description Two Seconds Overview
Two Seconds is a 1932 Warner Bros. pre-Code drama directed by Mervyn LeRoy, starring Edward G. Robinson as a condemned man whose entire life story unfolds in the two seconds before an electric chair execution.
help Two Seconds FAQ
Why is the film called Two Seconds?
The title refers to the brief interval between the activation of the electric chair and the condemned prisoner's death. During those two seconds, the film frames a flashback through the life that brought John Allen to execution.
Who does Edward G. Robinson play in Two Seconds?
Robinson plays John Allen, a riveter who works high above the city on steel construction. His relationship with taxi dancer Shirley Day, played by Vivienne Osborne, contributes to his jealousy, decline, and eventual murder conviction.
What makes Two Seconds a pre-Code film?
Released in 1932, it openly depicts sexual manipulation, urban vice, alcoholism, marital dysfunction, and capital punishment. Such material was treated more restrictively after enforcement of Hollywood's Production Code intensified in 1934.
Was Two Seconds adapted from a play?
Yes, it was based on a stage play by Elliott Lester. Mervyn LeRoy directed the Warner Bros. screen adaptation, and the cast also includes Preston Foster as Allen's friend Bud Clark.
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