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Illegal

1955 1h 28m Crime Drama List
Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
A former district attorney (Edward G. Robinson) becomes a racketeer's lawyer and uses his client's mistress (Jayne Mansfield) to expose him.
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Illegal

Critics Reviews

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Kalvin Henely Slant Magazine Illegal derives its strength as a feminist picture rather than from its nominal interest in human-rights issues for illegal immigrants. Rated: 2/4 Mar 22, 2011 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews A vigorous performance from Edward G. Robinson. Rated: B- Oct 14, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ed M Standard crime drama. But it's Edward G. Robinson so it's interesting. (Plus a young Jayne Mansfield!) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/08/21 Full Review ashley h Illegal is a fantastic film. It is an overly aggressive district attorney who unknowingly sends an innocent man to the chair. Edward G. Robinson and Hugh Marlowe give superb performances. The screenplay is good but a little slow in places. Lewis Allen did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama. Illegal is a must see. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member One of my favorite Edward G. Robinson performances and a heck of a story. Unfortunately there's a couple of palm to the forehead scenes including the ending. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member good remake & having Robinson seals the deal Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member With his charisma alone, Edward G. Robinson holds this film together despite the presence of a few familiar faces (Jayne Mansfield, Edward Platt, Albert Dekker). Apparently he was on the B-List after his run-in with HUAC and therefore relegated to some florid fare. Nevertheless, the film is pretty enjoyable, as Robinson turns from the winningest D. A. in history to mob mouthpiece after accidentally convicting an innocent man. He resorts to some excellent shock tactics in the courtroom. But of course, things eventually turn sour and he's stuck in the middle when his ex-aide is arrested for murder and the only way to save her is to betray the gang. Not the cream of the noir crop but it ain't bad either. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Illegal puts Edward G. through more perils than Pauline ever suffered...Some legal two-step, and a potboiler plot--An intelligent and nimble little crackerjack of a crime thriller... Illegal is Legally Vintage Edward G. Robinson!! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Illegal

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis A former district attorney (Edward G. Robinson) becomes a racketeer's lawyer and uses his client's mistress (Jayne Mansfield) to expose him.
Director
Lewis Allen
Producer
Frank P. Rosenberg
Screenwriter
W. R. Burnett, James R. Webb
Production Co
Warner Bros.
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 28m
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