This Side of the Law 1950

Overview

This Side of the Law is a 1950 American film noir directed by Richard L. Bare and starring Kent Smith, Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas, and Janis Paige. The film was released in the United States on June 17, 1950, with a runtime of one hour and fourteen minutes. The story follows a man who finds himself trapped in a cistern, leading him to reflect on the dark events that brought him to such lonely entrapment. Presented in flashback, the narrative depicts a chance encounter between the man and a nefarious lawyer. The lawyer persuades him to impersonate a wealthy man who has been missing for seven years. Additional details indicate the man is a drifter bailed out of jail by a lawyer who hires him to impersonate a millionaire until the individual can be declared legally dead and the estate can be settled, though he soon discovers complications.