Madame X (1929) Welcome to the public domain classic Madame X (1929)! This early MGM all-talking pr

Madame X (1929) Welcome to the public domain classic Madame X (1929)! This early MGM all-talking pre-Code drama, directed by Lionel Barrymore and starring Ruth Chatterton, tells the tragic story of a fallen woman who sacrifices everything to protect her son. Cast out by her unforgiving husband after an affair, she descends into a hard life marked by absinthe and despair—only to face her greatest trial decades later when her own son unknowingly defends her in court. A powerful early sound melodrama about maternal love, shame, and redemption. Now free to watch, share, and enjoy since it entered the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2025. Available on the Internet Archive and elsewhere. Cast (Principal) Ruth Chatterton as Jacqueline Floriot / Madame X Lewis Stone as Louis Floriot Raymond Hackett as Raymond Floriot (adult son) Holmes Herbert as Noel Eugenie Besserer as Rose (servant) Ullrich Haupt as Laroque Sidney Toler as Dr. Merivel Mitchell Lewis as Colonel Hanby Richard Carle as Perissard Claude King as Valmorin (prosecutor) Plus supporting players including John P. Edington, Carroll Nye, Chappell Dossett, and uncredited child actors (including a young Dickie Moore and Edith Fellows). Crew (Key Credits) Director: Lionel Barrymore Screenplay / Dialogue: Willard Mack (based on the 1908 play Madame X / La Femme X by Alexandre Bisson) Cinematography: Arthur Reed Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons Film Editor: William S. Gray Music: William Axt (and Sam Wineland) Costume Design: David Cox Sound: Russell Franks, Douglas Shearer Studio / Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM / Loew’s) Notable: Barrymore and Chatterton received Academy Award consideration (Best Director and Best Actress) for the 2nd Academy Awards (1928–29 films). Barrymore also pioneered an early boom-microphone technique using a fishing pole during production. Locations Story setting: France (primarily Paris and related locales; courtroom and domestic scenes). Filming: Mostly at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Culver City, California (typical for early sound-era productions). Premiere: New York City opening at the Sam H. Harris Theater (a legitimate stage venue rented by MGM to emphasize the film’s serious dramatic credentials). #FreeMovies #WatchForFree #InternetArchive #PublicDomainMovies #ClassicHollywood #FilmHistory #OscarNominee #BestActress #BestDirector #MotherLove #Melodrama #VintageFilm #BlackAndWhite #OldHollywood #FilmTwitter #ClassicMovies #CourtroomDrama #ClassicFilm #FreeMovies #netflix #xmovies #twittermovies #movies #movie #bestmovies #WWERaw #WWERaw #LoversAndGangsters