On Trial (1939 film) explained

On Trial
Director:	Terry O. Morse
Screenplay:	Don Ryan
Based On:	On Trial (1914 play) by Elmer Rice
Starring:	Margaret Lindsay Edward Norris
Music:	Cecil Luskin Bob Ross
Cinematography:	L. William O'Connell
Editing:	James Gibbon
Studio:	Warner Bros.
Distributor:	Warner Bros.
Runtime:	61-62, or 65, minutes
Country:	United States
Language:	English

On Trial is a 1939 drama film directed by Terry O. Morse and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. It is based on the 1914 Broadway play by Elmer Rice. Warners had previously filmed Rice's play in 1928 as an early talkie, also called On Trial, and, earlier, in 1917, Essanay Studios had made a silent version with the same title.^[1]

Cast

• Margaret Lindsay as Mae Strickland
• John Litel as Robert Strickland
• Edward Norris as William Arbuckle
• Janet Chapman as Doris Strickland
• James Stephenson as Gerald Trask
• Nedda Harrigan as Joan Trask
• Larry Williams as Glover
• William B. Davidson as Gray

• Earl Dwire as Judge
• Gordon Hart as Dr. Morgan
• Kenneth Harlan as John Trumbell, juror 3
• Vera Lewis as Mrs. Leeds, juror 8
• Nat Carr as Clerk
• Stuart Holmes as Mr. Summers, juror 6
• Charles Trowbridge as Henry Dean
• Sidney Bracey as Joe Burke

Production

The working title for the film was "The Strickland Case", and it was originally intended to be directed by William McGann.

Preservation status

This film is preserved in the Library of Congress collection.^[2]

Notes and References

1. http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2931/On-Trial/notes.html "Notes"
2. [American Film Institute]