I Am the Law

Law professor John Lindsay (Edward G. Robinson) is asked by a civic leader (Otto Kruger) to become a special prosecutor to go after the racketeers in town. He doesn't know he's being duped by the civic leader until a man he promises protection to is killed by the man's henchmen. After realizing that gangsters have infiltrated his staff, he recruits his law students to form an army of law enforcers.

Robinson is excellent in a "good man" role and Barbara O'Neil is radiant as his supportive wife. John Beal is a little too enthusiastic in his supporting role as Kruger's son but Wendy Barrie makes an interesting impression as a glamorous and ruthless gang moll.

Although the script is full of improbabilities, it's a tense and tidy little programmer, and this time Edward G. is working at Columbia instead of Warner Bros. Despite that fact, the film has the look of the kind of gritty crime melodramas Warners produced in those days--which is a compliment.

As the title suggests, Edward G. Robinson plays a man on the right side of the law this time around. No more gangsters for him! In fact, he's such a well-respected professor that he gets asked by the district attorney to help scourge out the organized crime of the city. He wants a group of men to testify against the gangsters who sold them protection of their stores, but the men are too frightened of getting killed. Eddie G finds out how serious their fears are, and he's outraged! Add in the subplot of John Beal as Eddie G's law student protégé and John's father Otto Kruger as the head of the evil organization, and you've got a ticking time bomb embedded in the story.

By far and away, though, the highlight of the movie is the nightclub scene. While out on the town with Wendy Barrie, they tear up the floor with the "big apple" dance. It's a sort of jitterbug, and with his huge grin, eyes crinkled in merriment, and finger waving in the air as he wiggles his hips, it's the cutest scene of his career. I loved seeing Eddie flirt around in this movie, not only with Wendy, but with his wife, Barbara O'Neil. They have separate beds, but she crooks her finger and says, "The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. . ." As Eddie kisses her and buries his head in her bosom (yes, he really does that!) she tells him there's a present for him in the dresser drawer. He whines and grumbles, not wanting to leave her bed; it's very funny.

There is a healthy balance of comedy and drama in I Am the Law. Family relationships are tested, policemen plan elaborate schemes, and courage is rewarded in usual ways. Eddie G has tons of energy, and John is great as a "Franchot Tone's younger brother" type. For more Eddie G in similar types of roles, check out The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse and Five Star Final.

Little Caesar himself, Edward G. Robinson, is one of the good guys in "I Am the Law" in this 1938 film also starring Barbara O'Neill, Otto Kruger, John Beal, and Wendie Barrie.

Robinson plays John Lindsay, a professor on sabbatical, looking forward to his first vacation with his wife (O'Neill) in a long time. But at the last minute, he's asked to become special prosecutor and fight the corruption taking place in the town, as the authorities haven't been successful. He asks his best student, Paul Ferguson (Beal) to work with him. It soon becomes apparent that there is a leak in his staff, as they finally get a witness willing to talk and he's killed. Before Lindsay can get rid of the corruption in town, he needs to get rid of it in his own office.

This is a fairly routine film with a good cast. Robinson was a little man but a wonderful actor with a powerful voice. He could play the most pathetic weakling or the toughest, meanest guy on earth. Here he's plenty tough but with a lot of warmth. Robinson is well thought of as an actor from the classic period, certainly, but I wonder sometimes if he isn't a little underrated.

As far as the other actors, Otto Kruger plays Paul Ferguson's father and gives his usual smooth performance. John Beal got the star buildup at RKO, but after RKO, he signed with MGM. He was young, handsome, and had a kind of earnestness. When the Gable-Harlow deal to do "In Old Chicago" at Fox as a trade for Tyrone Power doing "Madame X" fell through, Beal was given the part of the son. He never achieved stardom. He was, however, a very prolific Broadway actor particularly after World War II, and continued to do films and television until 1993. I had the pleasure of meeting him in the '80s, and he was very charming.

This is an okay film, enjoyable for the performances. The story is fairly routine.

i had never heard of this film until i ran across it on turner classic movies one day. It wasn't one of his best or worst films, come to think of it edward g. robinson never really made a bad film. As for the film itself, unless your a big edward g. robinson fan like me you probably shouldn't watch it.

A law professor becomes a crusading prosecutor, with the aid of his old students, to defeat the racketeers in town against all odds.

Good crime drama with Edward G. Robinson as the fiery professor, making the film his own with a standout performance.