Strange Justice
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Victor Schertzinger
Marian Marsh
Reginald Denny
Richard Bennett
Norman Foster
Irving Pichel
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After New York hat check girl Rosie Abbott rejects the amorous attention of bank president Henry I. Judson, she begs him to hire her unemployed boyfriend, Wally Baker, as his chauffeur. Wally, an ex-convict, eagerly accepts Judson's job, from which he hopes to save enough money to buy his own taxicab and marry Rosie. Judson meanwhile is confronted by his envious vice-president, L. D. Waters, about a large sum of the bank's money that he has embezzled. Armed with damning evidence, Waters threatens to expose Judson unless he pays him half of the stolen funds. To avoid Waters' blackmail, Judson makes plans to flee to Europe and asks Rosie to join him. Although Rosie refuses Judson's offer, Wally is overcome by jealousy and picks a fight with her. Frustrated by Wally's lack of faith, Rosie attends a party at Judson's apartment, where Wally has been forced to serve as a busboy. At the party, Waters corners Judson and demands that they devise a mutually satisfying plan to deal with the embezzlement. Specifically, Waters suggests that he and Judson fake a car accident using Judson's car. Later Judson tries to kiss Rosie and is knocked down by an enraged Wally, an attack witnessed by Waters. Although unemployed again, Wally wins a $3,000 lottery prize and, after buying a used cab and proposing to Rosie, goes to see Kearney, an attorney, about getting his revoked hack license renewed. Kearney sends Wally to Judson for a letter of recommendation, and after Judson apologizes for his earlier behavior with Rosie, Wally invites the banker to his newly rented apartment. Minutes after Judson leaves Wally's home, his wrecked car and an unidentifiable body are found by police, and Wally is arrested for Judson's murder. Convicted on circumstantial evidence that had been carefully planted by Waters and Judson, Wally is sentenced to be executed at Sing Sing Prison. On the night of Wally's execution, however, a remorseful Judson confronts Waters and eventually strangles him to death. Aided by Rosie and Kearney, Judson, who had been shot by Waters, arrives at Sing Sing in time to stop Wally's execution. His conscience cleared, Judson then dies of his wounds.
Director
Victor Schertzinger
Cast
Marian Marsh
Reginald Denny
Richard Bennett
Norman Foster
Irving Pichel
Nydia Westman
Thomas Jackson
Crew
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was All the Evidence. According to a Film Daily production news item, The Three Ambassadors-Art Wilson, Jack Smith and Mart Sperzel-were assigned to furnish "jazz music and songs for 'whoopee scenes'" in the picture. Geneva Mitchell, Martha Mattox, Kathleen Clare and Eric Wilson are listed in another Film Daily production news item as cast members. The participation of these actors and The Three Ambassadors in the final film has not been confirmed. Strange Justice was the first film that J. G. Bachmann and King Motion Pictures produced for distribution by RKO. According to Variety, Bachmann was to produce eight films for RKO, but only three pictures were actually made.
