Btexxamar I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Skyler Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

vincentlynch-moonoi This is a bit of an unusual film. First, it's loosely based on the trial and lynching of Leo Frank after the murder of Mary Phagan back in 1913. The film is really about prejudice. First prejudice against Blacks when the custodian of the school where the Mary Phagan character was murdered (and raped?). Second against Jews when the teacher is, instead, accused, tried, and lynched.The cast is interesting. Claude Rains plays the district attorney, and I am not impressed with his performance here. Ir's so unlike how we usually see Rains that it just doesn't work; and I say that as a person who usually like Rains very much.Edward Norris plays the professor ultimately accused of the crime. He seems pretty good for the part. Norris didn't have a very prolific career, but his performance here works quite well. They do a nice job here with the character who appears to be innocent, but who says things and acts in little ways that would lead some people to think he is guilty.Otto Kruger as Michael Gleason Allyn Joslyn, a character actor who usually did nicely in comedy, is here as a reporter, but I wasn't very impressed.Gloria Dickson, who in real life died in a fire after a short career in films, does reasonably nicely as the charged husband's wife.The murdered girl is played by none other than Lana Turner. Of course, she doesn't last long, but it was a decent start to her career.One of my favorite character actors -- Otto Kruger -- aptly plays the defense attorney.Elisha Cook has a small role, and one that is rather different than his typical one. A nice contrast, though not overly important to the film.Clinton Rosemond is excellent as the "Negro" janitor, although the part he plays is very stereotypical in the way that it portrays Blacks of the era. Nevertheless, it is an honorable acting performance.Elisabeth Risdon plays the convicted murderer's mother; a very dependable and recognizable character actress.Aside from the murder case itself, an important aspect of the film was that it took place in the South, thus implying that Southerners were bigots (no comment as to whether that's an appropriate observation; you decide). Of course you have the 2 racial aspects (a Black man and then a Jew -- although the Jewish angle is not tackled here), and then because the Jewish character (in the real life case) is an educated man from the North. This substitution of a White man from the North instead of a Jew is emphasized at the beginning of the film with the Confederate soldiers who would appear to play and important role in the film...but then do not at all. The wonderful Harry Davenport plays one of the old soldiers, though it is a terribly small part. The other aspect of this film that is done quite nicely is the small town environment where rumors spread like wildfire, which eventually lead to a lynching.An interesting footnote -- at the beginning of the film there is a rather dramatically highlighted statement assuring viewers that the characters in the film do not represent any person, living or deceased. While in reality, of course they do.Keeping in mind that this film was made in 1937, there's not a lot wrong with this picture. A little old-fashioned, to be sure. You'll laugh at how fast the train is moving in one scene, but that's minor stuff. And, some of the Southern accents here are rather questionable (in fact, that's probably the biggest problem with Claude Rains' performance). But don't let that stop you from watching this film.In my internal rating system, a good film gets a "7". It takes a "Gone With The Wind" or "Ben Hur" film to get a "10", and something just a tad lighter to get a "9". So an "8", which I am giving this film, is more than just a "good" film, but a VERY good film. Recommended.

sdave7596 "They Won't Forget" released in 1937, is a hard-hitting look at prejudice and North versus South politics. A young student in a business school (Lana Turner, in her first role) is killed. Fingers soon point to her school teacher from up North (Edward Norris). Whether or not he is guilty seems not to matter to the residents of this small southern town. Claude Rains has a stellar role here as the prosecutor you love to hate, a man who has high political ambitions and wants to bring a conviction no matter who has to to hang for it. Clearly there is nothing but circumstantial evidence against the teacher, something a lawyer (Otto Kruger) from New York points out. He comes to the southern town to defend the teacher, as the case has received national attention. A sleazy newspaper guy who is in league with the prosecutor makes certain the case stays in the headlines, leading to massive rumors and speculation about the man's guilt. This is not an uplifting movie, and I found myself getting outraged while watching it. But this is what Warner Brothers often did in the 1930's -- while MGM was focused on glitz and glamour, Warner's was down in the streets and bringing us great social commentary films like this one. And I think it is quite daring by 1937 standards. The performances are good ones. Rains has a tough time hiding his British accent, but he fascinates anyway. Norris is adequate as the school teacher, although he never had much of a career. Lana Turner was probably all of 16 or 17 here, and a real beauty, and we can already see glimpses of why she became the star she did.

Michael_Elliott They Won't Forget (1937) **** (out of 4) Terrific Warner drama about a school teacher (Edward Norris) from the North who's working in the South when one of his students his murdered. The local D.A. (Claude Rains), wanting to rise in the political game, charges the teacher with the murder not because of evidence but because the Southerners think he's guilty due to being from the North. I've been wanting to see this film for many years now after hearing so much about it and it certainly didn't let me down. I think the courtroom drama is probably my favorite genre and this here ranks with the very best out there. What really stands out are the performances, which are all excellent. Norris doesn't stand out in the crowd but he delivers a very somber performance. The real standout is Gloria Dickson as his wife. The final speech she gives is quite chilling and very memorable. Rains also gives a great performance, although I think he goes a bit over the top in a couple of the courtroom scenes. Lana Turner, in her screen debut, also comes off very memorable especially with her "giggle" as she walks down the street in that tight sweater. Mervyn LeRoy does a great job at building all the suspense and anger that surrounds the controversy of the case, which is based on a true story. After watching this film as well as Mississippi Burning this year it's rather amazing to know this stuff happened within the last one-hundred years.

dougdoepke "They Won't Forget" and neither will you if you've seen this chilling depression-era drama based on an actual murder case. Some of the scenes are so real, they're scary. One look at gimlet-eyed Trevor Bardette with a voice from the grave is like seeing death incarnate and enough to freeze a platoon of marines in their tracks. Then there's hapless Clinton Rosemon, his pleas for mercy so achingly real, they echo across generations of tormented black souls. Also not to be overlooked is the bereaved Gloria Dickson. Her righteous anger at movie's end is so heart-felt, I expect it probably was. Together with the wily District Attorney Claude Rains, there's an uncommon authority to this searing drama of justice gone wrong. There's also an uncommon richness of detail. The script, for all its sprawl, remains tight and unrelenting, a genuine testament to writers Rossen and Kandel. Then too, producer Le Roy pulled out all the stops and the results show it. No one acts without apparent reason. Everyone has understandable motivations for doing what they do. That's why the upshot is so tragic. It's as though there's an on-rushing train nobody can stop because the momentum is carried by an infernal logic greater than the demands of justice. Despite appearances, it's not an anti-lynching film, though it is that. Rather, it's a down and dirty look at the cynical roots of injustice. From lowly pool hall to lofty city council, no one wants to convict an innocent man, but then no one much cares either. This movie stands as a fine example of why Warner Bros. was the studio of record during the stressed-out 1930's. Anyway, for guys who don't like the gloomy theme, there's always the chance to catch Lana Turner as she juggles two balloons while sashaying up the sidewalk in the film's most famous scene. All in all-- a classic of 30's social realism, with Hollywood at its unapologetic best.