama? Interesting characters, situations?
2. The settings, the city, the skyscrapers, the eighth floor, offices? Apartments? The courtroom? The musical score?
3. The opening, Paula, her behaviour, suspicious, the room, locking the door, pressing the elevator button, walking down the stairs? The cleaner, getting the key from the caretaker, discovering the body, the police, the doctor, looking like suicide, looking like murder?
4. Paula, her demure look, sympathetic? At home? Connie coming to stay with her? Her situation, wanting to elope with the boss? Paula and her devotion to Jim Trent?
5. The next morning, the staff coming into work, the introduction to each of them, Grace Franklin, the accountant, her loyalty, reaction? Benny, his age, general jobs, wanting to be a singer? Tillie Jones? Secretary to Trent? The elevator man?
6. In the court, the presiding judge and his attitude? The legal defence? The questions, personalities, the extreme badgering of the witnesses? The jury?
7. The cross-examination of the staff and their various reactions, Grace and her speaking her mind and weeping, Benny and the touch of celebrity, few questions? Tillie, the glamour, her performance, the eye of the jury? The elevator man and the possibilities?
8. The interview with the auditor and the revelation of the bribe?
9. Jim Trent, his character, the issue of the suicide note, Whitaker and his death, exonerating Trent? Trent and his background, the death of his wife, bringing up Connie, strict? His relationship with Whitaker? Friendship? The staff overhearing the conversation through the vent?
10. Connie, giving testimony, the revelation of the letters, her plan to elope?
11. The flashbacks, filling in the characters, the details of what happened?
12. Paula, her love for Jim Trent, working with Whitaker, hearing the conversations, the auditor and Whitaker’s interview with him, Whitaker embezzling the money, wanting to blame Trent, the bribe to the auditor and his accepting it? Paula and the boat tickets, tearing them up? The gun, Trent’s gun, threatening Whitaker, making him write the confession and sign
it? The struggle, the gun going off? Paula and her covering everything?
13. Paula, the outburst in the court, claiming to be guilty? Trent comforting her? The future?
