A Free Soul became famous for Barrymore's climactic courtroom monologue, and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.[8] Gable made such an impression in the role of a gangster who bullies Shearer that he was catapulted from supporting player to leading man.[1]
Plot
Defense lawyer Stephen Ashe, an alcoholic, successfully defends known gangster Ace Wilfong from a murder charge, despite his knowledge of Ace's other illegal activities. His upper-class family has all but disowned him and his free-spirited daughter Jan. Jan is engaged to clean-cut Dwight Winthrop, but their relationship is threatened when she meets Ace and becomes enamored of him and his exciting life.
As Stephen continues to slip deeper into alcoholism, Jan breaks her engagement with Dwight and begins a clandestine affair with Ace that grows into love. Ace asks a drunken Stephen whether he can marry Jan, but Stephen, offended by the request, angrily refuses, and when he discovers Jan in Ace's boudoir, he takes her home. They have an argument over their respective vices, and Jan proposes a deal: she will never see Ace again if Stephen will stop drinking. Despite knowing that he cannot keep his promise, Stephen agrees, and the two leave for a camping vacation along with Stephen's loyal assistant Eddie.
After three months of sobriety, Stephen buys a bottle of liquor and boards a train for an unknown destination. Jan returns home to find that her family has cut ties with her; feeling despondent, she visits Ace. He reacts angrily to her return and informs her that they will be married the next day. Jan slowly realizes what sort of man he really is and sneaks away. Ace follows Jan to her apartment and, after a brief confrontation involving Eddie and Dwight, tells Jan that she must marry him, and threatens that if she marries Dwight, Ace will have Dwight killed.
Dwight appears at Ace's gambling club and kills him, and then surrenders to authorities. He tells police that the murder was committed because of a gambling debt in order to protect Jan's reputation, although it will mean his own execution. Jan finds Stephen in a flophouse, seriously ill from his drinking binge, and brings him to Dwight's trial. Over the objections of Dwight and the prosecuting attorney, Stephen places Jan on the witness stand and elicits the full details of her relationship with Ace and the true reason why Dwight killed him. In an emotional appeal to the jury, Stephen takes the blame for everything that happened, explaining that because of his alcoholism, he had failed to be a proper father to Jan until it was too late. He then collapses to the floor, dead.
Dwight is acquitted and, as Jan prepares to leave for a new life in New York, promises to follow her.
A Free Soul was written by John Meehan (dialogue continuity) and Becky Gardiner (adaptation) from the 1928 play by Willard Mack, which was based on the 1927 novel A Free Soul by Adela Rogers St. Johns.[9] However, according to MGM publicity material, the story upon which this film was based first appeared serially in Hearst's International with Cosmopolitan magazine from September 1926 to February 1927.[10][11] Although onscreen credits list only the book by St. Johns, contemporary reviews list both the novel and Willard Mack's play.[1]
Talking pictures are by no means elevated by the presentation of 'A Free Soul' ... Nevertheless, it should be stated that Lionel Barrymore does all that is possible with his role. In fact, his is the only characterization that rings true, the other players being handicapped either through miscasting, the false conception of human psychology or poorly written lines. Norma Shearer may be the star of this film, but Mr. Barrymore steals whatever honors there may be. ... Undoubtedly all the members of the cast have ability, but the doings in this film benefit but little by their talents, except, as has been set forth, through Mr. Barrymore's portrayal. And even he has to compete with tremendous odds to be convincing.[12]
The film was successful at the box office. According to MGM records, it earned $889,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $533,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $244,000.[2]
A Free Soul was released on DVD by Warner Home Video on March 8, 2008 (along with The Divorcee, also starring Norma Shearer), as one of five pre-Code films in the TCM Archives - Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2 DVD box set.
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