John Barrymore in silent movies
-
Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — John Barrymore
wmorrow59 — 21 years ago(September 12, 2004 06:41 AM)
Although I've seen only a few of his silent films it's surprising to me how well John Barrymore comes off in that medium, especially in
Don Juan
and
The Beloved Rogue
. Those familiar with his wonderful voice from later talkie appearances might imagine he would've been crippled by silence, but somehow he managed to express himself very eloquently with his face and body language something that was not always the case with stage-trained actors who appeared in silent films. Barrymore was one of the few who seemed able to gauge his performance for the cameras, and to play "big" without looking ridiculous.
That said, I must admit I have mixed feelings about his performance as Jekyll & Hyde. Back in the pre-home video days I used to go see silent moves at a local museum, and I was occasionally annoyed by the behavior of the audience at the dramas: some people apparently assumed that
all
silent movies were, by definition, funny, and these people weren't exactly attuned to the acting styles of the day. No matter what the mood of the film might have been, these people were there to laugh
at
it, and that bugged me. Well, when Barrymore's
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
was shown, I have to admit I laughed along with everyone else during the frenzied transformation scenes. Let's face it, when the suave Dr. Jekyll drinks that potion and literally flings himself to the floor, it's funny.
. . . but
Don Juan
is still entertaining and fun, and Barrymore himself is quite dashing in the role, while in
The Beloved Rogue
he's wacky and wryly self-mocking. Later on, in his decline, Barrymore's self-mockery became pathetic, but in the '20s he was still in his heyday, and those two efforts hold up very well. -
lovesick80 — 21 years ago(December 08, 2004 01:40 AM)
Agreed. John Barrymore was brilliant in the silent film eraparticularly "Don Juan", which is one of my absolute favorite silent films ever. By eliminating the vocal aspect of his performance, he instead showed every other possible dimension to his characters through body language, mannerisms, and gestures. Absolutely breathtaking! My only wish is that he had been born twenty years later and would have been equally successful in the talkies as he was in silents, and for much longer too. Such a shame he passed away just as the golden era of film was realizing its potential.
-
alfiesgal — 21 years ago(January 15, 2005 03:43 PM)
Actually he began on theatrical stage doing everything from Shakespeare to silly crowd-pleasers. So elocution, talking and what have you were his arsenal long before sound.
The eloquence you mention is what made Beloved Rogue so special: somehow he located the heart and wide-eyed romanticism of a dreaming poet. I don't know he was really that pathetic, because an image be it princely from his heyday or ruined star -5b4- always takes effort maintaining.
The only thing sorry is drinking into early grave, for a star or anybody else. There's a CD of his radio show with brother Lionel Barrymore, where he mocks his own image. but BOY! did he still have that INCISIVE, brilliant grasp to locate the emphatic heart & soul in Shakespearan language. Lionel is just standing back, watching his brother with admiration and a kind of sad tolerance for the self-destructiveness.
I find the Jekyll/Hydge transformation fascinating wonder what Lon Chaney thought of it!
Must-sees of JB: Counsellor-at-Law, 20th Century, Dinner at Eight, Svengali (botched by under-developed direction/script.) -
wmorrow59 — 21 years ago(January 15, 2005 04:31 PM)
My grandmother saw Barrymore on stage in the late '30s in his last touring vehicle,
My Dear Children
, in which he co-starred with his last wife Elaine Barrie, a busty young woman of limited talent. My grandmother's verdict was "Sad, sad, sad . . ." I guess it's true that it takes a certain degree of showmanship to play the real-life role of Genius in Decline (Orson Welles and Preston Sturges did this too), but how much happier for all concerned if Jack Barrymore had pulled himself together and returned to the stage in worthy vehicles, or at least made better choices in his film work.
I confess, I rather enjoy watching him prance through some of the later movies;
Midnight
is quite good, and even stuff like
The Invisible Woman
is amusing if you're in the right mood.
. . .still, all things considered, the Barrymore of
The Beloved Rogue
is the one I enjoy most. He's young, in rare form, and looks like he's having a great time.
P.S. As for his other silent films, I once saw a terrible print of
Beau Brummel
and hope to see a better one some day.
