Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Crime film

This Side of the Law (1950): Cast & Plot

This Side of the Law (1950) movie poster

This Side of the Law is a 1950 crime film directed by Richard L. Bare, starring Kent Smith as David Cummins, Robert Douglas and Viveca Lindfors. It runs 1 hour 14 minutes.

Loading streaming availability…
This Side of the Law (1950) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 14m (74 min)
Director
Richard L. Bare
Genre
Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is This Side of the Law About?

The premise of This Side of the Law without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A man finds himself trapped in a cistern, forced to confront the sinister chain of events that led to his confinement. Through flashbacks we see his fateful meeting with a corrupt lawyer who convinces him to assume the identity of a wealthy man who vanished seven years earlier, setting off a treacherous deception.

This Side of the Law Themes & Keywords

· 40 tags
  • guard dog
  • missing person
  • country estate
  • cistern
  • millionaire
  • murder
  • lawyer
  • brother brother relationship
  • impostor
  • deception
  • crooked lawyer
  • impersonation
+28 more
  • escape
  • told in flashback
  • begins with voice over narration by lead character
  • pistol whipped
  • pushed off a cliff
  • shootout
  • loss of husband
  • vagrancy
  • marriage
  • based on short story
  • narration
  • piano
  • diner
  • skeleton
  • forgery
  • doppelganger
  • solitaire
  • gate
  • loss of wife
  • slapped in the face
  • drifter
  • sheriff
  • secret
  • police officer
  • infidelity
  • frame up
  • courtroom
  • b movie
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

This Side of the Law Cast & Characters

Kent Smith leads the cast as David Cummins, with Robert Douglas as Philip Cagle and Viveca Lindfors as Evelyn Taylor. Directed by Richard L. Bare; 9 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in This Side of the Law

· 5 more
From the director

More from Richard L. Bare

More films directed by Richard L. Bare: Wicked, Wicked, This Rebel Breed, Shoot-Out At Medicine Bend and So Your Wife Wants to Work.

Full filmography
Plot

This Side of the Law Plot Summary

What happens in This Side of the Law from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

David Cummins is trapped in a dry cistern, wondering whether death will come to him there. A flashback to a week earlier unfolds the sequence of misfortunes that landed him in this perilous hole, tracing the uneasy path from street-born despair to a life-changing, high-stakes impersonation.

Full summary

The whole story of This Side of the Law, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

This Side of the Law Trailers & Videos

The trailer of This Side of the Law.

This Side Of The Law - 1950 HD Film Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know This Side of the Law?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the vagrant compelled to impersonate the missing heir?

Cars

Cars in This Side of the Law

7 cars on screen, including the 1941 Buick Special and the 1940 Buick Special.

All 7 cars
  • 1941 Buick Special in This Side of the Law 1941 Buick Special Important role
  • 1940 Buick Special in This Side of the Law 1940 Buick Special Minor role
  • 1936 De Soto Airstream in This Side of the Law 1936 De Soto Airstream Minor role
  • 1949 Mercury Convertible in This Side of the Law 1949 Mercury Convertible Minor role
Details

This Side of the Law Also Known As

Also known as “Gangster ohne Gnade”.

Also known as
  • Gangster ohne Gnade

Seen This Side of the Law?

FAQ

This Side of the Law FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of This Side of the Law, each answered in a sentence.

How long is This Side of the Law?

This Side of the Law runs 1 hour 14 minutes (74 minutes).

When was This Side of the Law released?

This Side of the Law was released on June 17, 1950.

Who directed This Side of the Law?

This Side of the Law was directed by Richard L. Bare.

More films by Richard L. Bare

Who is in the cast of This Side of the Law?

This Side of the Law stars Kent Smith as David Cummins, Robert Douglas as Philip Cagle and Viveca Lindfors as Evelyn Taylor, among 9 credited actors.

Does This Side of the Law have a post-credit scene?

No. This Side of the Law has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app