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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. A Free Soul remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you're into old Hollywood drama, especially the stuff before the strict code came down, then A Free Soul is absolutely worth digging up. It’s a wild ride of family trouble and bad decisions.
For folks who hate slow, talky old films, though, this one might feel like a real drag.
The whole thing centers around Jan Ashe, played by Norma Shearer. She’s got this big, boozy lawyer dad, Stephen (Lionel Barrymore), who just cleared a notorious gambler named Ace Wilfong (Clark Gable) of a murder charge.
Jan is a real free spirit, the movie makes sure to tell you that a lot. She doesn't like rules, apparently, and quickly gets tangled up with Ace.
Lionel Barrymore, as the dad, really chews the scenery here. He won an Oscar for it, and you can see why.
Every line feels like a whole speech. His face just *contorting* with pain and anger during arguments with Jan, it’s a lot to take in. 😬
Norma Shearer's Jan is supposed to be this independent woman, running around doing whatever. But sometimes it feels like the script just *tells* you she's free-spirited instead of always showing it.
Like, she just keeps falling for the wrong guy, you know? It's a pattern.
Then there's Clark Gable, playing Ace. He's got that undeniable charm, even though he's a total scoundrel.
This is early Gable, still a bit raw. He’s not quite the smooth leading man yet, but the magnetism is already there; you can feel him trying out that grin.
The movie really leans into the idea of family loyalty versus personal freedom. Jan’s dad is just _consumed_ by his love for her, and his booze habit doesn't help.
It's a pretty dark look at how addiction can mess up everything around you.
One moment stuck with me: Jan’s mother, played by Lucy Beaumont, she just sits there, mostly silent, through so much of the family chaos. Her expressions tell more than any dialogue could.
It’s a small part, but *powerful* in its