THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY

US, 1930, 82 minutes, Black and white.
Ina Claire, Fredric March, Mary Brian, Henrietta Crossman, Frank Conroy, Charles Starrett.
Directed by George Cukor, Cyril Gardner.

This was a film of its time, relying on audience knowledge of the Barrymore family and their place on the Broadway stage, especially focusing on Ethel Barrymore and her family and the flamboyance of John Barrymore – while Ethel was thinking about suing the makers and those who staged the successful play, John Barrymore congratulated Fredric March on his satirical performance. The equivalent of Lionel Barrymore is not included.

The film has very good credentials, the screenplay written by Edna Ferber, author of Showboat, and George S. Kaufmann, noted playwright. One of the co-directors was George Cukor at the beginning of his career, directing many actors and actresses to Oscars and winning Best director for My Fair Lady in 1964.

The film relies a great deal on dialogue and staging in confined rooms. This requires quite an effort of attention for the audience, especially those not familiar with the background.

The film shows the life of the theatre, the world of actors, producers and directors.

The focus of the film is on Julie, longtime star of the stage, portrayed by Ina Claire. She has had record-breaking success but is tempted at times to give it up, despite rushing out to the theatre when she hears she is late, and marry an old-time friend who has business interests in South America. There is also her mother, played by Mary Brian, an grande dame arm of the theatre, wanting to perform at all costs, histrionic in her manner at home, in her relationship to her children, and finally collapsing during a performance and dying backstage.

Julie has a daughter, Gwen, who she hopes will continue the family theatrical tradition. However, Gwen is in love with the businessman, Perry. She has to make a decision and decides to marry Perry although, when he is away on business, she thinks she can take on a stage role – and wonders where it might lead.

The other member of the cast is Fredric March is the equivalent of John Barrymore, getting an Oscar nomination for this performance. He was to win an Oscar two years later for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, winning another Oscar in 1946 for The Best Years of Our Lives.

The performance is manic, eccentric, exceedingly flamboyant in word delivery, in costumes, in stories about breach of promise, starring in Hollywood films, clashes with the director, international travels… And, as has been said, John Barrymore said he enjoyed the performance.

This film is now a historical item, filmmaking in 1930, within three years of the introduction of sound and a new style of filming and sound engineering. And it is of historical interest for those who want to know something of the reputation of the Barrymore’s – who, three years later, were to perform together in Rasputin and the Empress.