Cross-Examination (1932) PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD

Stars: H.B. Warner, Sally Blane, Natalie Moorhead
Director: Richard Thorpe
When witness after witness piles up damaging evidence against a boy charged with the murder of his father, can his defense Attorney uncover the identity of the real killer and the accused youth's life?

[@JoeCannon1]

Wow what a great movie. Thanks for uploading. After watching several of these really old movies one thing that jumped out at me is the lack of music. These movies in the 1930s don’t seem to incorporate music. I’m OK with that. I find it refreshing to not hear music when watching a movie. It makes the movie more realistic

[@PizzaFLIX]

Thanks for watching! May the Sauce be with you.

[@CoExist64]

That’s interesting because I watch so many and noticed the exact opposite. Just shows how people differ, which is a good thing because we learn from those who see things differently. I love these movies! Thanks 🍕

[@johnzube3611]

I fully agree. Music should certainly not always accompany movie pictures. - JZ, 7.1.21.

[@653j521]

The reason for the lack of music was the extreme limitations of the early technology. A lot of early 1930s movies have sporadic sound, with talking and effects, then silence. They recorded it to play here and there but having it nonstop was still beyond them and/or their budgets. The style was almost always that of a play. I don't find it more realistic, it's just a play on film, but music can add to the feeling of the scene.

[@JoeCannon1]

@@653j521 Maybe so. I still love the lack of music. Music is too overdone these days.

[@kizpaws]

What a great golden oldie! I loved the way the old movies were presented, something that today just does not have. Thanks for the upload!

[@laurakibben4147]

@kizpaws More like everything today's don't! Original plots, no ignorant laugh tracks, zero sex and smutty language, overbearing background music...

[@kimdorris8106]

H.B. Warner was one of the great actors. I enjoy all of his movies.

[@varunsinha3434]

H B Warner is one of the greatest actors in the world I really loved him in the movie called The trial of Mary Dugan his emotion his performance orientation and class has proved that He is A LEGEND SALUTE to H B WARNER 🙏🙏

[@keithharvey7230]

It's a wonderful life,Lost Horizon etc

[@luismantaras6460]

The statement of the mother was very moving and all the film flows very well. Trials are among my favorites.

[@rubiconklbrutorowman7577]

Wow what a classic movie n I bet lots n lots of viewers cried inside or outside or in between! People forget that yes actors brought 2 life of this very touch story, but THINK about THE writer whose imaginations n words he synthesized together and such powerful written words permitted to bring this story to alive to aroused human emotion as we are emotional beings. Again, the writer(s) who wrote this story was basis of all this wonderful drama in legal setting or forum... Prosecutor did good, but defense was one step if not more ahead of prosecutor who did not produce any compelling evidence, other than circumstantial evidence at the best, and had attempted "impose his very assertive assertion" to jury did not pan out! Well done writer n actors!

[@graemesmith6721]

This was excellent! Good performances and very realistic! The prosecutor's case against David was completely circumstantial. There wasn't a shred of direct evidence that he killed his father. It's the state's job to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and it failed to do so. If I'd been on the jury, I would have voted to acquit.

[@fuzzyburnette7161]

H.B.Warner who played Jesus in King of Kings always gave sincere performances.Beautiful speaking voice. Sally Blane is Loretta Young's sister.

[@VeraLowdermilk-kj8sn]

I loved this movie and find it so absorbing and interesting. One thing I love is that these films were realistic and they didn’t need to use celebrities like movies today. Celebrities seem so self conscious these days in films. I know many of these actors were beloved and appreciated in their own days but since I am not familiar with many of them , it makes the films seem more real to life .

[@maximuscomfort]

Thank you for sharing this gem of a film. A Lock down plus.

[@williammeyer214]

Watching Warner’s performance as he questioned Moorehead was pure gold.

[@Magnetron33]

For as fast as she was cranking these out in a 3 or 4 year period, Natalie Moorehead is always excellent

[@Robbi496]

The whole case solved in 1 hour, 1 minute and 1 second. AMAZING! :)

[@sylviarichardson5169]

The trial Was very emotional n touching...these old movies r so real n the actors r so perfect🎉the father was very prejudiced as with t wealthy n many innocent people r a prey

[@yasminedey8612]

Thanks for sharing. This must have been the first court case film of showing the views and experiences of the different people being interviewed, something being used very often nowadays.

[@suzette7849]

A wonderful movie 🎬 thanks for the upload

[@ilovecoffee12]

Outstanding script, plot and acting. Thanks.

