O Gênio da Ribalta

I first saw this when I was in high school and thinking of becoming an actor. Burton's performance and the film's highly romantic vision of Booth as the brooding "natural" Hamlet hooked me. Although it has the outlines of a typical biopic, The Prince of Players offers an extraordinary display of the kind of acting that, at its best, dominated the 19th century stage. Burton was one of the few 20th century artists who knew how to balance a ringing declamatory style with honest, full bodied emotions. It is so different from the typical modern understatement that some audience won't be able to adjust to it. But for those who relish language along with fire in the blood, this is as good as it gets on film. The portrait of the actor Edwin Booth, a man overburdened with the cares of the world, as impetuous, self-indulgent, and nearly batty, is a bit overheated. But it's a typical view of the artist in the mad tradition of Poe. Very 19th Century--and well worth knowing.

I've seen this movie on late-night TV and taped it from satellite. Burton is one of my favorite actors and is very under rated. When Burton is doing the scenes from the Shakespeare plays it is nothing short of stunning. The only reason I didn't give the movie a "10" rating is there were not enough scenes from the plays. John Derek who plays Edwin's infamous brother John can't begin to hold a candle to Burton simply speaking with him in a simple scene. The only other actor in the movie even close to matching Burton's talent is the great Raymond Massey. I haven't seen this movie available on DVD or even VHS. It's a shame hardly anyone has seen this fine film. When I recorded the movie onto S-VHS tape from C-Band satellite, it was the best source available. Far superior to crummy cable. It looked like the film was shot in Technecolor. Big budget for 1953. Maybe IMDb could get a word to someone in Hollywood that this is worthy of at least a special edition DVD. Heck, they released a "Superbit" of Anaconda. If J.Lo can get a hi-res DVD I think Burton deserves one too.

Richard Burton plays Edwin Booth in "Prince of Players," also starring Raymond Massey, John Derek, Maggie McNamara, and Charles Bickford.

The story takes us through the young Edwin growing up, traveling with his famous actor father, and at times standing in for him. Eventually he himself becomes a great actor, and in fact, was known as the greatest Hamlet of his day. But personal tragedy strikes in his marriage and in his brother John's assassination of President Lincoln.

John Derek makes a dashing John Wilkes Booth, handsome and charismatic. Massey, a man who played Lincoln on film and recording as well, is the elder Booth and is excellent as the flamboyant drunkard. And it's wonderful to hear him recite Shakespeare.

"Prince of Players" was a showcase for Richard Burton. In 1955, when this film was released, he was young, handsome, and extremely romantic looking. Classically trained, he possessed, as he always did, a magnificent voice and a great talent. To hear his Shakespearean recitation in this film is a real treat, and there is a lot of it, including Hamlet, Richard III, and Romeo & Juliet. Sadly, Burton came from a poor Welsh family and never got over it. In pursuing movie money, he took roles in mediocre films and did very little stage work, though he shined in "Camelot" and "Equus." His last Broadway appearance, shortly before his death, was a disastrous "Private Lives" with his ex-wife Elizabeth Taylor. His fans, however, choose to remember this sweet and charming person as a glorious Prince Hal in Henry IV and as Hamlet. How wonderful that film audiences can hear his gifts forever in "Prince of Players."

Edwin Booth was exceedingly famous, and should be the main character of this movie. John Wilkes Booth should be a supporting character, even though his dastardly deed certainly rocked the career of Edwin.

Asia Booth (sister of Edwin and John) was a character in this movie. In real life, she wrote a biography of her brother John. It is interesting to read. She does not condone John's infamous bad deed, but she explains John's history from childhood.

There was at least one more sibling in this family: Junius Booth, Jr.

John Wilkes Booth had previously been employed by Laura Keene in her acting company, she who had produced the play "Our American Cousin" the night Lincoln was shot. One year before, John Wilkes lost his job with her. He was a very handsome man, and fancied himself somewhat of a matinée idol.

Laura Keene was America's first female theatrical producer and director, and I feel that she fired John Wilkes due to his self-centered and egotistical demands. Perhaps he was no team player, and was miffed for being fired by a woman.

He had a year to hatch his conspiracy for the demise of Lincoln and other cabinet members, including time to gather his co-conspirators. Thankfully, part of the plan was botched. The other cabinet members escaped being killed. Lincoln had several tickets, including a pair for General and Mrs. U.S. Grant. The Grants declined, as did several other invitees. This is why the Lincolns were the only couple in their box.

Lincoln had just been re-elected. The war was over. The South had lost. John Wilkes Booth had a twisted idea that he must make amends for the 'bad' state of things. The rest is history.

Too bad this helped put Edwin Booth's career into eclipse for awhile. Edwin was so talented, though, that he actually managed to salvage what was left of his career and put it back on track.

Except for the 1937 John Ford movie, THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND, this film is the most centered on the story of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. But that said, it misses the effectiveness of being definitive like Stone's interesting (if flawed) JFK. The film is based on Eleanor Ruggles biography (of the same name) of Edwin Booth's career. So the central figure is Edwin, probably the greatest American actor of the 19th Century. Richard Burton, as a growing Shakespearean actor, was perfect as the talented Edwin. His father, the talented but eccentric and alcoholic Junius Brutus Booth Sr, is played by Raymond Massey (ironically the same actor who played Lincoln in ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS, and John Brown in SANTA FE TRAIL and SEVEN ANGRY MEN). As the egotistical John Wilkes Booth we have the young, still promising John Derek.

The movie only goes from 1852 (when Junius Booth died) through 1866, when the American public showed Edwin Booth that it did not hold him or his family guilty for the stupid, vicious act of his brother. It does not carry the story down to Booth's death in 1893, with his success as the definitive Hamlet of his age, and his failure as a theatrical producer. Edwin Booth worked until about 1891, due to the debts he accumulated. But his last years were stable, with his second wife. He also found time to create the Player's Club (still located in his Gramercy Park brownstone). Only the tragedy of the President's death at his brother's hands left a really brutal mark on him.

Derek does the most with his role - showing the strong desire for "real fame" that took control over John Wilkes. As his character kills the character played by Massey in one film, he ironically also attends the hanging of John Brown - historically correct. But his intricate plot to first kidnap Lincoln and then kill him, and his relations with other conspirators is not really gone into. Still, the assassination, chase, capture, and death of the assassin are done fairly correctly. But to get the tone of the government's prosecution of the conspirators, see John Ford's film.