In Boris Sagal’s courtroom drama, Twilight of Honor, the young and handsome Richard Chamberlain plays David Mitchell, a young lawyer about to take on an important murder case. In the process, he is helped by the more experienced attorney, Art Harner, played by vet Claude Rains (who never won an Oscar despite multiple nominations).
The client is Ben Brown (Nick Adams), accused of murder rap, who seems determined to sabotage his own case. But a last-minute piece of evidence saves him and establishes Chamberlain’s professional status.
Based on a novel by Al Dewlen, the screenplay is penned by Henry Denker.
The cast also includes Joey Heatherton, James Gregory, and Pat Buttram.
Oscar Nominations: 2
Supporting Actor: Nick Adams
Art Direction-Set Decoration (b/w)
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context:
This is the only Oscar nomination of Nick Adams, who mostly played juveniles in 1950s melodramas, such as Picnic, Mister Roberts, Rebel Without a Cause, Teacher’s Pet, and Pillow Talk. Sadly, he died in 1968 of drug overdose. The winner was Melvyn Douglas for Hud.
The Art Direction Oscar went to Gene Callahan for Kazan’s flawed autobiographical drama, America America.
Credits
Running time: 115 Minutes.
Directed by Boris Sagal
Cast
Richard Chamberlain as David Mitchell
Joey Heatherton as Laura Mae Brown
Nick Adams as Ben Brown
Claude Rains as Art Harner
Joan Blackman as Susan Harper
James Gregory as Norris Bixby
Pat Buttram as Cole Clinton
Jeanette Nolan as Amy Clinton
Edgar Stehli as Judge James Tucker