Beau Brummel

Clyde Fitch's play, written for renowned stage actor Richard Mansfield, is a very romantic interpretation of incidents in the life of George (Beau) Brummel, the Regency dandy whose name has become a watchword for sartorial splendour and correctness, and is itself freely adapted for this film that showcases the unparallelled talent of John Barrymore in his prime as Brummel. With revenge in his heart, Brummel sets out to manipulate London society in a great game due to his, because of an untitled station, having lost his lover, played well by 18 year old Mary Astor with whom Barrymore began an affair during this filming, and he utilizes a close relationship with his sponsor, the Prince of Wales, the Regent (later King George IV), to advance his plan. Barrymore's control of his scenes is unmatched as he expresses the widest possible range of emotion and reaction with the smallest movement of eyes or mouth and, although there are opportunities aplenty for emoting, his utilization of a prolonged gaze into the eyes of a lover or foe speaks volumes. Barrymore is strongly assisted by a very able supporting cast, including Willard Louis as the Prince of Wales, Aleck B. Francis as Brummel's loyal manservant and, as the Duchess of York, the exquisite Irene Rich, whose rhythms and ability to focus upon her character's persona nicely complements Barrymore during their shared scenes. Harry Beaumont, as always, directs capably and is assisted enormously with his efforts by cinematographer David Abel, whose skill with large groups during complicated action was later markedly in evidence as he supervised the cameras during the best of the Astaire/Rogers films. Somewhat more than a cavil might be a desire for the scenario to have presented more of Brummel's full life rather than the lengthy treatment given to its denouement, and that lacking in accuracy, but certainly allowing Barrymore a good deal of dramatic opportunity that does not go shunned.

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.

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.

"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 III. 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," asserts the this film's illustrative opening. And John Barrymore is well-suited for the leading role...

We begin in 1795, when dapper officer Barrymore gathers with the greatest personages in England for a wedding. The bride is his beautiful young lover Mary Astor (as Margery). Unfortunately, the groom is not Barrymore. Pressured by family to dismiss her true love and submit to an arranged marriage, Ms. Astor weds foppishly fat Willard Louis because Barrymore is a poor commoner and Mr. Louis is a Prince in line to be King. For revenge, Barrymore decides to infiltrate British high society with scandal...

"Beau Brummel" suffers from a threadbare plot, but boasts rich production values. Hollywood offered Barrymore greater access to life's pleasures and he returned the favor with moments of relentless overacting; considering the weaknesses in this story, it helps the film. Much admired, Barrymore won the Rudolph Valentino Medal as 1924's "Best Actor" for his "Beau Brummel" characterization. And the film went to the Top 5 in annual lists compiled by the New York Times, Film Daily, and Motion Picture Magazine.

****** Beau Brummel (3/30/24) Harry Beaumont ~ John Barrymore, Mary Astor, Willard Louis, Alec B. Francis

This silent version of "Beau Brummel" (there was one in 1913) stars the great John Barrymore in the title role, and he manages without speaking to give us a clear, layered view of this vain social climber. Also starring are Mary Astor, Carmel Myers, and Irene Rich as three of the women in his life. Mary Astor was nearly unrecognizable - low, long eyebrows (they all seemed to have them) and different teeth, and 18 years old! Though in black and white, the sumptuousness of the costumes and the beauty of the sets, as well as the prevailing atmosphere, are all evident. Brummel resigns his commission so that he can literally hang out with the Prince of Wales, who becomes George IV. When he falls out of favor, he also falls on hard times. The woman he loses to her marriage into a wealthy family, Lady Alvanley, remains a loyal friend as does his butler Mortimer.

Barrymore's acting, particularly in his last scenes, is brilliant. Thankfully he went into talkies so we would have a chance to hear his beautiful speaking voice.

Superior to the MGM color version starring Stewart Granger.