Beau Brummel

What can anyone say about this? Beautiful print, some fine acting by Barrymore -- wonderfully subtle for the period in the early sequences and quite appropriately over-the-top at the end. Given the uniformly over-the-top performances he was called on to make towards the end of his career, the well-preserved Barrymore silents -- this one, his fine, generous performance in THE BELOVED ROGUE, and the sheer electricity between him and Dolores Costello in WHEN A MAN LOVES show what a fine actor he is -- those turns and his wonderful comic work in MIDNIGHT.

I have been less than impressed in the past by some of the scores offered by the Young Composers but, although a bit shaky in the earlier sequences, this one settled right down and was quite good.

I had quite forgotten this was directed by Harry Beaumont, who became my favorite MGM B director -- even though, of course, MGM didn't make B movies.

"George Byron Brummel" (John Barrymore) is a soldier and not an especially significant one at that. He falls in love with the "Lady Margery" (Mary Astor) and though she reciprocates to an extent, she's not prepared to sacrifice her status to marry him so instead marries the "Lord Alvanley" (William Humphrey) and leaves her erstwhile paramour to the life of a bit of a libertine. The best way to achieve success at doing very little is to attach oneself to one even better at it, and so he engineers a meeting with the Prince of Wales (Willard Louis) and soon the pair are firm friends and "George" - now widely called "Beau" is holding court in a regal splendour all of his own. Gradually he acquires enemies at court and begins to over-play his hand. He racks up debts and philanders to the point where his royal patron starts to tire of his toy and, after a rather rash retaliatory comment to the Prince one day, "Beau" is abandoned to his multiple creditors, That causes him to flee to the relative safety of France, but clearly clearly his goose is starting to look cooked and he is increasingly reliant on the loyalty of his manservant "Mortimer" (Alec B. Francis) and on the charity of his few remaining friends in Britain. A potential reconciliation between the two seems possible when the now King George III visits France, but pride and rancour put paid to that and condemn poor old "Beau" to a decline that is anything but beautiful. Harry Beaumont takes his time with this drama and that helps develop the quite complex character of "Brummell". We see ambition and shallowness from Barrymore's performance, but we also see a shrewdness and a sort of perverse type of loyalty and humanity as he grows older and more considered. Astor delivers well too - she imbues her character with a combination of stoicism and emotion well. On the downside, though the Prince was reputedly quite a dandy character, I felt Louis rather overplayed that here at times. The two men still give us a decent dynamic when both are in full pomp, though. There's also a strong ensemble supporting cast that demonstrate well the foppishness of the court and the contrasting poverty endured by those who (not so) cheerily waved their flags and cheered. The last twenty minutes is poignant with some well executed special effects conveying the conclusion to us and those on screen to another place. As ever with lengthy silent films, you have to admire the musicians who read the contours of the film and accompany it so skilfully and here, we have some considerable artistry from the set designer and costumier too in the ultimate story of reaping what you sow!

BEAU BRUMMEL (A Warner Brothers Classic of the Screen, 1924), directed by Harry Beaumont, from the play and historical data by Clyde Finch, stars the legendary John Barrymore in one of his most prestigious films of the silent era. Mixing fact and fiction into the life of George Bryan Brummell (1778-1840), an English social arbiter, the opening inter-title sums it up best: "Nowhere in all history can be found a more amazing character than George Bryan Brummel, the friend of princes, the arbiter of fashion and the social ruler of England during the reign of George II. And nowhere in all fiction can be found more romance than was crowded into the life of this penniless commoner, whose natural charm and studied insolence made him the greatest dandy of all time - the immortal Beau Brummel." For the plot summary, beginning in the year 1795, George Bryan Brummel (John Barrymore), British Army officer and captain of the Tenth Hussars, deeply loves Margery Werthaim (Mary Astor). Because her mother (Clarissa Selwynne), "ambitious, relentless," finds Brummel to be a young man of no importance, insists Marjory wed Lord Alvanloy (William Humphrey) instead. As she takes her daughter to get married, Alvanloy leaves Brummel in the garden in humiliation by throwing him a sixpence. Next scene: "Revenge was all he thought of now. He would use his charmed wit and personal appearance in a game against the society which has robbed him of his love."  For the years to follow, Brummel does just that. Through the guidance of the Prince of Wales (Willard Louis), Brummel makes his way through society, resigns from the Army, abandons his whig for a more natural hair, has an affair with Mrs. Snodgrass (Betty Brice), the landlord's (James Marcus), wife; and makes his indiscretions with the ladies of the court, particularly Lady Hester (Carmel Myers), wife of Lord Henry Stanhope (Richard Tucker), whom he finds terribly annoying; and Frederica Charlotte (Irene Rich), sister-in-law of the Prince of Wales, whom he claims to be a tender woman, all of whom he loves and leaves. Making many enemies and finding himself heavily in debt, he at first serves time in a jail in Calais, and later finds himself living in poverty. His only true friend during his declining years is his servant, Mortimer (Alec B. Francis), whom he dismisses from his employ for being too helpful. Falling out of love with everything, Brummel is approached by Marjory, only to lose her again as explained with these words: "Death kills but once, life kills many times." What further develops remains to be seen. 

