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Cast
John Barrymore
as Tom Cardigan
Helen Twelvetrees
as June Perry
Jill Esmond
as Lillian Ulrich
William 'Stage' Boyd
as Valentine 'Vanny' Powers (as William Boyd)
Mary Duncan
as Nora Dean
Ralph Ince
as Second Trial Defense Attorney
Albert Conti
as Mario
Frederick Burton
as Second Trial Judge
C. Henry Gordon
as Attorney Graves
Paul Hurst
as Police Captain Morgan
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1932
Runtime1h 19m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresDrama
Votes8
DirectorGeorge Archainbaud
WritersLouis Stevens, Gene Fowler, Rowland Brown
TypeFeature Film
Rating6.9 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsState's Attorney
About State's Attorney
Corrupt alcoholic attorney Tom Cardigan is one of the best lawyers around, commanding the courtroom like a stage and often winning his cases. Mobster Valentine Powers, who employs Cardigan and put him through school, asks him to represent a woman, June Perry, accused of prostitution. Cardigan agrees. But he never expected to fall for her, which is problematic since he's angling to become governor and will need the right kind of wife.
Directed by George Archainbaud, State's Attorney leans on a strong ensemble — John Barrymore, Helen Twelvetrees, Jill Esmond — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1932.
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