Art Deco Festival: Twentieth Century

Synopsis

Howard Hawks’ 1934 screwball comedy classic stars John Barrymore and Carole Lombard as two bickering lovers on Broadway.

Oscar Jaffe (Barrymore) is an egomaniacal Broadway impresario. When he discovers shopgirl Mildred Plotka (Lombard), Jaffe pushes her hard in rehearsals and succeeds in transforming her from a talented amateur into a theatrical darling, Lily Garland.

But after a string of hits together, Lily is sick of their tempestuous relationship and Oscar’s outrageous behaviour. Drawn by the allure of Hollywood, she skips town, leaving Oscar’s career in crisis.

“A marvellously sharp and memorable theatrical burlesque, and the second half (…) reaches highly agreeable peaks of insanity” (film critic Leslie Halliwell)
“Super screwball comedy … Barrymore has never been funnier” (film critic Leonard Maltin)