The Witching Hour is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Sir Guy Standing, John Halliday, Judith Allen and Tom Brown.
While Jack Brookfield runs a gambling gathering at night in his Kentucky house, his daughter Nancy is frequently visited by and becomes engaged to young Northern architect Clay Thorne.
After Nancy turns in for the night, Clay becomes terrified when he sees a cats-eye ring (collateral put up by Lew) on Brookfield's finger.
When Hardmuth states he is good enough for Nancy, Brookfield punches him and tells him that one day a man will come in his office and shoot him.
The trial goes badly for the defense; even the testimony of Dr. von Strohn, an eminent expert on hypnosis, cannot turn the tide.
Finally, in desperation, Prentice has Brookfield hypnotize the openly skeptical jury foreman into shooting the district attorney (the gun has blanks).