Enjoyable programmer from Columbia, with Edward G. Robinson on loan-out from Warners, leaves a lot of drama on the table, but still comes across. Eddie G., much loved law Prof., ditches his year-long sabbatical to take on warring Protection Rackets as special city prosecutor. Only problem, powerful local D.A. Otto Kruger, who tasked him with the assignment, is a major behind the scenes player and only hired the good Professor because he’s sure this naive university guy will fail.* But the joke’s on the crooked D.A., since Robinson turns out to be a pitbull as investigator and worse, has the D.A.’s son on board as top assistant. Well handled by journeyman director Alexander Hall (a faceless technician easy to mix up with the more interesting H. C. Potter), the film skims past inconsistencies & story gaps, stopping for a couple of nifty set pieces that find Eddie G. slugging it out with hired thugs twice his size and for a riotous ‘Big Apple’ turn on the dance floor. Eddie G. kicking up a rug . . . who knew? Fun.
DOUBLE-BILL/SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *Call it MR. UNDERESTIMATED; the guy who doesn’t realize he’s only been hired because his opponents are certain he’ll fail . . . then shows 'em up by beating them at their own game. A much favored Hollywood plot: see THE VERDICT/’82 (Paul Newman; dir. Sidney Lumet; script David Mamet) for a classy example of the form.
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