Cora Witherspoon Movies

The old "If it were your own daughter" plot device forms the basis of the independently-produced crime melodrama Midnight. O.P. Heggie plays jury foreman Edward Weldon, who has no qualms about sentencing a woman to death for a crime of passion. His unpopular decision makes Weldon persona non grata even in his own home, but he sticks to his firm belief that all murderers must pay the supreme penalty, no matter what the provocation. He soon has cause to regret his intractability when his own daughter Stella (Sidney Fox) kills a former lover who betrayed her. In addition to Humphrey Bogart, who plays the small but memorable role of one of the murder victims, this New York-filmed oddity also features such Broadway-bred talent as Margaret Wycherly, Henry Hull, Granville Bates, Helen Flint, and, in their film debuts, Lynne Overman and Richard Whorf. Midnight was later reissued by Astor Films as Call it Murder to cash in on Bogart's latter-day popularity (Bogie was also "promoted" to top billing in the refilmed opening credits). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a novel by Barry Fleming, Colonel Effingham's Raid stars Charles Coburn in the title role. Upon retiring from the army, Effingham returns to his home town of Fredericksville, Georgia. Dismayed by the town's paucity of civic pride, the Colonel begins writing a newspaper column honoring Fredericksville's old traditions and chastizing those who would tear those traditions down. His pet peeve is the city administration's plan to rename Confederate Square after the pompous, mildly corrupt town mayor (Thurston Hall). When it seems that his protests are falling upon deaf ears, Colonel Effingham literally stage a "military assault" against City Hall, which in real life would get him thrown in the looney bin but which in a whimsical comedy of this nature results in a smashing success for the "good guys". If Colonel Effingham's Raid seems to be popping up on TV at a rate of once a day, it is because the film lapsed into public domain in 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Dangerous Number of the title is madcap showgirl Elinor (Ann Sothern). Notorious throughout Manhattan for her zany antics, Elinor is also quite a handful for her conservative husband Hank (Robert Young). In addition, Hank must contend with the heroine's flamboyant ex-burlesque queen mother Gypsey (Cora Witherspoon). Not that Hank's family is anything to write home about; the most eccentric member of his clan is cousin William (Reginald Owen), who has lost one girlfriend after another because he refuses to shave off his beard. Trying very, very hard to qualify as a "screwball" comedy, Dangerous Number succeeds about three-fourths of the time. PS: This was Ann Sothern's first starring assignment at MGM. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This landmark western -- which, along with Stagecoach, has often been credited with revitalizing what had become a stagnant genre -- stars Errol Flynn as Wade Hatton, a cattle man who arrives in the frontier community of Dodge City, which is overrun by footloose cowboys and outlaws. When Hatton helps Dodge City lawmen capture a gang of cattle rustlers led by Jeff Surrett (Bruce Cabot), he's asked to help guide a wagon train into town with his friends Rusty Hart (Alan Hale, Sr.) and Tex Baird (Guinn Williams). En route, an impulsive young cowpoke named Lee Irving (William Lundigan) needlessly fires off his pistol, sparking a cattle stampede that leads to his death. When Hatton and his men arrive in Dodge, they discover Surrett is once again at large, and his gang has taken over the city. Appointed the city's new sheriff, Hatton is determined to clean up the town and put the outlaws out of business. In his rare moments off duty, Hatton tries to win the affections of Abbie Irving (Olivia de Havilland), but she believes that Hatton is responsible for the death of her brother Lee; Hatton's habit of flirting with dance hall girl Ruby Gilman (Ann Sheridan) does nothing to improve her opinion of him. A solid box office hit, Dodge City was the first of a series of westerns for swashbuckling star Flynn; his next oater, Virginia City, followed in 1940. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Though Wendy Barrie never quite achieved stardom in A pictures, she could always count on top billing in Hollywood's B product. In PRC's Follies Girl, Barrie plays dress designer Anne Merriday, who becomes the object of middle-aged millionaire J. B. Hamlin's (J.C. Nugent) affections. To save his dad from throwing his life away on a supposed golddigger, Hamlin's son, Army private Jerry Hamlin (Gordon Oliver), begins courting Anne-and, of course, falls genuinely in love with her himself. Meanwhile, the rogueish J.B. tries to mount a Broadway burlesque show, with costumes designed by Our Heroine. The titular "Follies Girl" is burlesque queen Francine La Rue (Doris Nolan), who never strips when singing will do (worse luck for the male moviegoers of the era!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This low-budget musical drama is based on the famous song and tells the story of Frankie, a cat-house singer (famed singer Helen Morgan), and the naive country boy Johnny who comes to St. Louis to seek his fortune. They fall in love and marry. Unfortunately, the country boy learns fast and soon begins fooling around with the sexy Nellie Bly. It is a tragic mistake, for when Frankie tires of his philandering she opts to stop Johnny with a bullet. Before she can do the deed though, another beats her to it. The fact that this picture was shelved for two years explains the presence of Lilyan Tashman, who died in the interim. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, a milquetoast office clerk is forcibly betrothed to a woman by her overbearing mother. The trouble begins when the man buys a rather erotic statue of a woman. The mother and her daughter are so appalled that they leave. The man loves his statue and soon learns that the model is the daughter of a prominent senator. More trouble ensues when the sculpture becomes the object of a blackmailing scheme. The crooks keep trying to get hold of it, but the clever clerk consistently outwits them. In the end, his gallant efforts win the respect and love of the pretty model. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

