Great Profile, The (1940)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Incredibly bizarre and rather sad comedy has John Barrymore playing himself but the comedy brings more frowns than laughs. In the film Barrymore plays an actor who's pretty much been kicked out of Hollywood due to his drinking habits but he's given another chance by a young playwrite who feels her latest play can bring the actor back to top. The play fails but the actor comes out on stage drunk, which causes huge laughter in the crowd and turns the play into a hit. However, the young playwrite would rather have a sober actor rather than a hit play but this doesn't sit well with the producer. Yes, this is a comedy about an alcoholic that people want to get drunk so that people will laugh at him. Knowing Barrymore's history with alcohol, I can't say that this film made me laugh. The humor doesn't sit or play well today but the strange thing is that the only successful part of the movie comes during the first play performance when Barrymore goes on stage drunk. The actors maniac style really makes for some hilarious moments but everything else here falls flat on its face. The film is pretty dull, lifeless and just not that interesting. The attempts at humor might have worked in 1940 but today they just come off as sad and its made even sadder that Barrymore has to do it. Mary Beth Hughes, Gregory Ratoff, John Payne, Anne Baxter and Lionel Atwill play support.
* 1/2 (out of 4)
Incredibly bizarre and rather sad comedy has John Barrymore playing himself but the comedy brings more frowns than laughs. In the film Barrymore plays an actor who's pretty much been kicked out of Hollywood due to his drinking habits but he's given another chance by a young playwrite who feels her latest play can bring the actor back to top. The play fails but the actor comes out on stage drunk, which causes huge laughter in the crowd and turns the play into a hit. However, the young playwrite would rather have a sober actor rather than a hit play but this doesn't sit well with the producer. Yes, this is a comedy about an alcoholic that people want to get drunk so that people will laugh at him. Knowing Barrymore's history with alcohol, I can't say that this film made me laugh. The humor doesn't sit or play well today but the strange thing is that the only successful part of the movie comes during the first play performance when Barrymore goes on stage drunk. The actors maniac style really makes for some hilarious moments but everything else here falls flat on its face. The film is pretty dull, lifeless and just not that interesting. The attempts at humor might have worked in 1940 but today they just come off as sad and its made even sadder that Barrymore has to do it. Mary Beth Hughes, Gregory Ratoff, John Payne, Anne Baxter and Lionel Atwill play support.