ComedyDrama

The Sun Shines Bright

- JUDGE BILLY PRIEST...the only man who ever called Mallie Crump a Lady

With the election approaching, a judge in a Southern town at the turn of the 20th century is involved variously in revealing the real identity of a young woman, reliving his Civil War memories, and preventing the lynching of an African youth.

Release Date : 1953-05-02

Language :GermanEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Argosy PicturesRepublic Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : William Pittman Priest

Original Name : Charles Winninger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy Lee Lake

Original Name : Arleen Whelan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ashby Corwin

Original Name : John Russell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeff Poindexter

Original Name : Stepin Fetchit

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lewt Lake

Original Name : Russell Simpson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herman Felsburg

Original Name : Ludwig Stössel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Feeney

Original Name : Francis Ford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jimmy Bagby

Original Name : Paul Hurst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andy Redcliffe

Original Name : Mitchell Lewis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buck Ramsey

Original Name : Grant Withers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Horace K. Maydew

Original Name : Milburn Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy Lee's Mother

Original Name : Dorothy Jordan

Gender : Female

Character Name : U.S. Grant 'You Ess' Woodford

Original Name : Elzie Emanuel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe D. Habersham

Original Name : Henry O'Neill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sterling

Original Name : Slim Pickens

Gender : Male

Character Name : General Fairfield

Original Name : James Kirkwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pleasant 'Uncle Plez' Woodford

Original Name : Ernest Whitman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rufe Ramseur

Original Name : Trevor Bardette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mallie Cramp

Original Name : Eve March

Gender : Female

Character Name : Rufe Ramseur Jr.

Original Name : Hal Baylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aurora Ratchitt

Original Name : Jane Darwell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maydew's Henchman

Original Name : Ken Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Uncle Zack

Original Name : Clarence Muse

Gender : Male

Character Name : GAR Woman at the Ball

Original Name : Mae Marsh

Gender : Female

Character Name : Party Guest at Ball (uncredited)

Original Name : Wilbur Mack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsman (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Perrin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cadet (uncredited)

Original Name : Patrick Wayne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy (uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Hayward

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2025-01-05

"Priest" (Charles Winninger) is a Kentucky judge who is coming up for re-election and it's going to be a tough challenge. The town is divided roughly along the lines of an old Civil war mentality, congenially enough amongst the white folks but still consigning the black population to their traditional societal sub-strata. The judge's chances of winning become distinctly precarious when he intervenes in one case where a lawless bunch are apt to lynch a young man for an alleged crime against a white girl. Their evidence seems predicated solely on the racket caused by their bloodhounds and this is a man of principal who requires the rule of law to be upheld. His beliefs cause him yet further problems as a tragedy befalls the community that causes him, yet again, to take a stance that isn't going to win him many supporters either. Along the way, we delve a little into the history of the townsfolk during the war and the whole thing is underpinned with a geniality that Winninger delivers well. It emphasises the value of community, but only when community values and enforces it's own standards. Shame and, to a degree, contrition, are used quite successfully here to illustrate those points - but it's all presented in a light-hearted fashion. Can he win the vote, though?