[@nancysanders2398]

Natalie Moorhead,reminds me somewhat of Jean Harlow.This is quite an interesting film,well made,good acting,and the plot continually " thickens!"

[@Magnetron33]

Platinum before Jean!

[@DateTwoRelate]

Att 22:44 prosecuting attorney briefly confuses names and immediately corrects himself - thus a vivid illustration of the difference between the majors and "poverty row" studios, that being that retakes were undertaken only as a matter of utmost necessity-say if an earthquake broke the soundstage in two during the scene.

[@gregorypalmer5403]

I.e. William " One Take " Beaudine.

[@graemesmith6721]

Yeah, I caught that too. To me, it just added to the realism.

[@alfredbonnabel7022]

Richard Thrope became a very well noted director. You can see his talent in this programmer.

[@kpflo123]

H.B. Warner always was worth the price of admission. Watch him in "5 Star Final." Also, worth noting, not nearly enough Natalie Moorhead. Come on! Couldn't the writers come up with something more about her and the lawyer?! Something scandalous, of course, worthy of Natalie.

[@wendylalonde8289]

well written, great character actors for each role, very plausible, drama captured by camera work and all within 1:01:31

[@kimberlykasimoff1447]

A good movie. I like how there is a female officer to help with female witnesses. One can like or dislike the acting in early 1930s movies that was carried on from the acting of earlier films from the silent era, where since there was no talking sound, the actors and actresses needed to to exaggerate facial and body expressions. Films got better over the years especially in the 1940s, but I'm not saying that the earlier films were not enjoyable. I grew up with them and I really enjoy them. I read that one viewer stated that Mrs. Wells reminded them of Jean Harlow. I find that blonde actresses from the 1930s are like Jean Harlow and brunettes like Bebe Daniels.

[@sdavidbee9283]

Give me movies like this anytime. Proof that good movie entertainment can be had without blatant sex, drugs and graphic violence.

[@653j521]

So can bad entertainment. And the opposite is also true, that those things can be part of good or bad films.

[@simontaylor2319]

Sounds like 2 English actors & the Butler sounds Scottish. A very powerful film, almost real

[@kathyh4804]

Great oldie Thank you for uploading!:)

[@dondouglass8665]

Glad this Chanel seems to be back. Hope it’s to stay... . (Are You Listening YT!!!)

[@mikenixon2401]

Good film. I have to remember the limitation of equipmnt and vocal acting of 1932. One fun element was watching notes written in cursive. I suspect there is a younger generation unfamiliar with reading and writing in cursive. The rest of us can use that a secret code. 🤣😎

[@thejerseyj5479]

Every month I write my sister a letter. I always write it in cursive just for the pleasure of being able to use it. Also I believe that it enhances the experience of reading it.

[@thejerseyj5479]

One more point, soon kids won't even be able to use a pen or pencil either. 🤔

[@lilytyler7851]

Touching performances-- typical early film. I liked it.

[@johnstatser7088]

Lily Tyler 'Twasn't bad at all. Abit stilted and stodgy, but that was the style at the time. If we complain about that, and some do, we might as well complain about the costuming. Old man Wells has to be one of the meanest mean old men that ever meaned his way thru a film. He was double mean, miserly and nasty. His new will would have never stood up in reality. You can't disinherit a direct heir or wife without very good reason, and you gotta list the reasons. You can't prohibit contesting a will either.For a while I thunked it was the old man's attorney what done the foul deed. Then the old lady stood up, " Aha! sez I," I sez, " it's the boys mother and she done it!" Can't fool me, I've seen lots of Perry Mason re -runs. A few years later and that death bed scene would have been ruined with sappy, heart string pulling music.

[@653j521]

@@johnstatser7088 Are you sure that was the law in every state then?

[@Robbi496]

For music afficianados, the theme song for this movie is the Overture to the Opera "Raymond"

[@gregorypalmer5403]

By Ambroise Thomas. Famous, no , Superstar , French opera composer all but forgotten today. The Met Opera, I think,was going to revive something of his; couldn't believe it. I think COVID got in the way.

[@shahinbadsha8509]

Very touching story and performances

[@SantiagoBernebeu]

Did anyone notice the brutish manner of the old buzzard who swore in each witness? But when the deceased wife took the stand, he was practically flirting with her...lol

[@lolee1234]

Thank you for the film. It kind of reminds me of "Madame X", with John Forsythe, another tearjerker.

[@Songwriter376]

If this does not draw a tear then I don’t know what to say.

[@candacegladden5313]

now that was a good movie thanks so much for sharing

[@58bigjim]

Very good movie... Very enjoyable,i watch it very often!

