The Silent Witness (1932 film)
The Silent Witness is a 1932 American mystery film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Lionel Atwill, Greta Nissen, and Helen Mack.[1] It was adapted from a play by Jack DeLeon and Jack Celestin.[2][3] The film's sets were designed by the art director Duncan Cramer who worked on many Fox Film productions of the era.
| The Silent Witness | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Marcel Varnel |
| Written by | Jack DeLeon (play) Jack Celestin (play) Douglas Z. Doty |
| Starring | Lionel Atwill Greta Nissen Helen Mack |
| Cinematography | Joseph H. August |
| Edited by | Jack Murray |
Production company | Fox Film Corporation |
| Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
Release date | February 7, 1932 |
Running time | 73 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
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Synopsis
A London courtroom drama in which an Englishman takes the blame for his son who he believes guilty of murdering his lover. The real truth surrounding the case is only revealed by a silent witness.
Cast
- Lionel Atwill as Sir Austin Howard
- Greta Nissen as Nora Selmer
- Weldon Heyburn as Carl Blake
- Helen Mack as Sylvia Pierce
- Bramwell Fletcher as Anthony Howard
- Mary Forbes as Lady Howard
- C. Montague Shaw as Inspector Robbins
- Wyndham Standing as Sir John Lawson, Barrister
- Alan Mowbray as Arthur Drinton
- Herbert Mundin as Henry Hammer
- Billy Bevan as Horace Ward
- Lumsden Hare as Colonel Grayson
Release
International Photographer, which gave the film a good review, posited that Atwill might be a hard sell to movie audiences despite his obvious talent and years of stage experience: "The difficulty of the exhibitor will be to get his patrons to see Atwill. Once he has them started the rest will be easy."[4]
Critical Response
International Photographer described the film as playing more like a stage production than a film but still called it "gripping."[5]
References
- BFI.org. Accessed April 6, 2023.
- The Silent Witness, afi.com. Accessed April 6, 2023.
- Goble, p. 954
- Blaisdell, George. "Looking In on Just a Few New Ones." The International Photographer Vol. 3 No. 12 p32. February, 1932. Accessed 7 May 2023.
- Blaisdell, George. "Looking In on Just a Few New Ones." The International Photographer Vol. 3 No. 12 p32. February, 1932. Accessed 7 May 2023.
Bibliography
- Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.
- Turim, Maureen. Flashbacks in Film: Memory & History. Routledge, 2013.