Sherlock Holmes
was a disappoinment great cast, but a poor script that lacked the flavor of the original stories. Still haven't caught up with either one of J.B.'s "Ahab" portrayals, the ones that set Melville spinning in his grave . . . -
Afternothing99 — 20 years ago(June 30, 2005 07:54 PM)
I have seen all four of the 'major' Barrymore pictures of the silent era (Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, The Sea Beast, Don Juan and The Beloved Rouge) and I enjoyed every single one of them. I think The Beloved Rouge is the best, although I love Don Juan, especially for the musical score.
"The romance of picture making ends here" Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in 1929 -
bushrod56 — 20 years ago(July 05, 2005 09:39 PM)
I like JB in when he's in a roguish, bon vivant, almost semi-comic role. DON JUAN is a perfect example of that, I think. His courtly gestures and verbal sparing with the Borgias and all are just great fun to watch. Then he sometimes goes into a sort of maniacal act (as in the swordfight) which to me just adds to his over all entertainment value. The guy also had a definate macabre streak, too, as per the dungeon scene and of course in DR.J & MR.H. Somehow I like him least as the big, serious lover- give me the devil may care, over the top JB.
-
dbbarrymore — 20 years ago(August 20, 2005 02:18 PM)
Just want to add that I love JOHN BARRYMORE in whatever he did.
My favourite silent films of his were TEMPEST and SEA BEAST.
In fact The Sea Beast was John's favorite silent film which he made.
Check out my website for him at
www.johnbarrymore.co.uk -
dfwlassie — 14 years ago(January 06, 2012 04:13 PM)
I can watch any JB film and enjoy it. My favorite JB silent films are Don Juan, The Sea Beast and Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Two as a lover, showcasing his amazing physique and his abilities for comedy and drama and the other demonstrating his extraordinary ability to transform himself completely into a completely different character. It's tragic that he made too few films in his prime. He was undoubtably the finest actor of his generation who could do anything well. To me, the finest film actor of the 20th century.
-
zpzjones — 18 years ago(May 17, 2007 03:28 PM)
I get a kick out of that line dquick every time I watch it. It has a certain sexual connotation 'if you know what I mean'. I also like the line in Beau Brummel where somebody(?the King of England) asks Beau "dont you want to fight for your country?" and Barrymore/Beau(through title card)responds by saying "yes, but not in Manchester!"
-
JenniferLynne73 — 19 years ago(June 02, 2006 06:34 AM)
I just ordered Sherlock Holmes (1922). I've heard mixed reviews but I don't care. Besides the Great Barrymore, it also features a young William Powell in his first screen role. It's a small part for him, but oh well. I can't wait to get it! Barrymore AND Powell, pure heaven.
-
metalman091 — 13 years ago(July 29, 2012 12:28 AM)
It is unique that Barrymore was able to be a big star in silent films, as well as a big stage star at the same time considering that most stage actors looked down on films. It would have been hard for an actor, known for a wonderful speaking voice to succeed in that medium at that time. Can you imagine Laurence Olivier as a star of silent films?
That wonderful Barrymore quality was evident in DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE [1920], especially during the scene were he murders Carewe. He was creepy in that scene. -
398 — 11 years ago(December 31, 2014 11:46 AM)
I think one can make a strong case that Barrymore was the best silent actor of them all,
there of course are the straight comics Chaplin and Keaton who were unmatchable in what they did,
but of the others
Fairbanks did the swashbucklers, but Barrymore was good at that also.
Valentino did the great lover roles, but Barrymore could do those also.
Chaney did the macabre character roles, but Barrymore could do those also.
I can see Barrymore in something like West of Zanzibar in the Chaney role. I can't see Chaney as Don Juan. I can see Barrymore as Robin Hood, but I can't see Fairbanks as Mr. Hyde. I can see Barrymore as The Eagle, but I can't see Valentino as Hyde. I can see Barrymore replacing Conrad Veidt as Louis XI in the Beloved Rogue, but I can't see Veidt playing his role.
Barrymore was just much more versatile than his peers. -
metalman091 — 11 years ago(February 07, 2015 12:02 AM)
You make some great points about Barrymore's versatility. It just goes to show you that every great performer is limited in their own way. A lot of people think that great actors cannot be good looking but it isn't true.
What's more, if a great actor is good looking it just adds more to his range and in Barrymore's case this meant romantic leads. Of course it isn't a put down to suggest that Barrymore may have had more range than Chaney [Chaney was one of the greatest actors of all time] because everyone is limited.
I think the closest we came to having another Barrymore was with Fredric March.