At first glance, BEAU BRUMMEL comes across as an overlong (128 minutes) dull costume drama about doomed love (with portions closely resembling George Du Maurier's PETER IBBETSON), redeemed by sincere yet "ham" acting of John Barrymore, from a young dandy to aged old man (with a striking resemblance to the older appearance of his brother, Lionel), and the ever youthful Mary Astor, both of whom would be reunited in DON JUAN (Warners, 1926), and supporting Claudette Colbert in the sound comedy, MIDNIGHT (Paramount, 1939). Looking over and comprehending everything not absorbed the first time around, this can now classified as a rich atmospheric production with fine acting, by 1920s standards, and detailed period pieces of long, long ago. Although there's really no action involving sword play to stir up excitement, there's little suspense midway involving a duel a Bowling Green between Brummel and a jealous husband.

BEAU BRUMMEL, a fortunate survivor of the silent film era, is not as relatively known as others from that era. In the wake of home video, however, it was placed on video cassette during the late 1980s through various distributors, including Video Yesteryear and Grapevine Video, just to name a few, mostly with missing footage and poor quality visuals. It can also be acquired in the DVD format as well.

Cable television's Turner Classic Movies brought BEAU BRUMMEL back to life by having a restored copy for its January 29, 2008 presentation accompanied by new and exceptional orchestral score conducted by young film composer James Schafer of Rancho Cucamonga, California. Regardless of host Bob Osborne announcing BEAU BRUMMEL making its "world television premiere," in fact, has played on television before in April 1994 on the Nostalgia Channel as part of its Saturday night weekly presentation of "When Silents Were Golden." Aside from an already pre-recorded orchestral score from a 1930s reissue used for this feature, watching BEAU BRUMMEL or any silent movie for that matter, couldn't really be fully appreciated on the Nostalgia Channel due to its frequent commercial interruptions. Now that it has finally turned up on the commercial free TCM, BEAU BRUMMEL may have its chance of rediscovery to the delight of film enthusiasts wanting to compare this with its 1954 remake (with Brummel ending with two L's) starring Stewart Granger, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Ustinov. (***)

Have always enjoyed John Barrymore's films and also his brother and sister Lionel and Ethel Barrymore. TCM introduced this film for the first time and it was a great joy to view a great masterpiece which was finally produced with a music score and this effect made this film greater to view and enjoy. John Barrymore plays the role as Beau Brummel who falls madly in love with Lady Margery Alvanley, (Mary Astor) and she is spoken for by another military man. This event destroys Beau Brummel's heart and soul and he decides as a soldier to resign and leave the military service. Beau becomes a Regency Social Climber in London Society and meets up with the Prince of Wales, (Willard Louis) and gains his friendship and begins to start his revenge on the British Society. Beau loves women and uses them to his own purpose and arranges for some romantic escapades for the Prince of Wales and in turn gains all kinds of favors. In other words, Beau is a silver fox who manages to out smart everyone and reaches his goal, but is he happy and what happens to him? Was surprised to learn that John Barrymore was 42 years of age when he appeared in this film and Mary Astor was only 18 years of age. Fantastic film, don't miss this one, you will enjoy it if you know who John Barrymore was and his famous film career and a life of drinking and more drinking.

In presenting the story of Beau Brummel, Warner Brothers did an infinitely better job than MGM in the Fifties in that film that starred Stewart Granger, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Ustinov. Though this is a silent film and sadly silent because we don't get the benefit of John Barrymore's magnificent speaking voice, still the essence of Brummel as a Regency social climber comes through.

That was the problem with the Granger/Taylor version. It presented a Brummel who tried to interfere in the political issues of the day. The real Beau could have cared less for what was going on in Parliament with Pitt and Fox going at each other. That's the Beau that Barrymore gives us in this version.

Barrymore also succeeds in making Beau a more real person. This is a very hard character to bring to life because Brummel didn't really accomplish anything. He was a soldier who resigned his commission in the army to pal around with the Prince Regent. He didn't stand for anything, create anything, espouse a popular cause. He got involved in a couple of Regency Scandals and eventually the Prince of Wales got bored with him.

We don't like the Brummel that Barrymore creates, but we do get some insights into a man who did let some real chances in life slip by.

Mary Astor and Irene Rich and Carmel Myers play a trio of the women in his life. Willard Louis perfectly recreates my own conception of what the weight challenged Prince of Wales who later become George IV was like. Not easy to do because even in the Granger/Taylor version of the story, Peter Ustinov easily walked off with acting honors. There's also a nice performance by Alec Francis as Barrymore's devoted valet.

The end of the film with the dying Brummel going through dementia is silent screen acting at its finest and some of the best work I've seen John Barrymore do. Try to catch this film when broadcast next.