State's Attorney

... from RKO and director George Archainbaud in which John Barrymore stars as high-powered attorney Tom Cardigan. When he grows weary of defending hoods like his chief client Valentine Powers (William "Stage" Boyd), he accepts an offer to become a state prosecutor.

Barrymore's drinking problems off-screen seem to be bleeding on-screen, as his character spends at least half the film somewhat soused. He's still very good, though, and very sharp in the climactic courtroom scenes. Jill Esmond, best known today for being Laurence Olivier's first wife, doesn't impress much as a flighty lover. Helen Twelvetrees comes across much better as a former streetwalker getting her life straight thanks to Barrymore. I'm not usually too fond of Boyd, but he's better here, or at least his inherent unlikeability comes in handy playing a heel.

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.

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.

According to IMDb, John Barrymore's character in "State's Attorney" was based on a real attorney, dapper William J. Fallon. How close the character is to Fallon, I have no idea--though I strongly suspect that Fallon's story and this one are very, very different. This is because there are LOTS of hysterics in this one--so many that you just cannot believe the film has any semblance to real life.

The film begins with Barrymore playing Attorney Tom Cardigan. Cardigan seems to be perpetually inebriated--a role to which Barrymore was well suited. However, despite his drinking*, he is an expert attorney who always seems to win. So, he's a valuable asset to mobsters and other low-lifes who need him to help them beat the rap. In the process of doing his job, he meets a woman (Helen Twelvetrees) and they fall in love. While the film never comes out and says it, it's strongly implied that she becomes his mistress.

Surprisingly, his mobster friend has an idea--make Cardigan the State's Attorney where he can be even more helpful to the mob. However, it soon becomes apparent that Cardigan means to do this job well--and not use it as a revolving door for criminals. Cardigan now is interested more in becoming the next governor as opposed to becoming a rich, satisfied lawyer. What's next? See the film.

Because it's a film about lawyers, it's not surprising there are several courtroom scenes. However, to me this was the low point of the film as too often the proceedings became ridiculously melodramatic and shrill. Folks on the witness stand begin screaming their guilt, women break down and cry and, ultimately, Cardigan makes speeches instead of defends or prosecutes. It's a shame, as Barrymore was a fine actor but these scenes tend to bring down the overall quality of the movie. Fair but it sure should have been a lot better.

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.