PRINCE OF PLAYERS

US, 1954, 102 minutes, Colour.
Richard Burton, Maggie Mc Namara, John Derek, Raymond Massey, Charles Bickford, Eva La Gallienne, Elizabeth Sellers.
Directed by Philip Dunne.

Prince of Players is an interesting and entertaining film about the Booth family. John Derek portrays John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln's assassination receives some prominence. However the focus is on the family, the father played by Raymond Massey and especially on the great Shakespearian actor, Edwin Booth. Richard Burton at the beginning of his American career is impressive as Booth and has many good Shakespearian sequences. The great American stage actress, Eva La Gallienne, appears briefly in one of these sequences in her only film role. The colour and the early Cinemascope technique make the film quite attractive as well as interesting.

1. Audience interest in and response to biography, history? The quality of this film in these areas?

2. The importance of Cinemascope, colour, re-creation of 19th century America?

3. How well did the film communicate the world of the theatre, the stage, performances, types of audience and audience response, the magic of theatrical performances and presence, what was communicated, an involvement of and experience of poetry? The importance of theatre in the world? Its impact on ran and culture?

4. The film's reliance on Shakespeare for this communication of theatre? Booth's performance of Richard III, the performances and the presentation of the scenes? As an illustration of his character? Edwin's substitute performance as Richard III? The presentation of the Romeo and Juliet scenes and the encounter of Mary and Edwin? The Hamlet performances? The impact of the Shakespeare excerpts, the tone that they gave to the whole film?

5. The importance of the American setting: the atmosphere of the 19th century in North and South? The American people and their response to theatre? Booth's tours throughout the American cities? The performances to miners? The London scene, the New York theatre? The status of culture and Shakespearian theatre in America?

6. The impact of the character of Junius Booth? His strengths and weaknesses, his capacity for acting, his supremacy on the stage, his drinking, raving and isolation? The nature of his redness and its effect on him? The changes back to sanity? His ability to cope with this? His needing the support of Ned, for the lines, rehearsing, singing to him? The importance of his performance of Richard III? His faltering and the abdication scene? The pathos of his death? His influence on his sons?

7. The character of Ned in the light of his father? As the child who helped his father, as a son with ambitions, fears of madness? His ability to act with his father, support him on stage, stand in for him? The effect of the experience of acting on his life?

8. The influence of his father on him? His fear of madness, imitating his father in raving and drinking? His meeting with Mary, the love, marriage, her effect on him? Her capacity for helping him to be a success? The pleasant afternoon at the picnic as the peace that he could acquire? The move to London and their success? The birth of their daughter? Her health and his subsequent failure? His pathetic performances in New York? His drunkenness and his visit to Mary's deathbed? His vigils at her grave and the effect? The strength that he gained from her and the confidence to face life?

9. How well drawn was the character of Mary? Her background, her acting, the Romeo and Juliet scenes with Edwin, her support, his reliance on her presence in the box, her death? Should she have risked her life in going to meet him?

10. The contrast with John Wilkes Booth? His not supporting his father when he was a child? His ambitions for acting? His capacities? Jealousy of Edwin? His theory about involvement in real life, real life tragedies? His refusing to act with Edwin? The build-up to his spying, traitor, being the assassin of Lincoln? How important was the sequence of the assassination of Lincoln? His sister and her ambitions for him? was it her fault that he went to the bad?

11. The contribution of Dave Prescott as manager and supporter of Edwin and Mary?

12. How accurate and interesting a biography was this? The presentation of a life and a career? Success and failure?

13. The film as a piece of American history? History of the theatre, the Civil War, Lincoln's assassination? The sieging and capture of John Wilkes Booth?

14. How humane and valuable a film?