Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Micitype Pretty Good

Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Loui Blair It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

edwagreen How ironic in the following year that Robinson and Foch would play supporting, but yet extremely important roles in "The Ten Commandments.""Illegal" is just a terrific movie all the way. Robinson, the gruff district attorney, sends an innocent man to the chair and turns to drinking and dealing with shady characters after his resignation.Nina Foch's father gave him his start and he has taken care of her, making sure she has landed a position in the D.A.'s office. Go know that her husband, Hugh Marlowe, gives information to corrupt people and Foch kills him when he discovers she is on to him and nearly kills her.Robinson defends Foch despite the fact that Albert Dekker, the chief of the crooks, doesn't want the trial to implicate him.Nice change for a turn for Ellen Corby who plays Robinson's devoted secretary.

rpvanderlinden "Illegal" is an intelligent and nimble little crackerjack of a crime thriller starring Edward G. Robinson as a D.A who's maybe a little too smart - and smart-assed - for his own good. He's ruthless because his job requires him to be. He wins cases. That's what he's paid for. He's quick of wit and tongue. He's ambitious, canny and - technically, at least - in compliance with the law. He's, at heart, a good man, and he's in the public eye, but he's not universally well-liked. One day, he sends the wrong man to the chair. And he comes undone.This sets in motion a plot that winds and twists without becoming outlandish. The picture, which doesn't strike me as a "noir", moves at a nice clip, each of the broad spectrum of characters is painted with a defining brush stroke, and the dialogue is efficient and snappy. It's the kind of movie that hooks you and hooks you good. It did me."Illegal" is, above all, an Edward G. Robinson picture. It doesn't seem like a star vehicle. Robinson shares the screen with everyone, yet he is such a forceful presence and creates such a complex and complicated character, sympathetic yet warped, you search him out in every scene. You want to watch him. He's magnetic. I'm becoming a real Edward G. Robinson fan on the strength of his 40's and 50's films alone, some of them comic reminders of his earlier gangster persona. He's as good in this movie as he is in "Scarlet Street", which I saw recently for the first time and which, well... kinda sorta blew my mind. I've lived a little and can recognize the truths that some of these lively, well-written B-movies shine a light on.

evanston_dad A bit of far-fetched legal melodrama is anchored by the performance of that old pro Edward G. Robinson.Robinson plays a renowned attorney with a flair for the theatrical who turns crooked after he finds out a man he sent to the chair was truly innocent and his faith in the system of justice is shaken. He attracts the attention of a crime kingpin because of his skill in winning cases by any means necessary, but he suffers a crisis of conscience when his sort-of surrogate daughter/sort-of love interest (Nina Foch) ends up on trial for a murder she didn't commit that's tied to the activities of the crime boss.Robinson is terrific as usual. He excelled at roles like this one -- the rogue anti-hero who doesn't play by anyone's rules but his own. You always root for him, even when he's the bad guy."Illegal" is packaged as a film noir, but it's not even close to being one, so you might be disappointed if that's what you're expecting. However, if you can get past that, it's a fun, snappy film that has a refreshingly off-kilter unpredictability to it. Three quarters of the way through the film I was still trying to guess where it was headed.Grade: B+

kenjha After sending an innocent man to the electric chair, a district attorney's ambitious career plans are disrupted. The film is entertaining enough but has some silly moments, including a ridiculous finale. Robinson is fine as the tough attorney, a decent fellow who unwittingly becomes involved with the mob. Unfortunately, the supporting cast is not up to par. Foch in particular gives a weak performance as an associate of Robinson's. In only her third film, Mansfield is quite alluring as (what else?) a dumb blonde. There are three actors here who would gain fame on TV: Platt (Maxwell Smart's Chief), Corby (Grandma Walton), and Kelley (Dr. McCoy).