Wolf of New York

Wolf of New York (1940)

This is one of Republic Picture's better attempts at a Warner Bros. style crime film. And it's pretty good! This comes just a year or two before the first proto-noir films and it lacks some kind of existential loneliness and a good femme fatale, but in other ways noir lovers will see precursors at work.

Or just think of it as a crime flick, with a crooked lawyer, a dubious lawyer, a fumbling D.A., and a sweetheart of a girl who is involved with two of the three. Throw in a couple of sidekicks with character (and a couple more, like William Demarest, who overplay their parts) and you have a good, mix-em-up, not sure who to root for movie. It even has someone executed for a crime he didn't commit--a big deal that would be much bigger these days.

Republic was a small budget, B-movie studio that ventured into larger budget films over time. By 1940 they were well established and made some key films with major Hollywood players between contracts or loaned out. No one huge appears in this one, but a sense of good production values is visible, except the editing, I think, which is functional and even cursory, breaking the flow of a pretty sporty series of events.

So, with good social themes, a believable plot of theft and murder, and a rivalry between to top lawyers, this clicks along. The lead is a man who might interest those who like earlier films (from the silent era and the 1930s)--Edmund Lowe. He has a kind of John Barrymore persona (not to compare them further than that) and a stature and appearance that seem a little vintage for a 1940 production. But he's very good, and helps pull off some tricky scenes. The D.A. is the same guy who played a the D.A. in "Miracle on 42nd Street" and he's fine, too. The woman is played by Rose Hobart, who is really rather good, just not quite a leading lady cliché. (Joseph Cornell, the artist, was a big fan.)

See this? Well, yes, if you know you like this era of film even if it's not a great masterpiece. It's sharp enough, and with some good turns, and I think it's worth a look.

Chris Faulkner (Edmund Lowe) is a brilliant defense attorney. However, he also has maggots in his soul, as he's willing to try every dirty trick to get his clients freed...and soon he's beloved by the local mobsters. However, when a friend of his really IS innocent, for once, Faulkner isn't able to save him. Sadly, the real guilty party admitted he committed the murder...after Faulkner's client was executed for this crime! Not surprisingly, Faulkner is thrown and unable to function and it remains that way until something WEIRD takes place.... Faulkner is appointed to be the new District Attorney. Now the lawbreaking lawyer must defend the law...and he takes to the role with gusto. But it also puts his assistant and secretary in harm's way...and unless Faulkner and the law act fast, these friends will be assuming room temperature!

This is a much better than average B-movie from Republic. In fact, it's a lot like another film, John Garfield's "Force of Evil"...also a story about a lawyer willing to do anything to get mobsters off in court...and who, over time, sickens of the business. Fast moving and surprisingly good for Republic!

Edmund Lowe is a great criminal-defense attorney. He gets all the crooks off. That's why former girlfriend and secretary Rose Hobart left him. However, his current client is innocent, and he has the witness to prove it. Instead of going to his friend, DA Jerome Cowan to offer exculpatory evidence, he holds him as his final, surprise witness... and the guy is assassinated the night before he is to testify. Lowe's client goes to the chair, then a deathbed confession proves him innocent, so Cowan, who tries all his office's cases, resigns. Lowe is appointed DA and sets about cleaning up the town.

Some good performances (including the reliable William Demarest as Lowe's investigator) and fast-moving direction by William McGann keep this one moving along in the style of a 1930s Warners B. There are a few procedural plot holes in the script, and the dialogue tries a little too hard to be clever. Still, it's short, and as a second feature, relatively painless.