Shadow of the Law

When the story begins, Jim (William Powell) has taken a neighbor in his apartment on their first date. Later that evening after he returned her to her flat, there is a HUGE commotion in her place. Jim arrives to see what the problem is and a guy is beating Ethel. He tries to stop the guy and quiet things down...and the guy attacks him! While defending himself, the guy is knocked out the window to his death. Jim had done nothing wrong but when he tells the police, his witness, Ethel, beats it and can't be found. With no proof he's innocent, he's sent to prison.

While in prison, Jim in a model prisoner. So, after three years he's made a foreman and given special privileges...though he STILL has a life sentence. In addition, the warden wants him to be a snitch...to find out where his cellmate, Pete, has hidden the loot from a robbery. Well, Jim will have no part of snitching and instead warns Pete. And, since he won't snitch, Jim decides to use his privileges to help him escape...which he does.

A couple years pass. Jim has a new identity and is a well to do executive. But he STILL has that life sentence hanging over him, so he has had detectives searching high and low for Ethel. When he finds her, he has Pete (who has now finished his sentence) approach her about telling the authorities the truth. She pretends to agree but soon runs away because she's an evil weasel. What's next? I won't say....but remember, she IS an evil weasel...and her plans will NOT be for good!

The plot is very, very difficult to believe (both at the beginning and the end). But even in cases like this, if the acting is good you can overlook this....and the acting is fine. Powell is typically good and Paul Hurst is excellent as Pete. Well worth seeing...though very improbable.