The Great Profile

Director: Walter Lang

Overview

John Barrymore provides an embarrassing spectacle in the semi-autobiographical role of a ham actor. Constantly in debt and always half-loaded, Barrymore accepts a role in an important play, which he nearly ruins by his intemperate antics. Anne Baxter plays a sincere young woman who tries to pull Barrymore back together. He makes a triumphant comeback, but there's always the chance that he'll be back to his old tricks before long. Tastelessly exploiting the real-life relationship between John Barrymore and Elaine Barrie, The Great Profile is supposed to be a comedy. Ha ha.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/02/2014
UPC:	0024543934325
Original Release:	1940
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:10:00
Sales rank:	51,228

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

John Barrymore	Evans Garrick
Anne Baxter	Mary Maxwell
Gregory Ratoff	Boris Mefoofsky
John Payne	Richard Lansing
Mary Beth Hughes	Sylvia
Lionel Atwill	Dr. Bruce
Edward Brophy	Sylvester,Sylvester
Willie Fung	Confucius
Joan Valerie	Understudy
Charles Lane	Director
Marc Lawrence	Tony
Cecil Cunningham	Miss Perkins
Hal K. Dawson	Ticket Seller
William Pawley	Electrician
Eddie Dunn	Furniture Man
James Flavin	Detective
Dorothy Dearing	Debutante
John Elliott	Doorman
Robert Shaw	Reporter
Cyril Mockridge	Composer

Technical Credits

Hilary Lynn

Milton Sperling

Raymond Griffith	Producer
Hilary Lynn	Screenwriter
Milton Sperling	Screenwriter
Darryl Zanuck	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The Great Profile is a very odd movie, and for some people will be a somewhat uncomfortable viewing experience. As might be expected from this, Profile is likely to inspire differing reactions among different people. Many may find its roman a clef approach tabloid-sleazy, and may be totally incapable of watching it without feeling too sorry for (or possible disgusted with) John Barrymore. Others may take some blackhearted amusement in it for the same reason. But still others may be able to look past this and see a performance that is quite fascinating. Is Barrymore giving the world great acting here? By no means, but it's totally engrossing, the kind of performance that demands that the viewer keep his eyes on the star from start to finish. It has power, even if it lacks finesse. Interestingly, despite the fact that Barrymore dominates, he doesn't overpower the rest of the cast. Anne Baxter scores points, Gregory Ratoff does his kind-of-oily-but-kind-of-likeable thing well, and Mary Beth Hughes gets to land some diva blows of her own. The screenplay is nonsense, and Walter Lang's direction is merely serviceable. It's not a great setting for the faded star that is Barrymore, but he manages to give it his own peculiar glow anyway.