User Reviews

This is actually a story of "father love", a rare topic in Hollywood movies, dealing with the oddest of movie fathers, a desperate alcoholic (Henry B. Walthall) who in the opening scene is scolded by a judge for being one of the finest actors in the American theater who has destroyed his life through booze. Teenaged son Leon Janney pleads for another chance for his father, just like Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland did in "A Star is Born" with Frederic March and James Mason, but despite Janney's trust in Walthall's determination to remain sober, he ends up in jail for six months thanks to becoming involved in a barroom brawl. That doesn't stop the big hearted Janney from continuing to fight for another chance for his father, and after telling off a movie mogul who won't give Walthall another chance, Janney finds himself offered the lead in a movie about.....get this....father love. Determined not to become a success without his actor father by his side, Janney pleads for the role of the father to go to his own dad, but after years of boozing it up, will Walthall be actually prepared to face his toughest assignment in front of the camera?

Where they got the title for this film is beyond me. There are only two scenes in a courtroom, and they only serve the purpose of moving the plot along. First, there's the establishment of loyal son Janney sacrificing everything for dad, and then, there's the scene of Walthall being sentenced. Everything in between shows the harshness of the acting profession, with Walthall going from well respected actor who has pretty much destroyed his life to a pitiful remnant of what he was before, cast in a small role in a movie, yet unable to finish his scenes due to obvious cirrhosis of the liver. Walthall then must take the only job available to him; Playing Abraham Lincoln at a traveling carnival, with his Gettysburg Address collecting a crowd even with carnival music in the background. Through it all, Walthall's character tries to retain all the dignity he can muster, and the actor delivers an outstanding performance. I'm sure the pathos involving son Janney must have had women crying their eyes out in the theater, but for as melodramatic and over the top as it is, it is also fortunately very touching. The ending scene is straight out of "A Star is Born" which was not originally made until five years after this poverty row drama was released.

Henry B. Walthall was one of D.W. Griffith's original band of stock players. When talkies came in he was kept extremely busy until his death in 1936, when his commanding presence and beautiful speaking voice made him the centre of attention no matter how small his part. His part in "Police Court" was no exception. Although he didn't have a great deal to say, his quiet dignity gave this movie a lot of class.

Morning at the Police Court and renowned actor, Nathanial Barry (Walthall) is charged with habitual drunkenness. Rushing into court is Junior (Leon Janney), Nat's son, who has just secured him a job in a movie, thus saving him from a spell in jail.

There is a fascinating look behind the scenes at Monogram. Audiences, then, just couldn't get enough of movies with a "movie" background. There is also a parade of yesterday's stars - Aileen Pringle (who had the female lead) in a role similar to that of Irene Rich's in "The Champ", Walter James, a silent villain, King Baggott (as the director), Paul Panzer (the original villain in "The Perils of Pauline" (1914)) and Al St. John as Nat's friend "Skid". Nat is given the role of a minister but after a few false starts he finds he can't go on. He then gets a job in a carnival where he is forced to dress up as Lincoln and recite the Gettysburg address - his integrity is pushed to the limit and only his son's unwavering belief helps him through.

When Junior does the rounds of various studios, trying to interest them in his father, after a particularly impassioned speech he is hired as an actor himself. Starting with great promise, he begins to forget his lines - the worry and stress involving his father (who is now in prison) is proving too much. The ending wouldn't have left a dry eye in the audience as Nat gets compassionate leave from prison (as well as his sick bed) to help Junior with a particularly heart felt scene in the "film within the film".

Leon Janney gave a good performance in "Police Court" and proved he was a talented juvenile. He was a child actor who didn't really achieve stardom. He had the lead in "Penrod and Sam" (1931) and was quite memorable as Lew Ayre's kid brother in "The Doorway to Hell" (1930) but was a bit too old to be a cute kid. He made an appearance in the "Our Gang" short "Bear Shooters" (1930) but at 13 seemed an unlikely candidate for "Our Gang" stardom.

Recommended.