226 - Twentieth Century

A prototypical screwball comedy, 1934's Twentieth Century sees John Barrymore delightfully chewing the scenery as a pompous theatre impresario who discovers and makes a star of Carole Lombard's lingerie model. Having separated after several successful years, the former power couple meet by chance on the luxury Twentieth Century train, and it all kicks off as schemes are put into action, conflict erupts, and some religious bloke keeps putting stickers that say "REPENT" on everything he sees. Barrymore is sensational, sending theatrical types up and orating floridly and dramatically, while Lombard clashes with him spikily. We consider how well Twentieth Century fits into the screwball genre - the dialogue is snappy and witty, the situations farcical, the relationships barbed, although it's less of an even two-hander than you might expect, the focus heavily on Barrymore. Mike argues that the chemistry between the couple doesn't play as enjoyably as intended, and that the bits of business on the fringes, and the knowing weariness with which Barrymore's two assistants handle their jobs, are where the real joy lies. And José effusively compares Barrymore's ability to move between stage and screen to Laurence Olivier's, another actor renowned as the greatest of his day, but who appeared fussy and busy on film. While it's no new discovery, Twentieth Century holding places in the National Film Registry and the history of film comedy, it's a new one for us, and a corker. P.S. Corrections and clarifications: Burt Lancaster never performed a part written by the New Yorker film critic Terrence Rafferty. He did perform a part written by the British dramatist Terence Rattigan. José apologises profusely. Recorded on 24th April 2020.