James Whale's "Wives Under Suspicion" (1938)

As cuckolded murderer, Joseph Patterson (Matty Fain), is sentenced, he warns District Attorney Jim Stowell (Warren William) of retribution. After Pattison is publicly executed, Jim counts the eleven executions he has prosecuted on an abacus made with miniature skulls, reckoning that he has twenty-four more to go.
Soon after, the Tatler publishes rumors of an affair between Jim's wife, Lucy (Gail Patrick), and a graduate student, Phil (William Lundigan). Jim's secretary, "Sharpy," (Cecil Cunningham), reminds him of his wife's birthday.
As the Stowells leave home for a dinner celebration, Jim is shot by an associate of Pattison, but in the hospital, the bullet proves only to have grazed Jim, and Dan, his press aide, regards the incident as a publicity triumph. Jim, who has neglected his wife for his work, decides to take a long-delayed honeymoon. After returning to his office, he finds his aide, Kirk (Milburn Stone), roughly interrogating Professor Shaw MacAllen (Ralph Morgan). Jim takes MacAllen aside and apparently tries to console him, convincing him to confess to murdering his unfaithful wife. Jim then abruptly excuses MacAllen, because he secretly had recorded the confession, and takes a copy of the recording to add to his collection.
MacAllen's wealthy relatives hire distinguished lawyer David Morrow (Samuel S. Hinds) for the defense, but Jim is determined to demand the death sentence for MacAllen, because he does not believe in the concept of a "crime of passion." During the summertime trial that attracts national attention, Jim realizes that he is living a parallel life. He has neglected his own wife and come to believe that she is having an affair. Jim requests that Lucy stop seeing Phil, as he is head of a student committee supporting MacAllen.
One evening during the trial, Jim returns home, and he and Lucy unconsciously re-enact "the kiss before the mirror," as MacAllen's confession has been labeled by the press. Jim listens again to the recording of MacAllen, then follows Lucy to Phil's home. He is about to shoot the couple when he realizes how his ruthless ways have almost caused him to murder the one he loves.
The next day, Jim, still dazed, announces that the prosecution will lower the charges against MacAllen to second degree murder. Jim then asks Lucy, who is leaving, to forgive him and start anew. At that moment, Phil and Elizabeth, his girl friend, dash in and announce that they have just been married, with help from Lucy. Although reporters suspect Jim has been bribed, he is not concerned, and informs Dan that he is leaving on a vacation with Lucy. He then tells Sharpy to smash the abacus.
A 1938 American Black & White crime B-Movie (a/k/a "Suspicion") directed by James Whale, produced by Edmund Grainger, screenplay by Myles Connolly, based on Ladislas Fodor's play "The Kiss Before the Mirror" (1932), cinematography by George Robinson, starring Warren William, Gail Patrick, Ralph Morgan, William Lundigan, Constance Moore, Cecil Cunningham, Jonathan Hale, Lillian Yarbo, Milburn Stone, J. Anthony Hughes, Samuel S. Hinds, and Edward LeSaint. Released by Universal Pictures.
Co-stars Warren William and Gail Patrick both had major involvement with the "Perry Mason" legal mystery franchise. William was the first actor to play Mason (starring in several films), and Patrick went on to be a producer of the TV show "Perry Mason" (CBS TV 1957-1966).
Ladislas Fodor's play "The Kiss Before the Mirror" (1932) was previously adapted into a film also directed by British-born director James Whale, "The Kiss Before the Mirror" (1933). Whale felt the original "hadn't come out right, and enlisted longtime Frank Capra collaborator Myles Connolly, who had worked with Capra on "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (1936), "Lost Horizon" (1937) and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), to rewrite the script. Significant changes to the script included the transformation of the defense attorney in the first film to the prosecuting attorney in the second. In this remake, the wife was also innocent of having an extramarital affair, while in the original her guilt was made clear. Also, Whale began this remake with a highly expressionistic vignette at odds with the realism of the rest of the film. The stylish, beautifully shot sequence of a condemned killer's last days anticipated his edgy film-noirs to come.
The theme mirrors the social conscience films made contemporaneously by Warner Bros.
Ralph Morgan, brother of Frank Morgan, star of the original version, appears in this remake. Fodor's play, "Der Kuss Vor Dem Spiegel," opened in Vienna, Austria, during September 1932, and was the basis for both the Universal films.
If you long for the days when Hollywood took the time to actually write a coherent script, when dialogue really meant something, when you paid attention to the actors, instead of the special effects, take time out for this fine drama. A marital and courtroom thriller that comes highly recommended.

[@idamanning3117]

I discovered Warren Williams movies when I was in high school. It was back in the 60s. I had a classmate by the name of Warren Williams. He said his mother named him for the actor Warren Williams. I looked him up. Loved his acting. He was so cool. Thank you for sharing this movie.

[@kathybikadi9854]

Donald, thanks for this wonderful old film! The script was great, the actors' first rate!

[@RetiredSchoolCook]

😃Thank you 👍Always enjoy watching Warren Williams movies , a great talent .❤👍Good movie . Good cast .Thank you for sharing the interesting information .😄

[@dikbozo]

As I have been unable to find James Whale films, I am always happy when I discover another. Thank you, the synopsis is quite daring for the time. Looking forward to the next time I have sufficien time to watch. Keep on posting the rarities you find and I will keep my sub.

[@ladywisewolf3942]

Check out James Whale's "The Old Dark House" ( 1932) starring Charles Laughton, Melvyn Douglas, Gloria Stuart and Boris Karloff. You can find it for free on several old movie channels here on You Tube.

[@dikbozo]

@@ladywisewolf3942 thanks. will do.

[@swissotto1]

Love Cecil Cunningham. Great actress with a unique voice.

[@cornbreadthedog]

NO JOB is worth your marriage. Neglecting your wife repeatedly is a sure-fire way to lose her to someone else.

[@philthycat1408]

Totally agree, unless she knew that his job involved. Then it would be as a couple, she would be behind him to help, encourage and understand. A part of his career.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Somewhat confusing title. Aren't whales under the ocean??

[@ladywisewolf3942]

James Whale was the director. He also did the original "Frankenstein".