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| |  | In a comedy as fast as its title, Barrymore proves a deft farceur, the like of which has seldom been equalled on stage or screen. It is hilarious fun from start to finish and a screen delight that no Barrymore fan will want to miss. The story of "20th Century" is that of an eccentric theatrical producer, artificial in all of his emotions, egotistical, a czar in his theatrical domain, conceited and stubborn in his own opinion. He takes an unknown girl and makes her a famous theatrical star. After a lover's quarrel, she leaves him and goes to hollywood where she becomes famous on the screen. Jaffe tries to repeat his star-making with other girls, but they are miserable failures. After a series of disastrous seasons, he is in Chicago, facing bankruptcy. To escape process servers, he smuggles himself aboard the "Twentieth Century", bound for New York. He discovers that the girl, Lily Garland, is on the train, and knows that if he can get her name to a contract, he can stave off the ruin that is threatening him. But she will have none of him. He meets an eccentric millionaire, a religious fanatic, and interests him in fanancing the Passion Play. He then tries to induce Lily to play the role of the Magdalene. When the millionaire is discovered to be a harmless lunatic, she again scorns his offer. How he finally tricks her into signing the contract is one of the most laugh-provoking scenes imaginable, too clever to be disclosed here.
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The brilliance of Barrymore's performance and the overall film is due to the talents of his three primary collaborators, Hawks and the screenwriters, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. In addition, the four collaborators were devoted, trusting friends. |
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GABY DESLYS' FAMED BED PROP ---------------------------------------- GABY DESLYS' famous bed, presented to her by KING EMMANUEL of Portugal while she was at the zenith of her fame, is used as an important "prop" in Columbia's "20th Century". Made by the famous french cabinet maker, Creager, the bed is in the shape of a boat resembling Cleopatra's barges as seen in many paintings. It is decorated in high gilded relief, with panels hand-painted against a deep tan background. In the picture it is supposedly the property of a highly temperamental actress (the role portrayed by Carole Lombard) and figures largely in the action between Miss Lombard, John Barrymore, Walter Connolly and Roscoe Karns. Valued at £5,000, Miss Lombard who frequents the bed during the picture, has developed a liking for it-and may buy it eventually. |
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CRACK TWENTIETH CENTURY GOES "MOVIE" - NOW STAR The Twentieth Century Limited, New York Central's crack train, was loaned to Columbia Studios for production of the JOHN BARRYMORE starring production "20th Century". The railway made up a special section of their deluxe train, which was run over the line from CHICAGO TO NEW YORK while the movie makers shot scenes for the production. |
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FLIES COSTLY FILM ITEM - EXPERIENCED FLY-CHASERS HIRED ! --------------------- "Quick, Henry - the flit" thats the call for the fly chaser on Motion Picture Sets. Flies buzz in microphones, making a noise which records like a roar of a big tri-motored bomber. Flies light on actor's noses and cause them to break out with words not written in the script. One of the pesky insects caused John Barrymore to throw the entire set of 20th CENTURY into convulsions of laughter. It was a serious scene. His script line was "I have come to say you are the greatest actress of all times." Cameras were started, Howard Hawks called "Action". Miss Lombard stood in her beautiful gown, her eyes dimmed with tears. The great Jaffe entered the door and approached her with reverential demeanor. "I have come", he started - and the fly alighted on the classic Barrymore nose. "I have come to say that - there's a BLANK BLANK fly on my nose!" When Hawks, Lombard, Connolly and Karns recovered from their explosive laughing spell, Hawks ordered the fly-chaser onto the set. With a spray pump he saturated the atmosphere with some compound calculated to be distinctly irritating to flies and then the scene proceeded. |
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Though Barrymore appeared in 17 films after 20th Century, he gave only one more performance worthy of his name, in THE GREAT MAN VOTES. By 1934 he was already a broken man and impoverished artist. His professional career was plummeting. He had absolutely no confidence or ability to memorize a single line. His personal life was again in shambles. 3 months after the release of Twentieth Century, he fled from Dolores Costello, fearing that she was going to institutionalize him. |
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