State's Attorney

The reissue title seems deliberately prophetic, as hot-shot lawyer Barrymore's perpetual drunkenness is obvious throughout this late star vehicle for Barrymore, who throughout usually has his left profile to the camera while his perpetually moving eyes and eyebrows reveal that he's not taking his outrageous antics in Court entirely seriously.

As usual the law is portrayed cynically, and along with the opulent bachelor pad he shares with Helen Twelvetress heightens the pre-Code amorality of the piece.

Whiskey-soaked criminal defense lawyer John Barrymore (as Tom Cardigan) goes to night court and defends beautiful blonde streetwalker Helen Twelvetrees (as June Perry) as a favor to his racketeering pal William Boyd (as Valentine 'Vanny' Powers). Although he appears to still be a little tipsy, Mr. Barrymore is a smooth operator in the courtroom. He gets Ms. Twelvetrees off and she moves in as, we presume, Barrymore's monogamous mistress. Twelvetrees encourages Barrymore to stop drinking and concentrate on his career. That advice works on different levels. Barrymore decides to go legit and becomes a successful district attorney with an eye on the governor's chair...

This is a witty courtroom drama with Barrymore in fine form. The legendary actor's fondness for alcohol neatly weaves into the story. Barrymore was still able to perform while drinking, although the deterioration would soon become apparent. Rowland Brown and Gene Fowler enliven the script with great lines and moral dilemmas. The characters "Tom" and "June" are allowed an option to live "in sin" because it works for them. Leggy murder suspect Mary Duncan (Nora Dean) overplays feverishly, but she's a lot of fun. Jill Esmond (aka Mrs. Laurence Olivier) is oddly giddy over Barrymore and a younger tenor. Director George Archainbaud flatters his cast and keeps it moving.

****** State's Attorney (5/5/32) George Archainbaud ~ John Barrymore, Helen Twelvetrees, William 'Stage' Boyd, Jill Esmond

Made when the Studios were Mostly, well, Studio Bound and Early Talkies were, well, a lot of Talk, this one had the Pleasure of an Actor who could Really Talk. John Barrymore had been doing it ever since Pictures Moved.

Coupled with a Heavy Stage Experience, He became one of the most Respected Actors of His Era. Although Surprisingly never Nominated for an Academy Award (He famously said they were afraid I would show up drunk and embarrass them and myself).

This Film also had the Advantage of a Pre-Code Freedom to Exercise some later to be Forbidden Behavior like Premarital Sex, and other Innuendos. But it is Barrymore's Charisma and Naturalism that Endears this Courtroom and Political Drama, also Helped by a Strong Supporting Cast.

It is Less Ham than usual for 'The Profile" and the Movie has a lot of Long Dialog Scenes that are Fascinating to Watch. This makes for a somewhat Stilted but Compelling Drama that is an Actor's Showcase and Barrymore Effortlessly Delivers.

John Barrymore's character, Tom Cardigan, bounces from bad to good, bad to good throughout "State's Attorney." The RKO story is good, but the film has remnants of production qualities from the silent era. All of the cast are OK, but none much better than that. Barrymore's Cardigan mirrors his own life of heavy drinking. He had been a heavy drinker since his teen years, and by age 50 for this film, he was an alcoholic.

Still able to perform, he would go on to make many more films before dying 10 years later of cirrhosis of the liver and pneumonia. Only a few of those would be top performances.

The life of a real lawyer, William J. Fallon, may have been the inspiration for this story. Fallon was known as the "Great Mouthpice."He was a prominent criminal lawyer who defended many homicide cases that resulted in no convictions. He befriended organized crime boss Arnold Rothstein who was implicated in the Black Sox Scandal. Fallon's lifestyle involved heavy drinking. He was just 41 years old when he died – probably from alcohol and other effects.

Barrymore is an attorney with little fixed principles except a taste for women and booze. One night, he defends a prostitute at night court. She comes home with him, and the two live together openly. After becoming a D.A.t hough he leaves her until he suffers a crisis of conscience that comes about in an unusual way, but his resolution is more unusual still.

This is a classic Pre Code drama. The openness and acceptance of an alternative (at that time) lifestyle, and moral ambiguity mark this as a film coming from when America was going through one of its roughest times--the Great Depression--and didn't know how things will work out.

Barrymore's acting is wonderful, and this is one of his best pieces of work in the talkies. This and its unusual theme mark this as an interesting piece for the early film fan.