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
Directed byMarcel Varnel
Written byJack DeLeon (play)
Jack Celestin (play)
Douglas Z. Doty
StarringLionel Atwill
Greta Nissen
Helen Mack
CinematographyJoseph H. August
Edited byJack Murray
Production
company
Fox Film Corporation
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • February 7, 1932 (1932-02-07)
Running time
73 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
The Silent Witness ad in The Film Daily (1932)

Plot

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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

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Release

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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

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International Photographer described the film as playing more like a stage production than a film but still called it "gripping."[5]

References

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  1. ^ BFI.org. Accessed April 6, 2023.
  2. ^ The Silent Witness, afi.com. Accessed April 6, 2023.
  3. ^ Goble, p. 954
  4. ^ Blaisdell, George. "Looking In on Just a Few New Ones." The International Photographer Vol. 3 No. 12 p32. February, 1932. Accessed 7 May 2023.
  5. ^ 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

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  • Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.
  • Turim, Maureen. Flashbacks in Film: Memory & History. Routledge, 2013.
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