[@waderaney7]

A good movie,just 36seconds after the hour !

[@vannevar50]

If everyone was cut out of the will, who was left to inherit?

[@PARIS-FRANCE]

MERCI MILLE ET UNE FOIS POUR TOUS CES FILMS INCOMPARABLES À NOS JOURS LE CINÉMA ACTUEL EST AU DESSOUS DE CES PERFORMANCES DE CES ACTEURS ET RÉALISATEURS DE CETTE ÉPOQUE MERCI ENCORE DE LES DIFFUSER ! 👍

[@FilmNutz]

Excellent courtroom drama / whodunnit.

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

That was a great movie.

[@9094nancyj]

Good movie! Thanks for posting!

[@RasslebearNOLA]

David could not have been a witness to the will, since he was a heir, even if it was only $1.

[@steplumpkin5432]

BETTER, THE SECOND TIME AROUND.

[@lylesfredidog1507]

David could not have been a witness to the will, since he was AN heir, even if it WERE one dollar.

[@hydriv]

@@lylesfredidog1507 Face it Lyles.....English in America is a lost art.

[@smooches1368]

The judge is Wilfred Lucas who played the warden in Laurel and Hardy's film "Pardon Us". One look at the new prisoners, Stan and Ollie, he exclaims solemnly, "My, my, and still they come". After Stan inadvertently gives him the rasberry because of a loose tooth, the warden condems them to be cellmates with the notorious "Tiger" (Walter Long) in cell fourteen. Wilfred has a brief scene in "Glorifyiing the American Girl" (1929). It pleases me when I spot him.

[@Gerardo-g4m]

The movie holds quite wonderfully and the script is sesational not like the stinkers they make today

[@jcolson19]

Yes an ok movie...interesting all the way. Great upload

[@aloksingh4406]

34:20 What a euphemistic way of saying that I am unemployed..,😁😁

[@graemesmith6721]

I'm surprised he admitted to being a bootlegger!

[@ordinarycitizen3579]

May not be for everybody, speaking of people with preferences for movies with sex, nudity and lots of profanity. This is a decent movie as are most movies that were made during the era this movie was produced. I prefer decent movies with NO sex, NO nudity, No profanity! Only the classics deliver this kind of preference. To those who don't mind sex, nudity and profanity, I have nothing bad to say at all. To each his own, and I don't mind being called an old fuddy-duddy or whatever people are called who just simply prefer decent movies with actors who don't/didn't feel they could be considered actors unless they disrobed, showed their naked bodies and displayed false acts or even real acts of sex, something that should be private among the participants. Nothing new about sex. Adam and Eve were the first married couple to enjoy intimate relations and this has been going on ever since, down throught the centuries, so again, nothing new about people having intimate relations. Benediction has been given. I'm done!

[@gildamarlowe8516]

+Lucky Lefty Ahhhhhh shaddup--like you're the only purist. Besides, you protest too much. Get over it!

[@MrUhwoody]

+Gilda Marlowe --Clean up your act, Missy; there are seagulls circling your house.

[@flyinspirals]

+Lucky Lefty Oh, for... I've never heard anyone talk so much about sex, except someone who was very interested in sex. Or was it humor? Well now, let me tell you a thing or two about humor. Some people have a very dry sense of humor, and that sort of humor or ironic humor does not always come across in KZbin comments, but other more traditional humor goes back centuries or even millenia, in fact, according to the Big Laugh Theory of the Universe, it... blah blah blah... Sheesh.

[@lilytyler7851]

Gilda is my best pal. why are you insulting her--< She and I are professors at the same university-- she talked me into coming on UTUBE. Besides I think she left UTUBE since she had her baby.

[@lilytyler7851]

she and I are professors at the same university--no idea why UTUBE deleted this. Sucks!

[@jeffmoreau2832]

H.B. Warner in the Bulldog Drummond series.

[@keithharvey7230]

It's a wonderful Life,Lost Horizon.

[@user-wc7mo9uo9o]

Beautiful Natalie Moorhead, you can't mix or confuse her with any other actresses of the era, who looked so similar with same haircuts. This distinguished elongated face, white hair and eyes...I also always wonder how " fashionable" it was for women to faint and smelling saults brought up to revive them in 1930s, 1920s and below. Plenty were probably anemics and had iron deficiency, I guess.

[@tjgluckman4768]

I just TWed: 'Cross-Examination' (1932) an advanced US film & best I've seen of (USA) era. Humanist-Feminist agenda; a skilled worker opines lucidly; music is classical; 'jurisprudence' a theme; eyes r key in acting. Closes gap w/ books so gaping at time

[@brendaorourke2469]

🥺😭What a movie!!

