Rating: 
Summary: Snazzy patter & a smart cast.
Review: I haven't seen a lot of John Barrymore, but I liked this one. It is a obvious transplant from the stage & the camerawork isn't overly slick but it's okay for its time. The action takes place in a suite of offices that comprise a law firm located in the "new" Empire State Bldg.
The story is timeless: An attorney on the make, lying witnesses, shady corporate deals & a hot girlfriend waiting in the wings. This isn't 2003 its 1933.
Rating: 
Summary: A PRIME JOHN BARRYMORE PERFORMANCE.
Review: An excellent movie, superbly directed by pantheon helmsman William Wyler early in his directorial career. John Barrymore gives one of his finest performances as a Jewish lawyer who works his way to the top of his profession only to have his gentile wife (Doris Kenyon) leave him. At the bustling Manhattan law offices of Simon and Tedesco, highly successful Jewish attorney George Simon, who has risen from the slums of New York, returns to his roots when he bails out Sarah Becker's son Harry, a young Communist who has been brutalised by the police. Simon's socialite wife, Cora, is embarrassed at Simon's notoriety and of his heritage while Simon's secretary Regina "Rexy" (Bebe Daniels, in her final film of any merit) secretly loves him...The dialogue is crisp and snappy additionally aided by Barrymore's spellbinding deliveries. The film was noted to have been made in breakneck speed: Barrymore was letter perfect except he kept flubbing one line which took 52 takes. Paul Muni was originally sought to play the role, but he played the role on stage and didn't want to be typecast a Jew. The film opened to public and critical applause and today, the lightening still crackles through this masterful film.
Rating:
Summary: Barrymore & Wyler Rule in Counsellor-At-Law
Review: At last, one of the major omissions of the video revolution has been rectified with this dvd (and vhs) release of William Wyler's first major directoral effort. And if anybody ever questioned why John Barrymore was so highly regarded in his day, this film will resolve any controversy in Mr. Barrymore's favor. This release restores a true classic to general circulation (The Movie Channel ran it a few times several years ago.)Universal balked at paying Barrymore's typically huge salary and hired him at the rate of $25,000 per week for a total of two weeks' employment. Despite fast work by Wyler and Barrymore, (all other non-Barrymore scenes were filmed after the star was off the payroll) more time was needed and Barrymore ended up working one more week. These terms were a come-down for Barrymore who had enjoyed multiple-film deals with Warners ($200,000 per film, for five films), MGM and RKO only a short time before. John Barrymore had been a star in films since 1914 (well before his "Hamlet" in the theater) and was virtually the only film star of his vintage who successfully transitioned to "talkies." But by 1933, years of alcohol abuse were taking their toll on the 51 year old actor and producers began to distrust him. Ironically, no longer offered long term agreements with major studios, this one-shot deal at Universal and another at Columbia in February 1934, (the screwball comedy, "Twentieth Century") turned out to be the best two films Barrymore ever made. Counsellor At Law shows Barrymore as the finest dramatic actor of his generation and launched Wyler on a remarkable career; Twentieth Century (long available on VHS) shows him as the finest farceur of his era and launched Hollywood's cycle of screwball comedies (it didn't hurt the career of director Howard Hawks either). Alas, Barrymore himself would not be a beneficiary of either film and would be reduced to supporting roles by the mid 1930s, ending up spoofing himself on radio right up to his death in 1942. But then this is the stuff that legends are made of. The fine KINO VIDEO transfer for the dvd version captures the vividness of the film when it was new and makes 1933 seem as though it wasn't so long ago. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Hamlet goes to Court
Review: Frenetic, hard-driving New York lawyer George Simon double charges his wealthy clients,and bails out social mis-casts with his own money. Avoiding boredom, he dabbles in insider trading. Simon has risen to the top, but a former court case suddenly threatens him with scandal and ruin. Simon is paired with a wife who does not love him; and a secretary who does...Elmer Rice's brilliant Broadway play "Counsellor at Law" was purchased for the screen in 1933 by Universal. The studio asked Paul Muni to repeat his leading role. He declined. They nervously signed John Barrymore; they weren't disappointed. Aided by Melvyn Douglas, Thelma Todd, and Bebe Daniels, Barrymore put aside affectation and delivered a gritty, lightening-paced performance. Never seen on television or video before, "Counsellor at Law" has just been released on DVD. Kino Films obtained a sparkling master print, and provided digital restoration. A jump cut in the final reel(hiding possible film damage) is it's only flaw. "Counsellor at Law" boasts a photo gallery with 40 rare stills from the director's estate. The film was a watershed event for both director and star. William Wyler had apprenticed at MGM and Universal since the 20's. His successful direction of "Counsellor at Law" propeled his long career, perhaps peaking with 1959's "Ben Hur". Star Jack Barrymore was moving in a different orbit. With shooting on "Counsellor at Law" completed, he was asked back for some re-takes. But in shot-after-shot, he could not complete the scene. A new rumor swirled around Hollywood back-lots. John Barrymore's memory had finally faltered. Despite a classic effort, this was sadly the last A-Picture in which Barrymore received top billing.
