This Side of the Law (1950)

In the shadowy depths of the legal underworld, David Cummings, a drifter with a murky past, finds his life abruptly rescued from jail by the enigmatic lawyer, Philip Cagle. Cagle dangles an enticing proposition before Cummings - to play the role of a vanished millionaire, whose existence is pivotal to the dispersion of a colossal $3,000,000 estate. Stepping into the shoes of the absent fortune holder, Cummings is thrust into a duplicitous family drama, where he must deceive a domino line of unsuspecting players, including the millionaire's estranged wife, a resentful brother, and a dangerously seductive sister-in-law. With each day, the masquerade grows more complex, and Cummings finds himself sinking deeper into a treacherous web of lies and deceit. But Cagle's game has far more insidious layers than Cummings initially realizes. The cunning lawyer, growing weary of the drifter's charade, spins a dark plot that spirals into a chilling whirl of murder, attempted murder, and the chilling entombment of Cummings himself. Trapped within this deadly labyrinth, Cummings must dig his way out, untangle the twisted threads of betrayal, and seek justice. This Side of The Law weaves a complex narrative of deception, greed, and survival, where identities blur, alliances shift, and nothing is as it seems. Will Cummings be able to shatter the illusion and set things right, or will he forever remain a puppet in a game orchestrated by unseen hands?

This Side of the Law is a crime movie featuring Viveca Lindfors and directed by Richard L. Bare.

This Side of the Law is currently streaming on DIRECTV.