William Powell is best when he's involved with the law, whether it's as Philo Vance or William Foster ("For the Defense").
In "Lawyer Man" Powell plays Anton 'Tony' Adam, a smalltime lawyer on the Eastside in New York. He represented everyday folks who didn't have much money. He was honest, upright, and he was really good. His biggest flaw was his weakness for women, and his secretary Olga Michaels (Joan Blondell) told him as much.
Tony rose to prominence by winning some high profile cases. As a result he was made a partner with Granville Bentley (Alan Dinehart), a big shot lawyer downtown. He was on top of the world and could've remained there so long as he didn't cross the wrong people. His undoing would occur after he won a case and humiliated John Gilmurry (David Landau), a bigwig in the political machine. Crossing Gilmurry was risky business. One could do it, but then he'd have to be very careful from then on.
Tony wasn't careful. He took a case from Virginia St. Johns (Claire Dodd), the beautiful mistress of Judge Gresham. She was setting him up and he didn't know it because he couldn't see past Virginia's legs and plunging neckline. She double crossed him and he fell hard. His name was mud. He lost any and all respectable clients and was forced to represent the shadiest characters. He'd have to start over from the bottom and avert his gaze from pretty legs if he was to ever climb back to the top again.
"Lawyer Man" was a righteous movie showing the lasciviousness of the political machine and the potential pitfalls of lusting over women. Both things are an issue, but I'd say the former is far worse than the latter.
The movie features two of my favorite actors from that era: William Powell and Joan Blondell. William Powell grew on me. The first movies I saw him in I couldn't stand him. I'd only seen him playing the ladykiller ("Ladies' Man," "Man of the World," and "The Road to Singapore"). It wasn't until I saw him play Philo Vance and some other non-playboy characters that I liked him. He and Joan carry this movie and do a fine job.
2.99 on YouTube.
In "Lawyer Man" Powell plays Anton 'Tony' Adam, a smalltime lawyer on the Eastside in New York. He represented everyday folks who didn't have much money. He was honest, upright, and he was really good. His biggest flaw was his weakness for women, and his secretary Olga Michaels (Joan Blondell) told him as much.
Tony rose to prominence by winning some high profile cases. As a result he was made a partner with Granville Bentley (Alan Dinehart), a big shot lawyer downtown. He was on top of the world and could've remained there so long as he didn't cross the wrong people. His undoing would occur after he won a case and humiliated John Gilmurry (David Landau), a bigwig in the political machine. Crossing Gilmurry was risky business. One could do it, but then he'd have to be very careful from then on.
Tony wasn't careful. He took a case from Virginia St. Johns (Claire Dodd), the beautiful mistress of Judge Gresham. She was setting him up and he didn't know it because he couldn't see past Virginia's legs and plunging neckline. She double crossed him and he fell hard. His name was mud. He lost any and all respectable clients and was forced to represent the shadiest characters. He'd have to start over from the bottom and avert his gaze from pretty legs if he was to ever climb back to the top again.
"Lawyer Man" was a righteous movie showing the lasciviousness of the political machine and the potential pitfalls of lusting over women. Both things are an issue, but I'd say the former is far worse than the latter.
The movie features two of my favorite actors from that era: William Powell and Joan Blondell. William Powell grew on me. The first movies I saw him in I couldn't stand him. I'd only seen him playing the ladykiller ("Ladies' Man," "Man of the World," and "The Road to Singapore"). It wasn't until I saw him play Philo Vance and some other non-playboy characters that I liked him. He and Joan carry this movie and do a fine job.
2.99 on YouTube.