Once again, if you don't know who Helen Twelvetrees is, then you had better get acquainted. She was a big star in the early thirties. With a name like "Twelvetrees", how is it I never heard of her before either?? I have now seen her in over 9 films, "State's Attorney" (1932), "A Woman of Experience" (1931), "Her Man" (1930), are just a few examples, with "A Woman of Experience" being excellent!
The reason I recommend this film is so you can experience the great acting job Helen Twelvetrees does in her transitioning between types of personalities in her life. It is almost as if she is playing four different characters.
First she plays a young innocent in love and blind to what she is getting into. Then she has to play cold and hard and a woman who would turn her own brother over to death row. Then she becomes crazed and frantic as she starts to see the error of her ways. And finally she does the best performance of all when she takes the witness stand and becomes a lady with no morals and brash.
The plot is "simple". She loves a man (Monroe Owsley) who is only after her for her money. Everyone sees it but Twelvetrees. Her father (played very well by Robert Warwick) forbids the marriage and so the Owsley takes her to a hotel over night, knowing it will ruin her reputation in society and her father will then force them to marry. Twelvetrees' brother (Robert Young) tries to help her out of the situation but she insists her lover is good and she loves him. Finally Young turns on Owsley and exposes him for the mercenary liar he is. The lover punches Young. Young returns with a gun and in a rage shoots the lover dead.
Twelvetrees, still in love, turns on her brother and says that she will see him go to the electric chair for what he has done. Lewis Stone plays the defense attorney for Young. But when Twelvetrees takes the stand and swears it was cold blooded murder, it looks dark for Young.
I won't spoil the end. Watching for the first time, I truly did not know if Twelvetrees was going to come through and do the right thing. You will have to see for yourself. It makes a good ending!
As a footnote, I have also been seeing a lot of Louise Beavers too in recent films. She makes an appearance in the court. It is a small part and almost unnecessary, but the studios seemed to like putting her in films wherever they could. They even had a publicity photo done with her behind Young that is not in the film. But it is good to see them promoting her either way.
So attend the intense court room drama and watch the Classy Classic called "Unashamed". You will LOVE Twelvetrees!
