| | | Love is a farce.
Features: DVD, Pan and Scan (TV Format), Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, Mono Audio, Black & White, Japanese, Subtitled
Carole Lombard and John Barrymore star in this all-time classic screwball comedy based on the Charles MacArthur / Ben Hecht Broadway hit and directed by Howard Hawks. It's the story of a maniacal Broadway director (Barrymore) who transforms shopgirl Carole Lombard from a talented amateur to a smashing Great White Way success adored by public and press.
Editor's Note
In TWENTIETH CENTURY, Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore), a temperamental Broadway producer with a history of success and an ego to match, turns his tyrannical energies on young starlet Mildred Plotka (Carole Lombard). Before long she's renamed Lily Garland and has become the toast of the town, amid a tempestuous romantic relationship with Jaffe. Years and several successful plays later, Lily leaves for Hollywood, and Jaffe's plays begin to flop. After a disastrous show in Chicago, Jaffe encounters Lily on a train and tries everything to get her to return to Broadway, but Lily doesn't want anything to do with her former mentor. A dazzling showcase for the skills of Barrymore and Lombard and one of the first screwball comedies, TWENTIETH CENTURY boasts rapid-fire dialogue, entertainingly oddball supporting characters, and terrific writing. The film is adapted from the Hecht-MacArthur play NAPOLEON OF BROADWAY, which is based loosely on the life of producer David Merrick.
Plot Summary
Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore), a tyrannical Broadway producer, makes a star of shy Mildred Plotka (Carole Lombard), renaming her Lily Garland and beginning a stormy romance with her. After a series of hit shows Lily leaves Jaffe and heads for Hollywood. Jaffe's shows begin to decline and he has one flop after another. The bickering pair meet accidentally on the Twentieth Century Limited train bound for New York, and Jaffe must do whatever it takes to get Lily to come back to him. TWENTIETH CENTURY is a breathless screwball comedy featuring brilliant performances from Barrymore and Lombard.
| Features | Audio: English Mono | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, Japanese |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Columbia Tri-Star |
| Release Date: 5/23/2006 |
| Running Time: 91 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1934 | | Catalog ID: 10671 | | UPC: 00043396106710 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English | | Available Subtitles: Japanese | | Video: B&W |
| Cast & Crew
| Memorable Quotes| "I close the iron door on you!"----Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) |
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"[T]hough the insults and argot reach exhilarating heights, the comedy is about possession more than romance, and the acid ending reflects a bracing sophistication." 02/25/2005 p.85USA Today
"[A] classic screwball comedy that made Carole Lombard a star and gave John Barrymore his greatest screen role." 02/25/2005 p.9E |
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