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The Woman Under Oath
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Wikipedia article
'The Woman Under Oath' is a 1919 American silent mystery film directed by John M. Stahl and starring stage star Florence Reed. As with the previous Stahl and Reed film, 'Her Code of Honor', it was produced by Tribune Productions and released by United Picture Theatres of America Incorporated.[http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=15656 The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: 'The Woman Under Oath']
The film survives today at the BFI National Archive.[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.mbrs.sfdb.366/default.html The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: 'The Woman Under Oath']
Plot
As described in a film magazine, Edith Norton (McAvoy), hearing of the pending marriage of her betrayer Edward Knox (Powell), urges him to right the wrong he has done her. He refuses, so her sister Grace (Reed) shoots and kills him. Jim O'Neil (Hughes), who has come gunning for the man for a similar reason involving his fianc Helen (Cheshire), is accused of the crime when he is discovered standing over the body. The police use a particularly disgusting third degree interrogation to drag a confession from the innocent man. He is brought to trial and Grace is drawn on the jury. At trial the six shooter is brandished per custom before the accused and jury with the usual effect. The circumstantial evidence convinces the eleven men on the jury that the defendant is guilty, but Grace holds out for acquittal. The judge directs that the jury be locked in for the night on Christmas Eve, and the men on the jury try to convince her of the man's guilt, but she is obdurate. Then a telegram arrives which informs her of her sister's death. Grace tells her story, and the men change their votes to "not guilty".
Cast
*Florence Reed as Grace Norton
*Hugh Thompson as John Schuyler
*Gareth Hughes as Jim O'Neil
*David Powell as Edward Knox
*Florida Kingsley as Mrs. O'Neil
*Mildred Cheshire as Helen
*May McAvoy as Edith Norton
*Harold Entwistle as The Judge
*Tom McGuire as District Attorney (credited as Thomas McGuire)
*Walter McEwen as Defense Attorney
*Edward Brennan as Clerk of the Court
*Frank De Camp as Jury Foreman
*Edward Elkas as A Juror (credited as Edward Elkus)
*Jane Jennings
References
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