Counsellor at Law

George Simon has come out of a poor neighbourhood to become one of the most sought-after lawyers in New York. His office is in a skyscraper, the phones never stop, and everybody wants something from him. His wife, who comes from society, has never understood him. Then a file left behind in his past comes back and Simon faces being struck off. William Wyler directed the film from Elmer Rice's play, and almost all of it takes place inside the office. John Barrymore takes the lead. The telling shows what climbing costs: wherever Simon gets to, the people around him remind him where he came from. The film was made before the Hays rules were strictly enforced and does not soften its language.