Twentieth Century (1934) [w/Commentary]

Director: Howard Hawks
Writers: Charles Bruce Millholland (play), Ben Hecht (screenplay)
Stars: John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly

Broadway director Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) is a bigger ham than most actors, but through sheer drive and talent he is able to build a successful career. When one of his discoveries, Lily Garland (Carole Lombard), rises to stardom and heeds the call of Hollywood, Oscar begins a career slide. He hits the skids and seems on his way out, until he chances to meet Lily again, on a train ride aboard the Twentieth Century Limited. Oscar pulls out all the stops to re-sign his former star, but it's a battle - because Lily, who is as temperamental as Oscar is, wants nothing to do with her former mentor.



Audio commentary: by Farran Smith Nehme (2021) (Nehme has been writing about film online for over fifteen years and has worked for Film Comment and the Criterion Collection)

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