Against the Law
Cast & Crew
Lambert Hillyer
John Mack Brown
Sally Blane
Arthur Hohl
George Meeker
James Bush
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Los Angeles, ambulance driver Steve Wayne and intern surgeon Bert Andrews work for the city's largest hospital, where Bert's father is the chief surgeon. Bert is troubled by his involvement with a gang led by Mike Eagan, to whom he owes $2,000 in gambling debts. Eagan is forcing Bert to treat his men's gunshot wounds, but Bert nonetheless refuses Steve's recommendation that he discuss his difficulties with his father. During a dinner at the home of nurse Martha Gray, with whom Steve is in love, Steve tells her that he intends to become a doctor and that he would like to marry her. She refuses his proposal and explains that she is already engaged to Bert. They remain friends, and Steve determines to help Bert for Martha's sake, although she appears troubled about the impending marriage. Later, after Reardon, one of Eagan's men, forces Bert to leave the scene of a fire, Steve, saying that he is Bert, saves a fireman's life with an unauthorized operation. To protect Bert, Steve takes the blame, and he is demoted to a smaller hospital. At the Green Lantern Cafe, Eagan wounds Kelly, one of his men, with a shot in the back when he tries to quit the gang. Meanwhile, Steve slips the $2,000 with which he intended to go to medical school into one of Bert's books so that Bert can pay off Eagan. Bert reluctantly accepts the favor, but when he tries to pay his debt, Eagan refuses, then gives him $3,000, and coerces him to resign from his job in order to be the gang's doctor. After celebrating with the gang, Bert awakens the next morning in Martha's apartment. Having found Bert's money, Martha asks if it belongs to Steve. Mistakenly believing that Steve has informed Martha about his problems in order to muscle in on her, Bert insists that the money is his. After Martha calls off their engagement, Bert confronts Eagan, and when Eagan threatens to expose him, Bert commits suicide in the gangster's office. Steve, coincidentally the ambulance driver called to the scene, removes Bert's body and plants it in an auto wreck to cover up the bullet wound and suicide. Seeking revenge for Bert's death, Steve lets Eagan believe that Kelly, who is actually recovering, is near death and about to inform on him. Eagan thinks that Kelly is being transferred to another hospital for emergency surgery and plots to destroy the ambulance. After his men leave with their orders, Eagan is abducted by Steve and fellow intern Bill Barrie, then strapped into their ambulance. Fearing that his gang will kill him when they shoot at the ambulance, Eagan confesses to his crimes. Steve alerts the police, and they arrest the henchmen before they can carry out their deadly act. Later, after everything has been straightened out, Martha realizes her love for Steve and promises to marry him.
Director
Lambert Hillyer
Cast
John Mack Brown
Sally Blane
Arthur Hohl
George Meeker
James Bush
Bradley Page
Ward Bond
Hooper Atchley
Al Hill
Joseph Crehan
Walter Walker
Joseph Sauers
Pat O'malley
Eddie O'hearn
Charles E. Brinley
Howard Mitchell
Eddie Foster
Lee Shumway
Frank O'connor
Dick Rush
Kernan Cripps
Billy West
Edwin J. Brady
Harry Bowen
Frances Morris
Dick Allen
Hal Price
Irene Coleman
Jerry Storm
Stanley Mack
Bert Young
Ray Ellis
Dick Stewart
Steve Clark
Harry Tenbrook
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
As the first reel of this film was missing from the print viewed, onscreen credits were unavailable. The working title of this film was Police Ambulance.
