Illegal

1955

1h 28m

Crime

Drama

List

Reviews

60%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A former district attorney (Edward G. Robinson) becomes a racketeer's lawyer and uses his client's mistress (Jayne Mansfield) to expose him.

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Kalvin Henely

Slant Magazine

Illegal derives its strength as a feminist picture rather than from its nominal interest in human-rights issues for illegal immigrants.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 22, 2011

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A vigorous performance from Edward G. Robinson.

Rated: B-

Oct 14, 2014

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Ed M

Standard crime drama. But it's Edward G. Robinson so it's interesting. (Plus a young Jayne Mansfield!)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/08/21

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ashley h

Illegal is a fantastic film. It is an overly aggressive district attorney who unknowingly sends an innocent man to the chair. Edward G. Robinson and Hugh Marlowe give superb performances. The screenplay is good but a little slow in places. Lewis Allen did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama. Illegal is a must see.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

One of my favorite Edward G. Robinson performances and a heck of a story. Unfortunately there's a couple of palm to the forehead scenes including the ending.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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jim b

Very good movie with Edward G. Robinson as an attorney. Shortly near the beginning of the movie, things go wrong for the prosecutor so he temporarily gives up before becoming a D.A. instead, a corrupt one. Some good drama. And Edward G. Robinson is great in this; this may not exactly be Scarlet Street or The Stranger, but it's a good movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

good remake & having Robinson seals the deal

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

With his charisma alone, Edward G. Robinson holds this film together despite the presence of a few familiar faces (Jayne Mansfield, Edward Platt, Albert Dekker). Apparently he was on the B-List after his run-in with HUAC and therefore relegated to some florid fare. Nevertheless, the film is pretty enjoyable, as Robinson turns from the winningest D. A. in history to mob mouthpiece after accidentally convicting an innocent man. He resorts to some excellent shock tactics in the courtroom. But of course, things eventually turn sour and he's stuck in the middle when his ex-aide is arrested for murder and the only way to save her is to betray the gang. Not the cream of the noir crop but it ain't bad either.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Lewis Allen

Director

Edward G. Robinson

Victor Scott

Nina Foch

Ellen Miles

Jayne Mansfield

Angel O'Hara

Hugh Marlowe

Ray Borden

Albert Dekker

Frank Garland

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Synopsis

A former district attorney (Edward G. Robinson) becomes a racketeer's lawyer and uses his client's mistress (Jayne Mansfield) to expose him.

Director: Lewis Allen
Screenwriter: W. R. Burnett, James R. Webb
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 1h 28m

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