As its fortunes grew in the mid-1940s, Republic Pictures occasionally strayed from its usual manifest of westerns and serials, hoping to produce something of "class." Filmed on a lavish budget in glorious Technicolor, Republic's I've Always Loved You stars Philip Dorn as a tyrannical symphony conductor and Catherine McLeod as his gifted young pianist protegee. In his own way, Dorn loves McLeod, but it is he who destroys her career by browbeating her mercilessly during her Carnegie Hall debut. Effortlessly stealing the film from the leads are Maria Ouspenskaya as one "Mme. Goronoff" and comedy relief Fritz Feld. The plot of I've Always Loved You is rather derivative of several like-vintage British "concerto" films, but the classical music passages, performed by piano virtuoso Artur Rubinstein, are well worth the admission price. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just Around the Corner is the film in which little Shirley Temple ends the Depression all by herself! The story starts realistically enough, with 10-year-old Penny Hale (Temple) sharing a basement apartment with her widowed father Jeff (Charles Farrell, in his final Fox film). Once a prosperous architect, Jeff has been working as a hotel janitor-engineer ever since the Wall Street Crash. Ordered by pompous hotel concierge Waters (Franklin Pangborn) to keep her place, Penny nonetheless has fun wandering the lobbies of the posh establishment under the watchful and protective eyes of her friends, Kitty the maid (Joan Davis), Gus the chauffeur (Bert Lahr) and Corporal Jones the doorman (Bill Robinson). Having been told by her dad that the only person who can pull the country out of the Depression is Uncle Sam, Penny becomes convinced that goateed billionaire tycoon S. G. Henshaw (Claude Gillingwater Sr.) is Uncle Sam come to life. Charming her way into the heart of the irascible Henshaw, Penny convinces him to help the economy get started again. Not only does Uncle Sam accomplish this by creating thousands of new jobs, but he also manages to give Penny's father Jeff a new start in life, much to the delight of Jeff's sweetheart Lola (Amanda Duff). The film's highlights are Shirley Temple's always-delightul dance duets with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson; less easy to take when seen today is the closing "Buttons and Epaulets" production number, performed by a chorus of servile blacks. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Edna May Oliver portrays a society dowager called for jury duty on a murder trial wherein a pretty young woman is accused of killing her older husband. She takes her job quite seriously, and soon is playing both "prosecutor" and "DA" with judge and witnesses alike. In this unorthodox but highly entertaining fashion, Ms. Oliver gets to the truth and exposes the genuine murderer before the final fade-out. Incidentally, despite the title, there are gentlemen on the jury, but all eyes are on the formidable Ms. Oliver. Ladies of the Jury was remade in 1937 as We're on the Jury, with Helen Broderick in the Edna May Oliver role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sam Wood directed this fourth version of the Alexandre Bisson weeper, buffed to a high gloss by shimmering M.G.M. production values. Gladys George plays Jacqueline Fleuriot this time around, the wife of a diplomat who has an affair and is compelled to leave her husband and son. After abandoning her family, she sinks into a sea of debauchery, becoming involved in prostitution, blackmail, and eventually murder. After the murder, her son Raymond (John Beal), now a grown man and a famous lawyer, is called upon to defend her. Unaware that the woman he is defending is his long lost mother, Jacqueline tries to hide her past from her successful son. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Director Roy Del Ruth and singing star Dick Powell were raided from the Warner Bros. stables for this frothy musical comedy that features a wonderful collection of Irving Berlin songs, including "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and "Slumming on Park Avenue." Powell stars as Broadway impresario Gary Blake, who is busy putting together his latest Broadway musical starring the Ritz Brothers (as themselves) and musical comedy star Mona Merrick (Alice Faye). Mona's role as "The Richest Girl in the World" is a blunt burlesque of Park Avenue socialite Mimi Caraway (Madeleine Carroll), who catches a performance and becomes enraged at the not-so-subtle ribbing. Mimi goes backstage to protest Mona's performance to Gary, who is immediately attracted to Mimi and agrees to tone down the role. Unfortunately, Mona, who was once Gary's girlfriend, has other ideas. When Mimi and her family come to the next performance, they are shocked to discover Mona's character is even more nasty and self-centered than before. In retaliation, Mimi and her family buy out the production and Mimi makes changes that even the moony Gary objects to. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide