Silent Witness (1943) Online

And this little Monogram offering has some Hollywood lineage included as Ace the Wonder Dog ( real name: Lightning, Jr.) was the son of Lightning ("Case of the Howling Dog")and great-grandson of Strongheart of silent film fame...all from the kennels of trainer Earl Johnson. Ace's first film was "Blind Alibi" in which the paw-print on the contract was as Lightning Jr., but Junior or Earl Johnson liked the name of the dog character featured in "Blind Alibi" so much that Junior was renamed Ace the Wonder Dog.

Documentation? Of course there is documentation. But will not cite it here as part of an experiment to see just how fast some copier will add this to Trivia despite having no idea whether it is factual or not. I give it two days.

Ace the Wonder Dog plays a pivotal role as the plot of this one unwinds: District Attorney Holden (Bradley Page, usually found on the other side of the law)and his special investigator Betty Higgins (Maris Wrixon)are trying to convict Joe (Milburn Stone) and Lou Manson (Anthony Warde), silk-racket hoods, after they are indicted for murder. Their attorney, Bruce Strong (Frank Albertson), gets them off when the testimony given by Mrs. Roos (Evelyn Brent)proves to be perjured. (The Judge might have also had grounds for throwing out the case if he had known that their defender Bruce and prosecutor Betty were sweethearts.)

Carlos (Jimmy Eagles), one of the Manson gang members, rightfully thinks he is not getting his rightful cut, and when he opines this out loud to the Mansons, they are so hurt by this accusation from a long-time employee and decide, sans consulting with their Human Resources department, that this is grounds for termination. Extreme. They decide to dismiss him from the company by shooting him dead. This they do but not before he hangs on long enough to crawl to Holden's office and file a discrimination or show-cause suit, or something along the usual lines of a disgruntled ex-employee.

The Mansons, none too bright to begin with, call Bruce and tell him that one of their gang has squealed and that they are going after the District Attorney. Bruce, none too bright himself, tries to track down the D.A. and warn him, and follows him in his car as the D.A. goes out looking for the Mansons. The D.A. is killed when the Mansons run his car off the road, but his dog Ace (Ace the Wonder Dog, formerly Lightning, Jr.)bites Lou and is shot during this melee. Some rancher's children find the wounded Ace and take him home with them. (Ace will return.) Bruce is near the scene at the time, and the Mansons plant the gun used to dismiss Carlos in his car. Bruce is indicted and convicted of the murder. But true-blue Betty is convinced he is innocent---albeit dumber than a rock---and sets out to proves his innocence. Ace makes a comeback and is instrumental in helping her accomplish this task.

Other highly recommended films starring Ace the Wonder Dog include:"War Dog," "Rookie Cop," "Boy of the Streets," "Girl From Alaska" and "Heart of the North."

Frank Albertson plays a criminal defense attorney who is very good at getting his clients off, As long as it's legal he'll do what ever it takes to get his clients off. This doesn't sit well with his girlfriend who works with the DA. She breaks up with him because he won't give up his practice. As things to get busy with clients coming in who are connected to a notorious mob boss Albertson decides he misses his girl too much and decides to walk away from criminal law. This doesn't sit well with the crime lord who sets him up for a murder rap.

Good program comedy crime drama hits all of the right notes to be entertaining. Its not however anything that's particularly memorable since it's a bit too formulaic. Its not a knock, more a note of disappointment in that its good enough that you just wish it was ever so slightly better so you could call it a great film. Either way worth a look.