Counsellor at Law
Directed by: William Wyler
Written By: Elmer Rice
Starring: John Barrymore, Bebe Daniels, Doris Kenyon, Onslow Stevens, Isabel Jewel
Runtime: 82 Minutes
Now Available on Blu-Ray in a Brand New 2K Master from Kino Lorber

by Kirk Stevens, Contributor

Synopsis From Letterboxd:

A successful lawyer struggles to deal with his wife’s unfaithfulness and his own hidden past.

I must admit I had never seen a William Wyler picture before, so when given the opportunity to review Kino Lorber’s new Blu-Ray edition of Counsellor At Law (or Counsellor-At-Law, go with your gut), I did some light research to see that reviews swayed very positive and jumped at the opportunity. I confess that despite the praise, I was somewhat skeptical about how much I’d enjoy this pre-code film from 1933, but I was open to being challenged and to finally seeing one of Wyler's works. I certainly was not let down as this legal drama had me curious and enthralled for its entire brisk 82-minute runtime. 

Based on Elmer Rice’s 1931 play of the same name, Counsellor At Law follows George Simon (a commanding and likable John Barrymore), a powerful New York lawyer who began his life in a Jewish ghetto, and the inner workings of law firm Simon & Tedesco over the course of a few days. The film takes place in a single location - an expansive Art Deco office within the Empire State Building, where we follow numerous narrative threads between clients that meet with Simon (also referred to as “The Great GS” by his staff) and the day-to-day report of the law firm. There are advances made in pursuit of office romance, developments in ongoing divorce, will, and murder cases, and visits paid by George’s family as well as characters from his past.

Ultimately, the film isn’t interested in resolving every story that unfolds. Instead, we get caught up in the workplace dynamics, most notably with Bessie Green (a fantastic Isabel Jewell), the switchboard operator on the front lines of reception, answering call after call with a high pitched, songlike delivery of “Simon and TeDEScoo.” There is also a memorable scene where Simon meets with client Harry Becker (Vincent Sherman), a Jewish communist who has been arrested in Union Square for making a pro-communism speech, who subsequently tears into Simon for betraying his class. No matter how high or low the stakes seemingly are in each scene, the intrigue comes from not knowing how each unfolding drama will impact the journey we’re on as viewers.

What Features Make It Special: 

• Brand New 2K Master

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer and Catherine Wyler

• Trailer

• Optional English Subtitles

Why you need to add it to your video library:

“All I know is work. Take work away from me and what am I? A car without a motor. A living corpse.”

-George Simon

This is a well-paced movie with a delightfully sporadic narrative. The performances in Counsellor At Law are universally strong, and Rice’s screenplay is full of rich dialogue and humor throughout. What struck me the most is how fragile the characters are. Multiple times as the plot reveals itself and Simon and other protagonists are suddenly in over their heads, the film comes to an eerie stillness. These people of high status turn on a dime and fixate on suicide. Suddenly leaping out of the office window seems like a better option than dealing with the pressure they are under. The film makes you sit in their consideration. These moments made me appreciate the screenplay, as they show how greed and cutting corners can catch up with someone, and even the people in power on the highest floors can be brought back to earth, albeit briefly.