THE PEOPLE AGAINST O'HARA

US, 1951, 102 minutes, Black and white.
Spencer Tracy, Diana Lynn, John Hodiak, Eduardo Cianelli, James Arness, Pat O’ Brien, William Campbell, Arthur shields.
Directed by John Sturges.

An interesting Spencer Tracy vehicle. It is competent but was not an outstanding success in its time. It was made after The Father Of The Bride series and at the time of working with Katharine Hepburn in Adam's Rib and Pat And Mike. Tracy was being directed by John Sturges - he was to work with him later for Oscar nominations for his roles in Bad Day At Black Rock, 1955 and The Old Man And The Sea, 1958.

There is a very strong supporting cast with typical performances by Pat O'Brien as the detective, John Hodiak as a strong-minded lawyer, Eduardo Ciannelli as a mafia boss. James Arness is the victim. The film captures the atmosphere of New York, the atmosphere of law and the court. It is also a portrait of a lawyer alcoholic trying to ask something of himself at the end of his life.

1. An entertaining crime thriller? Murder mystery? Portrait of a lawyer? Spencer Tracy vehicle?

2. M.G.M. production values: black and white photography, musical score, sense of New York locations? Strong supporting cast?

3. The tradition of New York police dramas? Crime in the streets? Drugs? Mafia? The importance of the police precincts, detective work, suspects? Court cases? The work of lawyers and the contacts? How well did this film fit in with this police and court tradition?

4. The persuasiveness of the plot, the opening murder and its being witnessed by the sailor? The setting up of Johnny O'Hara? Frankie and his brothers and their story? The background of the murder, drug-running, the mafia? Johnny and his alibi and his not using it? The poverty of the Irish in New York? James Curtayne and his daughter, his alcoholism, his failing in court cases? His friendship with the O'Hara family and his work? Success and failures? Attitude of the judge? Louis Barra and the confrontations in court? The discovery of the truth? The deals? The trapping of the killer? Curtayne's death? A sense of achievement for him in his death?

5. Spencer Tracy's portrait of Curtayne: fighting alcoholism, the scenes where he was tempted to drink, where he did drink? His relationship with his daughter, her caring for him, not marrying, his attacks on her, their reconciliation and her support? His bequest to his son-in-law? Friendship with the O'Hara family and his decision to take on the case? His difficulties in preparing it, his skill at contacts and picking up information, the contacts with Knuckles and getting the truth? The talks with Johnny O'Hara and his not giving the full truth? His disappointing performance in court? The clashes with Barra? His techniques in the court? Discussion with the judge and the judge's disappointment? The losing of the case and the reaction of the family? His discovery of the, identity of the other woman? The exoneration of Johnny? The decision to contact Knuckles, set up the meeting place for the retrieving of the case? His courage, the violence of his death? A sense of achievement?

6. The confrontation with Barra? his work as a lawyer, ambition, skills? His witnesses? especially the sailor (and the contrast with Curtayne's drinking and paying off the sailor who doublecrossed him? The conduct of the case? Respect for Curtayne? The deals at the end and collaborating with the trapping of the killer?

7. Detective Wrix and Pat O'Brien's style an the New York detective? The judge and his discussions with Curtayne and the managing of the court case?

8. The criminal world? Frank and his brothers, the drama of Frankie's continued talking in the witness box? Rehearsing his lines for Barra? The confrontation with Curtayne? The irony of his brother being the killer? and the background of the visit to the family? The murdered man, his wife, Knuckles and the mafia? The background of New York crime?

9. The contrast with Curtayne's daughter and her looking after him? Her exasperation? Her fiance?

10. Johnny O'Hara himself? ordinary young man in New York, company, his liaison with the married woman, standing by her, the court case, his parents? His being vindicated?

11. American themes of crime and detection, law and order, the American battling against his weaknesses and achieving something in life?