The Defense Rests

This article is about the film. For the television episode, see The Defense Rests (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). For the radio program, see Defense Attorney.

The Defense Rests (or Take the Witness) is a 1934 American film directed by Lambert Hillyer^[1] and starring Jack Holt, Jean Arthur,^[2] and Nat Pendleton. The movie was produced in May 1934 and released on 15 July 1934.^[3][4][5][6]

The Defense Rests
Lobby card
Directed by	Lambert Hillyer
Written by	Jo Swerling
Produced by	Robert North
Starring	Jack Holt Jean Arthur Nat Pendleton Arthur Hohl Raymond Walburn Harold Huber
Edited by	John Rawlins
Music by	Edward Bernds
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	July 15, 1934 (1934-07-15)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• Jack Holt as Matthew Mitchell
• Jean Arthur as Joan Hayes
• Nat Pendleton as Rocky
• Arthur Hohl as James Randolph
• Raymond Walburn as Austin
• Harold Huber as Castro
• Robert Gleckler as Gentry
• Sarah Padden as Mrs. Evans
• Shirley Grey as Mabel Wilson
• Donald Meek as Fogg
• Raymond Hatton as Nick
• Ward Bond as Good
• John Wray as Cooney
• Vivian Oakland as Mrs. Ballou
• Selmer Jackson as Duffy
• J. Carrol Naish as Ballou
• Samuel S. Hinds as Dean Adams
• Lydia Knott as Patient

Reception

Lobby card

"The story is interestingly woven and its telling is sufficiently swift to hold the visitor's interest," wrote The New York Times. "Mr. Holt and Miss Arthur are about as usual, which is to say they do all that can be reasonably expected of their rôles. Nat Pendleton as Rocky, Mitchell's bodyguard, comes through with the comic relief."^[7]

References

1. Lucia, Cynthia (January 2010). Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-77824-5. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
2. Giglio, Ernest D. (2005). Here's Looking at You: Hollywood, Film & Politics. Peter Lang. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-8204-7099-3. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
3. "The Defense Rests". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. afi.com. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
4. "The Defense Rests (1934) Directed by Lambert Hillyer". UCLA Film and Television Archive. cinema.ucla.edu. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
5. "THE DEFENSE RESTS(1934) ALSO KNOWN AS: TAKE THE WITNESS". Turner Classic Movies. tcm.com. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
6. Bergman, Paul; Asimow, Michael (April 2006). Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 216. ISBN 978-0-7407-5460-9. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
7. F.S.N. (August 16, 1934). "The Defense Rests (1934) Criminal Lawyer". The New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved 22 December 2015.

External links

• The Defense Rests at IMDb