The rest of the movie is pleasant/mediocre, but Adolphe Menjou's parody of John Barrymore is fantastic. As daring as it is accurate, it makes one feel almost guilty at enjoying it so much (the movie was kicking a man when he was down in lampooning Barrymore's drunken antics and publicly disintegrating marriage). Menjou doesn't just copy Barrymore's mannerisms but has conveyed his essential noble but impish spirit, and the fun he is having is contagious--the scene in the hotel room ends on a moment of inspired hilarity, as truthful as it is loony.
This inspired impersonation had an ironic sequel: Four years later, Menjou played the Barrymore role in a remake (why?) of A Bill of Divorcement. That time he was not able to channel, in a serious way, the personality he had assumed so well in this film; it was a terrible performance.
This inspired impersonation had an ironic sequel: Four years later, Menjou played the Barrymore role in a remake (why?) of A Bill of Divorcement. That time he was not able to channel, in a serious way, the personality he had assumed so well in this film; it was a terrible performance.