It Is the Law (1924)

Is Is the Law is a 1924 American silent mystery film directed by J. Gordon Edwards and starring Arthur Hohl, Herbert Hayes, and Mona Palma. It is a film adaptation of the eponymous 1922 Broadway play by Elmer Rice, itself based on a novel by Hayden Talbot. The film depicts the story of Ruth Allen (Palma), who marries Justin Victor (Heyes) over competing suitor Albert Woodruff (Hohl). Seeking revenge for this slight, Woodruff fakes his death by killing a drifter who resembles him, and frames Victor for the murder. When Woodruff returns to court Allen under a new identity, she sees through his disguise. Once Victor is freed from prison, he kills Woodruff, and goes free because a conviction would constitute double jeopardy.

The was the final film for director Edwards, who died the following year, and was one of the last produced at Fox Film's New York studio. Contemporary reviews were generally positive. Like many of Fox's early works, it was likely lost in the 1937 Fox vault fire.

Synopsis

Albert Woodruff and Justin Victor are friends, both in love with the same woman, Ruth Allen. Allen chooses to wed Victor, and Woodruff storms off in a jealous rage. Woodruff locates his look-alike, "Sniffer" Evans, a drifter and drug addict. On the evening following Allen and Victor's wedding, Woodruff calls Allen and threatens to blackmail her. He also convinces Evans to come to his apartment.

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