In some ways a routine courtroom drama, but it goes beyond that. Tracy is terrific, doing his usual crusty cynic. The role has some depth to it, as the character is a struggling alcoholic who makes a mistake in a moment of weakness. The plot takes some interesting turns and goes into true noir territory in the third act. Alton's brilliant patches of light amidst deep, deep shadows look fantastic as always. Courtroom movies don't generally excite me, but this one is a cut above the usual fare.