Barrymore Best

Reviews

Okay, it’s creaky…embarrassingly hokey at times…but if you want even your pretty jaundiced spirits lifted at the end, this doctor prescribes State’s Attorney, a classic 1932 film with the legendary John Barrymore:

imdb.com

“I’m not looking at your legs, madam,” says Barrymore’s character, a D.A., to the “dish” on the witness stand. “I’m looking at your soul.” But of course it’s his own soul that warrants an even more vigorous prosecution…

Don’t want to give away any more about the film, but the following might be interesting to note about all the famous Barrymores:

“Barrymore family, U.S. theatrical family. Maurice Barrymore (orig. Herbert Blythe; 1847/49–1905) made his stage debut in London before moving to New York City (1875), where he adopted Barrymore as his stage name. He joined Augustin Daly’s company and in 1876 married Georgiana Drew, of the theatrical Drew family. Their eldest child, Lionel Barrymore (orig. Lionel Blythe; 1878–1954), became a leading Broadway actor in plays such as Peter Ibbetson (1917) and The Copperhead (1918) and then moved to Hollywood in 1926, where he appeared in films such as A Free Soul (1931, Academy Award) and Grand Hotel (1932). Famous as a character actor, he made some 200 films, including 15 Dr. Kildare pictures. His sister Ethel Barrymore (orig. Ethel Blythe; 1879–1959) appeared in London in Peter the Great (1898) and on Broadway in Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines (1901). She opened the New York theatre named for her in 1928 in The Kingdom of God and later starred in The Corn Is Green (1940). She appeared in more than 30 films, including None but the Lonely Heart (1944, Academy Award) and The Spiral Staircase (1946). Their brother John Barrymore (orig. John Blythe; 1882–1942) was acclaimed in plays such as Justice (1916), Richard III (1920), and especially Hamlet (1922). His films include Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) and Dinner at Eight (1933). An alcoholic, he was known for his flamboyant behaviour. John’s granddaughter Drew Barrymore (born 1975) first won notice at age seven in the film E.T. (1982).” Encyclopaedia Britannica

Must Read

You May Also Like

Guest Posts

Follow the Flavor

Guest Post by Sondra Fink I love food.  I love that vegetables need vinegar or lemon to break down their cell walls so your body can absorb their nutrients.  They need whole fats too – your vegetable’s nutrients are fat-soluble.  Fats carry those nutrients to your cells so your body…
Read More
Barnett Berger

Barnett Berger: For Losers

The poem below is by Barnett Berger. For Losers Quest for a vision The morning of awareness Dawn of the ocean The sweet, loving spaces of intimacy Whispered caresses Suntanned kisses Words calming and mirroring faith Now replaced by grunts Harmonic ostinatos Shouting through hollow bones Anger carrying stormy divisions…
Read More
Barnett Berger

Barnett Berger: No Two Snowflakes

The poem below is by Barnett Berger. No Two Snowflakes No two snowflakes are alike No object from sky to earth Could possibly be identical We don’t know the sky’s influence in formation We don’t know the objects encountered on the downward ride And we don’t know the impact on…
Read More
Guest Posts

Pubescent Putin

My brother Maury…a talented poet and writer whose books are available here and whose far-more-tasteful-than-mine website is maurybarr.com…has said what, it could be argued, no woman could get away with saying without censure: Headline: Antisatellite Nuclear Weapon Oh, your smile! It’s Mr. Crafty! What are you doing? Put your pecker…
Read More
Menu