If you want proof that films from 1933 can be just as good as what is made today, you should watch this.
It is a snapshot of the life of a brilliant and successful lawyer who hasn't forgotten his humble roots, he is someone who genuinely cares about the downtrodden and the community he came from. He is someone who has to fight against racism and overwhelming class prejudice, even from his monstrous wife, an awful snob from an 'old family.'
The action takes all place in just a couple of days, two days where events almost destroy his life. So much happens that there's never a dull moment. So much happens that you don't notice that you're just watching a small handful of people in just one studio set.
Soon-to-be superstar director, William Wyler does the cinematic equivalent to creating a book you can't put down. Although at this stage in his career he was at cost-conscious Universal where his famous 'we will keep shooting this scene until we get it perfect' idiom couldn't be realised, he creates a real world with real people you can really care about.
Who shines brighter than the sun in this is of course John Barrymore. Everyone knew that he was past his prime and was struggling terribly with his debilitating alcoholism but this shows that once he got 'into the zone' he was remarkable. You can why he was so highly regarded.
The story is remarkably similar to 1932's Lawyer Man. That had William Powell being Barrymore's immigrant lawyer who had lifted himself out of the gutter and Joan Blondell being Bebe Daniels' unappreciated and unloved assistant. Both films are straight dramas but whereas that film has quite a nice, cosy feel to it, Councillor at Law is a little colder. It's just personal taste but because William Powell seems to be the epitome of niceness and Joan Blondell is Joan Blondell, Lawyer Man is a more pleasant film to watch. This one however will probably stay in the memory longer, it has a lot to say.
It is a snapshot of the life of a brilliant and successful lawyer who hasn't forgotten his humble roots, he is someone who genuinely cares about the downtrodden and the community he came from. He is someone who has to fight against racism and overwhelming class prejudice, even from his monstrous wife, an awful snob from an 'old family.'
The action takes all place in just a couple of days, two days where events almost destroy his life. So much happens that there's never a dull moment. So much happens that you don't notice that you're just watching a small handful of people in just one studio set.
Soon-to-be superstar director, William Wyler does the cinematic equivalent to creating a book you can't put down. Although at this stage in his career he was at cost-conscious Universal where his famous 'we will keep shooting this scene until we get it perfect' idiom couldn't be realised, he creates a real world with real people you can really care about.
Who shines brighter than the sun in this is of course John Barrymore. Everyone knew that he was past his prime and was struggling terribly with his debilitating alcoholism but this shows that once he got 'into the zone' he was remarkable. You can why he was so highly regarded.
The story is remarkably similar to 1932's Lawyer Man. That had William Powell being Barrymore's immigrant lawyer who had lifted himself out of the gutter and Joan Blondell being Bebe Daniels' unappreciated and unloved assistant. Both films are straight dramas but whereas that film has quite a nice, cosy feel to it, Councillor at Law is a little colder. It's just personal taste but because William Powell seems to be the epitome of niceness and Joan Blondell is Joan Blondell, Lawyer Man is a more pleasant film to watch. This one however will probably stay in the memory longer, it has a lot to say.