MR DISTRICT ATTORNEY
US, 1941, 69 minutes, Black-and-white.
Dennis O 'Keefe, Florence Rice, Peter Lorre, Stanley Bridges, Minor Watson, Charles Arnt, Joan Blair, George Watts.
Directed by William Morgan.
Mr District Attorney is a pleasant supporting feature, about the law in the US, 1940s style, about political corruption, about money dealing, along with murder and investigation.
The tone is reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 1930s – and this was released in the same year as His Girl Friday with the emphasis on the female journalist. Here she is played by Florence Rice, an investigative reporter, full of initiative. The title of the film belongs to Dennis O’ Keefe, from a wealthy family, highly educated, top marks in law studies, but rather naive in handling the real world.
The film uses the device of the two central characters frequently bumping into each other, while buying hats, while visiting the district attorney, but their combining efforts to investigate a case of corruption. This material is the usual – a businessman with links to a criminal who has embezzled a great deal of money, the crooked businessman running against the district attorney for election. Then there is a subplot which becomes part of the main plot – a brassy showgirl, the meek banker who stole money for her – but stole it from the account of the embezzler.
Mr District Attorney appears in courts, uses principles against practicality, frustrates judges, the actual district attorney lumbering him with the embezzling case hoping it will occupy him. There are many leads, the journalist and the lawyer finally caught up in a plan which will trap the businessman as well as the embezzler, only for them to misinterpret the situation and the wrong story is printed.
The two leads play off each other very enjoyably. And, after 30 minutes or so, who should turn up as the sinister embezzler but Peter Lorre!
1. An enjoyable screwball comedy, 1930 style? The law? Journalists? Criminals? Murder mystery and investigation?
2. The New York settings, the world of newspapers, the world of the law, courts, the murder settings, the chase, the wharf? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Jones? His eccentric name? The initial encounter with Terry, the hat shop? The advice? At the district attorney’s office? Jones and his background, his uncle, name, summa cum laude, in the court, antagonising the judge, the Santa Clauses and their being let go, later their fighting in the street? The DA and his annoyance, giving Jones the embezzlement case? His earnest testing the case, going with Terry to meet the journalists, the leads? Back in the court, the meek man and Jones and his suspicions, the man being bailed, following up the actress and her win at the races, the suspect money, the man being killed, with the actress, Terry entering like a burglar, the actress being shot? The background of the businessman, his standing for election against the DA?
4. Terry, the embodiment of the successful female journalist, strong-minded? Bumping into Jones, taking him to the bar, working with him, getting into the apartment, the death of the actress?
5. The DA, honesty, standing for re-election? The contrast with Barrett and his cronies?
6. The embezzler, Peter Lorre, turning up, strangling the man who had robbed him, shooting the actress? Ringing Barrett, the rendezvous at the wharf, the sequence earlier with his wife and her vengeance, her shooting him?
7. The setup, the note, Jones and the camera, the irony of the man he had got off in court helping him? Terry, in the boot of the car, hearing the shot, the wrong story?
8. The car chase, the police, the teargas, happy resolution?