Rating:
Summary: Supreme Pre-Code
Review: I just wanted to share with you folks, my experience and feelings upon watching this GREAT pre-code, thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining, excellently acted, fast paced, non-stop dialogue, ....This film alone shows John Barrymore at his best (as a ruthless lawyer of humble origins), I won't say anything more, in order to not spoil it....but he's top of the tops in this early Universal pictures release....kudos for KINO, for releasing a decent copy (DVD) of this gem. Bebe Daniels is outstanding as his scretary...Isabel Jewell, great as unnerving telephone operator, little known Doris Kenyon, very good as Barrymore's socialite wife... also in it an early performance by reliable Melvyn Douglas and Thelma Todd too...What more can one ask?
William Wyler is definitely one of the best american directors of all time!!!
Rating:
Summary: A warning about the transfer
Review: I love the film, but just a few words about the transfer: I don't think it's as fine as the other reviews would make you think. It's not horrible, but I don't believe the source to be a 35 mm print of the movie, it looks more like vhs, especially for the lack of sharpness (compare it with any of the latest 30's movies Warner releases). Even an older title like 'The love trap' (1929!), another Kino release from the William Wyler Collection, has a much better and sharper transfer, especially the first half of the movie. Just don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Barrymore at his best.
Review: If you are looking for a film with John Barrymore at the peak of his talent, before he deteriorated into a parody of himself, this is the one. Barrymore plays an aggressive lawyer caught in a professional dilemma which almost pushes him to suicide. The film is based on a play by Elmer Rice and, except for an establishing shot of the Empire State Building, is set entirely inside an office. But, surprisingly, it does NOT have a cramped, stagebound feel to it, mainly due to the gripping nature of the story. Not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Barrymore at his best.
Review: If you are looking for a film with John Barrymore at the peak of his talent, before he deteriorated into a parody of himself, this is the one. Barrymore plays an aggressive lawyer caught in a professional dilemma which almost pushes him to suicide. The film is based on a play by Elmer Rice and, except for an establishing shot of the Empire State Building, is set entirely inside an office. But, surprisingly, it does NOT have a cramped, stagebound feel to it, mainly due to the gripping nature of the story. Not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Another undiscovered jewel!
Review: IT's a pity this isn't better known. As others have said, it's not only one of Barymore's finest performances on film (surpassing even Grand Hotel! His character here is not made super-noble or villainous, but simply and believeably human, not an easy thing for an actor to achieve), but a wonderful commentary, on several levels, of the fortunate and not-so-fortunate members of society at the peaking of the Depression. Some of it even holds true today. The scenery is superb down to the last detail, the direction and camerawork are razor-sharp, and the acting is just about perfect in every role, even the bits. So why only 4 stars? The film's only flaw, albeit a tiny one, is that the otherwise super-snappy dialogue gets a little stagy at times. Still, this pales next to the mivoe as a whole. A keeper!
Rating:
Summary: lively Depression-era story
Review: John Barrymore shines in "Counsellor at Law", along with an extremely strong supporting cast in this 1930s-era tale of an ambitious New York lawyer. We meet him in his offices at the Empire State Building, where a procession of clients streams in and out of his extremely busy day. When his sweet immigrant mother appears, we realize his humble roots, so different from "the Mayflower boys" whose professional ranks he has penetrated. Fast-paced, with witty dialogue, brittle humor, and barbed social commentary, this film transports us back to Great Depression. Barrymore, faced with an ethical dilemma, also finds his marriage is in jeopardy; his wife, a superficial society woman, holds values quite different from his own. Although in some ways light and frothy, as befitting movies made for 1930s audiences seeking escape, this William Wyler film remains timely with its deeper questions of integrity and what goes into true success and authentic relationships. Barrymore's masterful performance reminds us yet again that as an actor, he was far more than a handsome facial profile. Highly recommended for a step back into another time!
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