I am shocked that this clunky; poorly acted, filmed and written; mediocre 72-minute film has been given generally 3-1/2 of 4 stars by the critics and in the user comments here. The final 5 or 10 minutes aside, the rest of the movie is not just not good, it is bad. It is an embarrassment in every way. You are in for a big disappointment to see this for the first time after seeing the high critical rating. I am not surprised that one hardly ever hears about this film, that there are virtually no external-newsgroup reviews, and that the user ratings are generally poor (ratings of either 6 or 7 are voted more often than 8 or 9 or 10).
The final 5 or 10 minutes were touching/tearful/rewarding, but don't make up for the dull previous hour. This must be a prime example of a film that did not age well. I rarely write film user reviews, but felt compelled to here. It doesn't live up to its build-up.
The beginning of the 72-minute movie dragged (the trip to Niagara falls), and the end part (confrontation with the kids, and trial) seemed rushed. I would recommend the movie solely for fans of Marie Dressler, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Purnell Pratt (Mr. Haskins, the Lawyer) did a commendable acting job.
The final 5 or 10 minutes were touching/tearful/rewarding, but don't make up for the dull previous hour. This must be a prime example of a film that did not age well. I rarely write film user reviews, but felt compelled to here. It doesn't live up to its build-up.
The beginning of the 72-minute movie dragged (the trip to Niagara falls), and the end part (confrontation with the kids, and trial) seemed rushed. I would recommend the movie solely for fans of Marie Dressler, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Purnell Pratt (Mr. Haskins, the Lawyer) did a commendable acting job.