This is not a great movie. But the first half is often remarkable. Why Errol Flynn, near the end of his own life, agreed to play the last days of another alcoholic actor, John Barrymore, I don't know. But play the part he did, and the result is a deeply moving performance. Flynn makes no effort to look or sound like Barrymore, so we are left to imagine that he is playing himself, showing us how HE felt after having made a mess of HIS life and career. Yet he doesn't ask for our pity. He sometimes makes Barrymore - or is it Flynn? - a very hateful individual.
I've seen a lot of Flynn's movies. Some of the later ones seem telephoned in; he just doesn't do much with the roles. But in this one, he does a remarkable job of making us see - but not necessarily sympathize with - a man who has turned himself over to alcohol.
I strongly recommend watching it through his character's death, about half-way through the picture.
I've seen a lot of Flynn's movies. Some of the later ones seem telephoned in; he just doesn't do much with the roles. But in this one, he does a remarkable job of making us see - but not necessarily sympathize with - a man who has turned himself over to alcohol.
I strongly recommend watching it through his character's death, about half-way through the picture.