Kaufman-Ferber play about a family based on the Barrymores – the intro tries to draw comparison with other actor families, like the Lupinos in England, but the fact the eldest son also has a film career and a capacity to get in the headlines leads one to assume it’s the Barrymores. Frederick March (who played the role on Broadway and film) is effective as John Barrymore equivalent – he’s the only name in a cast that really needs names to work, or at least big actors. The two main plots concern John B getting sued for breaching a movie contract and fighting off romantic entanglements, his sister being pursued by a rich man and hating acting, and her daughter romancing a young man and deciding whether to leave the stage. There’s also a grand dame character who loves acting – her death is genuinely moving. They didn’t get the timing of this right and finish early – the last five minutes is a classic music score.
No comments:
Post a Comment