Helloturia
I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.
Ella-May O'Brien
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
Juana
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
vincentlynch-moonoi
I have mixed feelings about this film.On the negative side, it seems to wander around for a very long time before we get any idea of where it's heading.On the positive side -- William Powell. There are a few actors (Jack Nicholson and Clark Gable are examples) who are interesting to watch...even in bad movies...although this is not a bad movie (it's not great, but better than the typical film in 1932). William Powell is another of those actors. Someone truly special. And it's interesting to watch him here. Another thing interesting here are the scenes of New York City...real scenes...not staged.One thing to watch for, sort of early in the film, is what he does with his cigar when he meets a lovely lady. Definitely pre-code! However, there is also a sense that in today's standards, Powell's character would be considered uncouth in the way he looks at women.Another thing notable about this film -- particularly if you are familiar with traditional pop -- is the score. Quite a few familiar tunes throughout the film.Joan Blondell is quite good as Powell's sdcretary...who is clearly also in love with him...and wins him in the end. David Landau is fine as one of the crooked bosses, albeit one with a heart.The question really is -- does this film truly make sense. The ways things go back and forth between good and evil and Landau being sorta good and sorta bad...well, I'm not quite sure it all makes sense...but it is fun!
Michael_Elliott
Lawyer Man (1932) *** (out of 4) Nice little "B" movie from Warner about lawyer Anton Adam (William Powell) who moves up the ladder once he shows he's not afraid to take on a crooked political man (David Landau). At first Adam is riding high but he's double-crossed by an actress (Claire Dodd) secretly working for the political man and soon he loses everything but he's got one shot at redemption. LAWYER MAN isn't anything ground-breaking and you're certainly not going to spot it on any lists of the greatest films ever made but if you're a fan of the cast then there's quite a bit here to enjoy. I think the best thing going for the picture is the performance by Powell who once again comes off very believable in the part. He certainly comes across smart enough to where you can believe he's this intelligent lawyer but he also got a certain charm that makes you like him and there's just a dignity that the actor brings to the role. He's surrounding with a great supporting cast including Joan Blondell who plays his secretary who also has a crush on him. Landau nearly walks away with the film as only he can. That certain toughness that he brings the character but he isn't tough in the same way Cagney or Bogart was. Instead, he's more laid back and quiet about the whole thing. Dodd is nice and sexy in her few scenes in the picture and Allen Jenkins is his usual fun self playing a tough guy. The screenplay itself really doesn't offer us anything we haven't seen before but I think it builds up a nice character with the main lawyer. There's a certain integrity that the character turns out to have and this here really makes it all the more fun to see the events play out.
Dfree52
I just saw this in a local theater retro series of Pre-Code Hollywood films. I always liked Warner Brothers films of this era, be they hard hitting gangster or social dramas or fun musicals. Though there are serious issues touched on here (political corruption in the judicial system) it's handled with a light touch. William Powell is good as the title character Anton 'Tony' Adam and Joan Blondell is bubbly as his secretary/love interest Olga.Since the movie is a scant 72 minutes, things move along well, but you do get an episodic feel overall. Another 10 minutes could have fleshed out or explained a few plot points. And is it me or were Helen Vinson and Claire Dodd, two gals the skirt chasing Tony tangles with, twins? They kept popping in and out of the plot and it took me a few seconds each times to figure out who was who. Both were blonds, which doesn't help matters.For the Pre-Code curious there are two comical suggestive bits. One being Tony's case of mistaken identity as he's gam watching. Another, how his cigar reacts to a prospective tryst with Dodd.Possible Spoiler Alert....One reviewer mentioned here a lack of chemistry between Powell and Blondell and I lay the blame of director William Dieterle, who did a fine job overall. Olga pines for Tony, warns him of his womanizing but waits hopefully for him to make the first move. One kept waiting for her to storm into his office (as she does often) hop onto his lap and let him know how she feels. She never does.When last seen, Tony and Olga go back downtown, so Tony can champion the cause of the downtrodden. And they are happily arm in arm. It suggests they are now a couple...but one passionate kiss would have made their relationship clearer.
kidboots
Tony (William Powell) is a lawyer of the people with an eye for the ladies. Olga (Joan Blondell) is his secretary and conscience. Granville Bentley (Allan Dinehart), a corporation lawyer, sees him in action and offers him a partnership. Babs (Helen Vinson) Granville's sister is also interested. Gilmurry the D.A. (David Landau) wants Tony to come into his organization as well.Ginny (Claire Dodd) needs help - "that's what happens when a smart lawyer gets mixed up with a dumb blonde" - she has love letters from a certain doctor - she wants to bring a breach of promise suit against him or at least sue him for thousands of dollars or does she???? Of course she calls on Tony and plays him for a sap. Bentley, meanwhile urges him to leave it alone and dissolves the partnership, Babs refuses to see him and Gilmurry thinks he's a "washout". He is determined to prove them wrong - he is going to play "dirty" - no job will be too demeaning. "a small time mouse planning to be a big time rat"!!!An elderly man comes to see him - he has a case against Gilmurry but no lawyer will take it. Tony does and wins a settlement out of court. Gilmurry is impressed and makes him Assistant District Attorney. Tony then gets some information on the doctor - he has been defrauding the city. The end of the movie sees Tony going back to where he started - to the little people that need his help.Helen Vinson was on hand as Babs Bentley, the sister of corporation lawyer Granville Bentley. She was always at her best in brittle, society "bad girl" roles - occasionally she would play a warm hearted "good girl" like Helen in "I Was a Fugitive From a Chain Gang" and proved she could handle these roles easily as well.Claire Dodd, in my opinion, was the most memorable bad girl of the 30s. She started out as a showgirl in films such as "Our Blushing Brides" (1930) and "Whoopee" (1930). For me her two stand out films are "Footlight Parade" (1933) where she plays Joan Blondell's old "friend" and "Roberta" (1934) as Randolph Scott's snooty fiancée. Both films have some classic one liners. In "Lawyer Man" she plays Ginny. Sterling Holloway also has a small scene as Olga's bar buddy who tells her exactly how things are. Allen Jenkins and Jack La Rue play two of Gilmurry's henchman who can be bribed with cream cake!!!!The music is nice too, including hits of the day - "Say It Isn't So", "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans", "If I Could Be With You" and "You've Got That Thing".Recommended.