[@frederickcombs8661]

only 5 minutes in and I LOVE IT.

[@thejerseyj5479]

So, who gets the loot?

[@spacecowgurl57]

Love these!!

[@deevine1818]

Very unsatisfying ending - there were secrets and devious motives that could have fit any one suitably well with a lot more believability in the plot.

[@davidcarlson2152]

GPT-4 says: "Literature, plays, and later films often depicted characters using or being administered smelling salts, especially women who were portrayed as being emotionally overwhelmed or faint. This could have contributed to their household popularity."

[@henrykujawa4427]

Terrific film. If it's at all possible, I think you should try turning up the sound. I had my speakers all the way up and was just barely able to hear all the dialogue.

[@laurakibben4147]

@henrykujawa4427 Cast it to your TV and try again maybe?

[@warrenwilson4818]

Great movie! Fantastic ending with David's never finding out that his mother killed his father. As time went by, he might have suspected the thing, of course. Thanks, KZbin.For the 23 of you who voted this movie down, you should be forced to list all of the reasons this is a worthless, dumb movie. also in the light of the vintage time period.

[@653j521]

Please use spoiler alert when revealing the ending.

[@carlospadro1964]

I think, David did it, and his mother cover it up! PERIOD!

[@laurakibben4147]

Would have been nice to know what the old fart was so embittered about.

[@richardw3470]

I got a kick out of the bailiff when he made them all take their oaths. Pass the cheese and mustard.

[@mingala123]

What a great movie ,,

[@oldgysgt]

So where was the car chase and the fiery explosions? Movies were sure different in 1932.

[@653j521]

They wouldn't be in the static set of a courtroom drama. If you want action, try the serials of Pauline White. They hadn't invented stunt people yet so the actors had to endanger their lives. The big trick in silents was to film every catastrophe in town to shoehorn into the plot.

[@oldgysgt]

@@653j521; you are very much in error when it comes to stunt men in the movies. Stunt men were very much a part of movie making from the very start of film making. The first movie stuntman was ex-US cavalryman Frank Hanaway, who won himself a part in Edwin S. Porter's 'The Great Train Robbery' in 1903, for his ability to fall off a horse without injuring himself.

[@gsmith5140]

Good movie. 👍🏽

[@dennisday2049]

Am @28:00 of movie, which is very intriging, but can barely hear it. All volumes at max.

[@rescuepetsrule6842]

I bought a small Sony speaker to plug into laptop because some oldies are low volume.

[@simontaylor2319]

In England, a family member cannot witness your Will. You have to be unrelated. "What's you name....(v aggressive, depending on the witness!) we would say "Please state your name....Also in UK, when all the evidence has been given, the prosecution and then the defence will make their closing speeches when they will try to convince the jury of their respective cases - not the other way round

[@123pailin]

Well, Papa was not a very likeable character, quite the contrary. The mother of all the court movies?

[@aishlingwalsh3237]

Very good

[@leezaslofsky4438]

This movie would never have been allowed under the Code, because it deals sympathetically with sex outside of marriage and bastardy, and pretty openly with adultery.

[@chrisking3849]

all male jury?

[@Magnetron33]

The bailiff did not make the 1st witness put her hand in the bible.

[@norman102745]

PizzaFlix is an odd name for a movie. The rabbi was not wearing a yarmulke, something ain’t kosher.

[@whaleshrimp111]

Kind of dreary sort of non action courtroom drama with a touch of crime.

[@terrymoore5000]

Very nice movie 🍿🎥

[@keithharvey6354]

I thought the woman who found the body was the mother at the end doh!

[@mawi1172]

An antique "BULL".🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@judyvalencia3257]

Natalie Moorhead. I wonder if she is related to Agnes Moorhead.

[@reverendsaltine6852]

87 years ago.

[@IntuitiveOnes]

I was thrown by the Physical similarity of the Housekeeper and the actual Mother of David. And there was a resemblance of the downstairs Maid & David; could old man Emory Wells have #KnockedUp another #Maid / #Housekeeper?

[@daryllomax7942]

HB.warner,is,good togood

[@trukeesey8715]

35:52 Hearsay.

[@Mimi-ex6jo]

⭐️⭐️👍🏽💜💛💚👍🏽⭐️⭐️

[@trukeesey8715]

4:17 Fascist philosophy?

[@pmullins1495]

Soo b o r i n g !!! 🙁

[@JesusChristIsComeInTheFlesh]

Stupid ending where the perpetrator, no matter what the circumstances, is promised that the son will never know she did it.