The People Against O’Hara **** (1951, Spencer Tracy, Pat O’Brien, Diana Lynn, James Arness, John Hodiak, Eduardo Ciannelli) – Classic Movie Review 8994

Director John Sturges’s 1951 film noir crime drama The People Against O’Hara stars Spencer Tracy as James Curtayne, an over-the-hill lawyer with a drink problem who, though more or less retired, gets back in the ring to defend Johnny O’Hara (James Arness) in a homicide case, and is willing to go to any lengths to win his case.

Based on a novel by Eleazar Lipsky, this is an intelligent treatment of the law and especially of the grey area between personal ambition and professional ethics. Tracy is his usual dependable, credible self, and there is a fine cast of MGM studio contract character actor stalwarts, while John Sturges directs the piece tensely and intelligently.

John Monks Jr provides sharp, bright screenplay full of quips and verbal dexterity, as befits a film about the bar in both senses. The only slight downside is that the unfocused movie is somewhat lacking in plot and occasionally in pace too. But that is not enough to harm a fine movie.

It also stars Diana Lynn as Ginny Curtayne, Pat O’Brien as Detective Vincent Ricks, John Hodiak as District Attorney Louis Barra, and Eduardo Ciannelli as Sol ‘Knuckles’ Lanzetta,

Poignantly, Tracy had his own battle with the demon drink, and that may have helped to oil the wheels of his performance here.

Also in the cast are Arthur Shields, Jay C Flippen, William Campbell, Charles Bronson as Angelo Korvac (uncredited), Yvette Dugay, Richard Anderson, Henry O’Neill, Louise Lorimer, Ann Doran, Regis Toomey, Katherine Warren, Brooks Benedict, Paul Bryar, Paul Frees, Paul McGuire, Ned Glass, Mae Clark, Harry Cody, Don Dillaway, Jack Kruschen, Mike Lally, Celia Lovsky, Lee Phelps, Strother Martin, John Maxwell, William Schallert, William Self, John Sheehan, Frank Sully, Julius Tannen, Billy Vincent, Bud Wolfe and Frank Ferguson.

The People Against O’Hara is directed by John Sturges, runs 101 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by John Monks Jr, based on a novel by Eleazar Lipsky, is shot in black and white by John Alton, is produced by William H Wright, is scored by Carmen Dragon, and is designed by Cedric Gibbons and James Basevi.

Fewer than five minutes of footage is filmed on location in New York City (Fulton Fishmarket, Manhattan Bridge, Criminal Courts Building) though almost all the film takes place there. Otherwise is is all shot at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio, 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, California,.

RIP William Campbell (1923–2011). RIP James Arness (1923–2011).  RIP Richard Anderson (1926–2017).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8994

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