Customer Reviews

Great Man Votes [VHS]

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John Barrymore plays an alcoholic widower raising two young children, a boy and a girl. He's an intellectual Harvard man, well able to provide for the kids spiritually and intellectually, but not so well financially. When they get into a bit of trouble at school, do-gooders propose transferring the children's guardianship to his wealthy in-laws.

But due to the awkward workings of the political machinery of their typical American city, Barrymore kind of has the local politicians, up to and including the mayor, over a barrel. It seems he's the only registered voter in the 13th precinct, which traditionally sets the trend for the rest of the city. The local political boss, Donald MacBride (a familiar face if you've seen a lot of old detective b-movies - he was often the cop), is ordered to secure Barrymore's vote at any cost.

William Demarest (My Three Sons, etc.) has a small role as another cog in the city's political machine.

It's a pleasant comedy drama mainly due to Barrymore's performance.

"The Great Man Votes" is probably the last good film of the great man himself, John Barrymore. Barrymore (1882-1942) was one of the greatest theatrical performers of the 20th century, but many of his screen performances are not nearly as powerful, and this is particularly true of his work in the talkies. In films like "Romeo and Juliette" (1936) and "Twentieth Century" (1934), which were essentially filmed plays, we get to see what theater goers saw, but in more dynamic vehicles like "Rasputin and the Empress" (1932) and "Dinner at Eight" (1933), much of Barrymore's charm and charisma are missing. But it is clearly on display here.

Barrymore plays a once respected academic who has sunk into alcoholism as a result of the death of his wife, and he is now threatened with the loss of his two young children.

Katherine Alexander (1898-1981) plays the teacher of Barrymore's children, who takes an interest in Barrymore. Alexander was a well known stage performer who made 44 films, most of them in the 30s. Among other roles she played Queen Anne in "Cardinal Richelieu" (1935) and Madame de Lys in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939).

Cute Virginia Weidler (1926-68) was a wonderful child actress who appeared in several films with Barrymore among the 40 films she completed before retiring at age 17. Among her notable films were "The Women" (1939), "The Philadelphia Story" (1940), and "Babes on Broadway" (1941). She plays Barrymore's daughter.

The film includes William Demarest and Donald McBride. McBride (1889-1957) plays a politicial hack who is ordered to get Barrymore to vote for his boss, the mayor, played by Granville Bates (1882-1940). McBride appeared in more than 100 films, often crime stories like "High Sierra" (1941), "The Thin Man" (1945), and "The Killers" (1946). I remember him best as the comic foil in films like "Buck Privates Come Home" (1947) and "Little Giant" (1946).

William Demarest (1892-1983) is best known for his role as Uncle Charley in "My Three Sons" (1965-92), but in fact he made more than 100 films including an Oscar nomination for "The Al Jolson Story" (1946). He has a brief appearance as a political hack.

The film is directed by Garson Kanin (1912-99). Kanin was nominated 3 times for an Oscar for writing ("Pat and Mike", "Adam's Rib", "A Double Life"), in each case with his long time wife Ruth Gordon. He was known primarily as a writer, but directed 18 films of which this was his third.

Pandro Berman (1905-96) produced for RKO. Berman was to RKO what Irving Thalberg was to MGM. Under his careful eye RKO produced such classics as "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), "Of Human Bondage" (1934), "Alice Adams" (1935), "Top Hat" (1935), "Stage Door" (1937), "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1939), and "Gunga Din" (1939). Six of his films earned Oscars for Best Picture.

FWIW - Berman was opposed to hiring Barrymore, but gave in to Kanin who insisted. For his trust, Barrymore rewarded the young Kanin with 24 days of problem free shooting. Kanin said "He was never late, never objected to overtime, gave everything on every take, and was totally prepared."

The NY Times said the film has "its heart in the right place" and called Barrymore's performance "engaging" but criticized the "amateurish approach and the fact that its secondary characters exist merely as comical, priggish, or sentimental set-ups."

For fans of Barrymore, this is a must see. Bloated and his skin sagging, he often resembles his brother, the great actor Lionel Barrymore. It's the last really good performance on screen by John, and his final speech is just wonderful.

This was the first movie I had seen of John Barrymore. Unfortunately you can see the ware that his real life alcohol problem had on him by that time. I read where he could not remember his lines and had to read them off of cue cards throughout the whole movie. But I will tell you, history is right about one thing. John Barrymore was and still is one of the greatest character actors that there ever was. Being an alcoholic, he is actually drunk (in real life) throughout this movie. And yet he can still pull off a prize winning performance. This is a great movie and a great way to meet John Barrymore.