The People Against O'Hara (1951)

Director: John Sturges

Starring: Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien, Diana Lynn, John Hodiak, Eduardo Ciannelli, James Arness, Richard Anderson, Paul Frees, Strother Martin, Charles Bronson

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Spencer Tracy against sisiter forces that prey on youth!

Plot: James Curtayne has retired from law but he returns to defend John O'Hara on a murder charge. Curtayne's drinking and rustiness result in O'Hara's being found guilty, but Curtayne makes further efforts to prove him innocent.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Nah, once was fine.

#2 on Project: Badass Charles Bronson

BRONSON'S AGE: 30
LEVEL OF BADASSICITY (10 being the highest): 5

Here's a good film noir/crime/courtroom drama picture that touches on dealing with alcoholism. Sounds like a blast, right? Huh. Spencer Tracy always brings it and does a fine job as the lawyer who vows to save an innocent man in court. I have no personal experience with dealing with an alcoholic, except my chihuahua who comes home liquored up every once in a while after whoring around all hours of the night, but how they deal with it in this picture is pretty effective. Don't let that get you down because it's mostly a crime drama with coppers and hoodlums and even a few flying bullets.


The real reason to watch this is because it's Badass Charles Bronson's second movie. He doesn't have nearly as much to do as he did in YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951) but he's at least got a couple of words.

Did ya see how he almost kicked his own mother's ass? Bronson's not afraid of anyone. I'm willing to bet a C-note that in his bowl was broken glass and roofing tacks. Anyone care to dispute that? I didn't think so.