Twentieth Century (1934)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Charles Bruce Millholland (play)
Ben Hecht (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 May 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A flamboyant Broadway impresario who has fallen on hard times tries to get his former lover, now a Hollywood diva, to return and resurrect his failing career.

Plot Keywords:

Broadway | Train | Impresario | Actress | Lunatic

Cast

John Barrymore	...	Oscar Jaffe
Carole Lombard	...	Lily Garland
Walter Connolly	...	Oliver Webb
Roscoe Karns	...	Owen O'Malley
Ralph Forbes	...	George Smith
Charles Lane	...	Max Jacobs (as Charles Levison)
Etienne Girardot	...	Mathew J. Clark
Dale Fuller	...	Sadie
Edgar Kennedy	...	Oscar McGonigle
Billie Seward	...	Anita

Also Known As:

20th Century (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #4312-R, 11 May 1938 for re-release)

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

When asked by John Barrymore why he should play the role of Oscar, Howard Hawks replied, "It's the story of the biggest ham on earth and you're the biggest ham I know." Barrymore accepted at once.

Goofs:

Plot holes: When Jaffe takes over direction, he addresses Lily by her new name and she responds, even though she hasn't heard it before. This gap was caused by the deletion of a brief scene in which O'Malley informs her that Jaffe has changed her name.

Quotes:

George Smith: And you wanted my respect!
Lily Garland, aka Mildred Plotka: Who cares about your respect? I'm too big to be respected. The men I've known have understood that.
George Smith: Men you've known? Jaffe, you mean.
Lily Garland, aka Mildred Plotka: Yes, Jaffe. He'll tell you what I am: A first-class passenger entitled to privileges.
George Smith: Oh, an artist!
Lily Garland, aka Mildred Plotka: You're darned tooting I am!

Movie Connections:

References Rain (1932)

Soundtrack:

Happy Days Are Here Again

A runaway zany trainload

John Barrymore leads a great cast in this zany comedy of life in the theater. His performance alone is worth seeing as he proves what a gift he had for comedy. The rest of the cast is wonderful too. And if you disagree, I'll close the iron door on ya!