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A Free Soul

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A Free Soul
theatrical release poster
Directed byClarence Brown
Written byDialogue continuity:
John Meehan
Adaptation:
Becky Gardiner[1]
(Uncredited:
Philip Dunning
Dorothy Farnum
John Lynch)
Based onA Free Soul (1927 novel)
by Adela Rogers St. Johns
(Uncredited:
A Free Soul (1928 play)
by Willard Mack[1])
Produced byClarence Brown
StarringNorma Shearer
Leslie Howard
Lionel Barrymore
James Gleason
Clark Gable
CinematographyWilliam Daniels
Edited byHugh Wynn
Production
company
Distributed byLoew's Inc.
Release dates
  • June 2, 1931 (1931-06-02) (NYC)
  • June 20, 1931 (1931-06-20) (US)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$529,000[2]
Box office$1.4 million [2]

A Free Soul is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Clarence Brown, starring Norma Shearer, and featuring Leslie Howard, Lionel Barrymore, James Gleason, and Clark Gable.[3][4][5][6][7] The film 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

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In San Francisco, Jan Ashe is very close to her father, Stephen, who raised her by himself, as her mother died in childbirth. However, Stephen's upper-class family has all but disowned him and his free-spirited daughter, Jan, due to his alcoholism and her free spirited willfulness.

A skilled defense lawyer, Stephen successfully defends gangster Ace Wilfong from a false murder charge, despite his knowledge of Ace's gambling operations and other illegal activities. Jan is engaged to clean-cut polo-player 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. At his illicit casino, Ace asks a drunken Stephen if he can marry Jan, but Stephen, offended by the request, angrily refuses, and when Stephen discovers Jan in Ace's boudoir, he takes her home. Father and daughter have an argument over their respective vices, and Jan proposes a deal: she will never see Ace again, if Stephen will stop drinking. Although he is unsure if he can 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, and, feeling despondent, visits Ace. She is surprised by his angry and possessive attitude, and finally realizes what sort of man he really is. He informs her that they are going to be married the next day, but she sneaks away. Ace follows Jan to her apartment and tells her that she must marry him, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Dwight. Undeterred, Ace says he will make Jan unfit for Dwight to marry by spreading word of his sexual liaisons with her, and threatens that, if Dwight marries Jan anyway, Ace will have Dwight killed.

Dwight goes to Ace's casino and shoots Ace. He immediately turns himself in to the police, but, to protect Jan's reputation, says he killed Ace over a gambling debt, even though this means he will likely be executed. 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 for the murder. In an emotional speech 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. Stephen 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.

Cast

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Production

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A Free Soul was written by John Meehan (dialogue continuity) and Becky Gardiner (adaptation), based on the 1928 play of the same title by Willard Mack, which was itself an adaptation of the 1927 novel of the same title by Adela Rogers St. Johns.[9] The novel was initially published serially in Hearst's International combined with Cosmopolitan magazine from September 1926 to February 1927.[10][11] Although the onscreen credits list only the book by St. Johns, contemporary reviews list both the novel and Mack's play.[1]

Reception

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In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Mordaunt Hall wrote:

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]

Awards and honors

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4th Academy Awards:

Wins[13]

Nominations

Home media

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On March 8, 2008, Warner Home Video released A Free Soul (on the same disc as 1930's The Divorcee, also starring Shearer) as part of a DVD box set of five pre-Code films called "Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 2".

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "A Free Soul". American Film Institute. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  3. ^ Norma Shearer, "Free Soul," at Loews (The Reading Eagle, July 3, 1931, p. 10)
  4. ^ "AMUSEMENTS / Norma Shearer, Loews, Stars in "A Free Soul" (The Reading Eagle, July 4, 1931, p. 10)
  5. ^ "Norma Shearer in "A Free Soul," Loews (The Reading Eagle, July 5, 1931, p. 10) includes photo of Lionel Barrymore and Norma Shearer
  6. ^ "Fox California Has Norma Shearer Film" (Berkeley Daily Gazette, July 20, 1931, p. three) includes sketched reproduction of Norma Shearer's face
  7. ^ ""Every Word they told You is True" This is Norma Shearer's Best! / "A FREE SOUL"" (The Florence Times-News, August 10, 1931, p. three) includes photographs of Norma Shearer and other stories about the film and her career
  8. ^ "A Free Soul". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  9. ^ Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 1928. Catalog of Copyright Entries. New Series: 1927. Part 1, Books, Group 1, v. 24 : Nos. 1-148 (March, 1927 - March, 1928)
  10. ^ Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 1955. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1954: January-June. Part 1, Number 1: Books and Pamphlets, Including Serials and Contributions to Periodicals (January - June)
  11. ^ "Adela Rogers St. Johns – Women Film Pioneers Project".
  12. ^ Hall, Mordaunt (June 3, 1931). "The Screen: Infatuation and Love". The New York Times. p. 29.
  13. ^ "The 4th Academy Awards (1931) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
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