John Barrymoore

(On Cable TV, October 2022) There’s a clear Pre-Code deliciousness to the thrilling narrative of A Free Soul that makes it a worthwhile watch, but I suspect that most modern viewers will be more interested in the performances of John Barrymoore and a very young Clark Gable. Barrymore plays an alcoholic defence lawyer who successfully acquits a known mobster (Gable), a success that turns sour when his daughter gets a big crush on the ne’er-do-well despite being already engaged to a law-abiding but dull young man. The melodrama escalates from there, with bits and moments clearly identifying this as a looser, funnier, riskier Pre-Code film. Barrymore got an Academy Award for his performance, while Gable’s roguish charm as the film’s antagonist got him some attention and much bigger roles. Norma Shearer also does rather well as the true protagonist of the film. While A Free Soul is far from being the end-all of Pre-Code films (the pacing issues alone are bothersome), it’s one more example of how vivacious early-1930s Hollywood could be, and why many still think highly of this period of American cinema.