John Barrymore Performs Shakespeare Videos

rclavin Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Didn't mean to offend. Just musing on why some stand the test of time, some don't, and why. Oh, and I forgot to mention my favorite JB film: Twentieth Century. Happy viewing.

maralily Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Thank you for posting this. My husband and I are actors and we recently performed in a production of "I Hate Hamlet" which is about John Barrymore. My husband played Barrymore and I played a psychic who brings Barrymore's ghost into the play. This video was very helpful as a reference tool. The play was a success and we both thank you for helping!

cbeg Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - So glad you enjoyed the clip and found it helpful. It was must have been something to see him on stage during his prime. From what I've read, film doesn't do him justice.

magiragorjia Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Magnificent, even if he is no longer in his prime. Magnificent.

youngfreak32 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Which one is Barrymore? I must be blind, can't pick him out at all.

youngfreak32 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Oh dear God, I just realised who it is...

seanparker124 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Thank you for sharing this! I once owned WB's "The Show of Shows", but I lost it. Barrymore showed Hollywood his amazing talent. Wish he wasn't too sick to do Hamlet in the mid 30's. He couldn't remember his lines. Anybody know where I could see a copy of his screen test? I know the Library of Congress has a copy.

Howl27 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - The last one to join the others on the hill, he brings the head.

emersonsmartset Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Creepy

mendoncacorreia Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - According to some cognizants, John Barrymore was the greatest Richard III ever: I confess I lost my last doubts about it when I compared this clip with the other one you can find here in "YouTube" starring Laurence Olivier... What a pity John Barrymore had already so many personal and health problems when this shot was taken: after his mesmerizing "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", one could only expect he would do more and better movies than he has really done...

perfectjazz78 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - This was originally shot in Two Color Technicolor.

bbxx44 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - What a treasure. Barrymore is outstanding. So often these old clips are so overemoted, but Barrymore withstands the test of time. It's a shame he there isn't more. Thanks for sharing this.

jghermanater Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - This precious clip from 1929 shows how great Barrymore was as a Shakespearean actor; there was no greater Hamlet - see Olivier's comments on John's London performance.

deepseadirt Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - this 5 minutes of Barrymore reciting Richard III from Henry VI pt. 1 in Warner Bros. "Show of Shows"(1929) gives a peak into what barrymore's 1920 Richard III stage production must've been like on Broadway. Too bad he didn't just do the whole play as an early talkie. All in all this is an early peak into Shakespeare on sound film and perhaps indicated the possibilities for the future.

seanparker124 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - You should watch "Twentieth Century" w/ Carol Lombard and "Counsellor at Law" and, not too mention, "Dinner at Eight". He understood the camera. He and Lionel respected each other tremendously.

drew081682 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - when asked what he thought about being the greatest actor of all time, barrymore responded that there were on 2 great actors: Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles. While I would not disagree with him, I would say there are 3: John Barrymore being 1st among them.

drew081682 Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - It's supposed to be the "idea" of richard III not the actual person, but his perception in Tudor England...a ruthless, deformed tyrant.

fstorm Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Barrymore was older than your usual Mercutio, but I think he made the role work in a different way-- as a decadently overaged pursuer of youthful friendship (although of women too), using his gift of entertaining speech to earn his otherwise unjustifiable place among the kids.

bchfront Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - I'm rather proud to relate that my grandfather made a modest-contribution to the "Show of Shows": He composed a number for then heavyweight French-Champ Georges Carpentier, called "If I Could Learn to Love as Well as I Fight". My grandfather, M.K. Jerome,was part-of a brace of songwriters brought out here when talkies came-in. However, the Barrymore soliloquy is certainly,now, the only memorable thing in the pic! And while mentioning Mr. B's credits, don't forget "Midnight" -- beautiful! R.J.

cbeg Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Thank you for your comment. I actually enjoyed the flick, although it moved a 'tad' slowly ~ a real showcase of early vaudevillians, nonetheless. I caught the movie on TMC some 15 years ago and thought the Barrymore scene was excellent. Am still lacking the last 15 minutes or so of the movie. From the soundtrack, I gather that one of the more popular tunes for '29 was "Lady Luck."

bchfront Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Dear cbeg: Thanks for your nice response. Actually, you're "one-up" on moi-- the first and last time I saw this, it had been "unearthed" for a showing at UCLA, many years ago, and outside of Barrymore, and maybe the aforementioned number w/Carpentier, I seem to recall being spectacularly bored! You maybe right, however, about "Lady Luck" -- that was, I think, the shows' big-finale. Alot of the tunesmiths brought over for this pic,like my grandfather,stayed-out here, and did quite well! R.J.

blackwingy Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Fantastic-thanks for posting it.

faustwriter Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - where on earth did you come up with this? it's brilliant. i thought the only footage of Barrymore as Richard was his piece from a TV show in the 50's. it's amazing that this even exists. thank you very much for putting it up.

cbeg Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - Hi, Faustwriter! It's from the '29 Warner Bros. extravaganza "Show of Shows." I think it's one of Barrymore's finest Shakespearean film performances. I first saw it at the Libr. of Congress back in the early 80's; TCM ran it about 15 years ago. Glad you enjoyed it!

bchfront Says:

Jul 6, 2008 - "The Show of Shows" actually shows-up on TCM more-often than you would suspect. I can tell you this first-hand, because whenever its' on, we get royalties on it. It doesn't show-up now as frequently as it once-did on our ASCAP -survey, but Turner still runs-it some. You just have to look for it! R.J.