A Woman is the Judge

Twenty years earlier, Mary Cabot had lost contact with her infant daughter Justine. Now a grown woman, Justine accidentally shoots a man who'd impugned the reputation of her mother, whom she's never met. As luck would have it, the presiding judge at Justine's trial is none other than Mary Cabot.

Directed by Nick Grindé, A Woman is the Judge leans on a strong ensemble — Frieda Inescort, Otto Kruger, Rochelle Hudson — 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 1939.