Star Witness (1931)
Movie Info
Star Witness starts out as a homey family comedy and develops into a rather gutsy thriller. Chic Sale plays a cantankerous Civil War veteran who, while visiting his family, witnesses a gangland shooting. The rest of the family also gets a good look at the gang boss (Ralph Ince) and everyone agrees to testify in court. But the criminals terrorize the father (Grant Mitchell), after failing to bribe him. To insure pa's silence, his son (Dickie Moore) is kidnaped But Grandpa is not easily cowed, and it is he who goes before the jury to expose the crooks. He also engineers the rescue of his grandson (a surprisingly credible sequence). Star Witness was remade as I Am Not Afraid in 1939, with updated dialogue equating American gangsters with Hitler and Mussolini.
Cast
Walter Huston
as Dist. Atty. Whitlock
as Dist. Atty. Whitlock
Sally Blane
as Sue Leeds
as Sue Leeds
Frances Starr
as Ma Leeds
as Ma Leeds
Grant Mitchell
as Pa Leeds
as Pa Leeds
Charles "Chic" Sale
as Grandad Summerville
as Grandad Summerville
Eddie Nugent
as Jackie Leeds
as Jackie Leeds
Ralph Ince
as Maxey Campo
as Maxey Campo
Dickie Moore
as Donny Leeds
as Donny Leeds
George Ernest
as Ned Leeds
as Ned Leeds
Russell Hopton
as Deputy Thorpe
as Deputy Thorpe
Tom Dugan
as Brown
as Brown
Robert Elliott
as Williams
as Williams
Fletcher Norton
as Dopey
as Dopey
Guy D'Ennery
as Jack Short
as Jack Short
Noel Madison
as Horan
as Horan
Mike Donlin
as Mickey
as Mickey
Edgar Dearing
as Sackett
as Sackett
Nat Pendleton
as Big Jack
as Big Jack
George Irving
as Judge
as Judge
Allan Lane
as Clerk
as Clerk
William Wellman
as Company Workman
as Company Workman
Critic Reviews for Star Witness
All Critics (2) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (1)
...a mostly underwhelming drama...
May 9, 2021 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
Good performances keep things watchable.
October 15, 2015 | Rating: B- | Full Review…
Audience Reviews
There are no featured reviews for Star Witness at this time.
Star Witness Quotes
There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.