I had never seen this film before, and not only was I impressed with it, I believe it's one of the best Pre-Code movies ever made. COUNSELLOR AT LAW contains one of John Barrymore's greatest screen performances, and it also gave a young William Wyler a chance to show off plenty of directorial read more
March 22, 2015 by smumcounty I really like John Barrymore, that resonant vibrato, that great profile (the great profile), that thick shock of hair. But I had heard much about his stage performances and his roles in silent films where he was considered by some to be the pre-eminent actor of his time read more
March 22, 2015 by smumcounty I really like John Barrymore, that resonant vibrato, that great profile (the great profile), that thick shock of hair. But I had heard much about his stage performances and his roles in silent films where he was considered by some to be the pre-eminent actor of his time read more
I’ve seen John Barrymore in quite a few films: Svengali, which I remember watching at a young age on a Sunday afternoon; one of my favorite comedies, Twentieth Century; those star-packed MGM offerings, Dinner at Eight and Grand Hotel; A Bill of Divorcement, notable as Katharine Hepburn’s first film; read more
Back to the pre-Code period – and back to John Barrymore. I’ve already written about one fine, though little-known, film where he plays a lawyer, State’s Attorney (1932). The following year he starred in this even better legal drama, which must be one of his finest talkies, and is read more
