ClassicMovies_fan_chick Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 I have seen the silent one with Mr. Barrymore only yesterday and it was okay. Barrymore was one of the best actors of the silent era for sure. Regarding the Technicolor one with Mr. Flynn, it was more interesting. Errol was a remarkable actor and could have done so much more. (I have seen this film three times already.) I thought the silent one was more focused on Don Juan from beginning to end, like the novel. Overall, I prefer the Errol Flynn one because it was more about Don Juan the lover AND hero. Instead of always chasing women around he actually helps save one. What one do you prefer? P.S. When will they show the one with Fairbanks anyways? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess of Tap Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 The Don Juan movie I prefer was a musical starring Ricky Ricardo. I believe Dore Schary produced it at MGM in the mid-1950s. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Is that the one in which Don Juan says to one of his many amorous conquests; "You have some 'SPLANIN' to do!" ? Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedracer5 Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 35 minutes ago, Princess of Tap said: The Don Juan movie I prefer was a musical starring Ricky Ricardo. I believe Dore Schary produced it at MGM in the mid-1950s. Ricky's Don Juan movie was shelved. We never do find out which movie he made instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedracer5 Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Given the choice between Errol and anyone else, Errol will win each and every time. I love how colorful this film is and I love the costumes! I believe the costume designer, Travilla, won an Oscar for his costumes in this film. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess of Tap Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 19 minutes ago, speedracer5 said: Ricky's Don Juan movie was shelved. We never do find out which movie he made instead. It was shelved, but I did happen to see a few scenes from it. Some may have included his screen test. At any rate, Ricky's Don Juan film never would have compared with Desi Arnaz's real Don Juan life. LOL 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 The John Barrymore Don Juan is darker and more melodramatic than the Flynn version. The Flynn version also demonstrates a delightful tongue-in-cheek humour, at times, with Errol demonstrating his flair for delivering clever dialogue. Barrymore's Don Juan is also far more a stalker, at one point popping unexpectedly into a woman's bedroom through her balcony at night, scaring the heck out of her in the process. After Flynn's statutory rape trial Warners made sure that the women pursued him in his Don Juan version more than the other way around. I prefer the Errol Flynn Don Juan, regarding it as one of the top seven or eight swashbucklers of the movies (even though a couple of other Flynn swashbucklers enjoy greater fame). 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polly of the Precodes Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 The Private Life of Don Juan (starring Doug Fairbanks) has been on TCM. I love it because it's a perfectly poignant end to Fairbanks' career--a man recognizing that his glory days are past. I haven't seen the Flynn Don Juan, and did not think much of the Barrymore version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 8 hours ago, TomJH said: The John Barrymore Don Juan is darker and more melodramatic than the Flynn version. The Flynn version also demonstrates a delightful tongue-in-cheek humour, at times, with Errol demonstrating his flair for delivering clever dialogue. Barrymore's Don Juan is also far more of stalker, at one point popping unexpectedly into a woman's bedroom through her balcony at night, scaring the heck out of her in the process. After Flynn's statutory rape trial Warners made sure that the women pursued him in his Don Juan version more than the other way around. I prefer the Errol Flynn Don Juan, regarding it as one of the top seven or eight swashbucklers of the movies (even though a couple of other Flynn swashbucklers enjoy greater fame). What, and no mention of Max Steiner's stirring score for the Flynn flick here, Tom?!!! (...you're slippin' here, dude) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 9 hours ago, Dargo said: What, and no mention of Max Steiner's stirring score for the Flynn flick here, Tom?!!! (...you're slippin' here, dude) Allow me to try to compensate for that glaring omission on my part by posting this video, Dargo. Missing, incredibly, from this selection of music from the film is Steiner's poignant love theme, which is probably my favourite of the entire score. For my money Steiner's remarkable work here is one of the great musical scores of the movies (though few people ever seem to make reference to it - outside of yourself, of course, dude). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosebette Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 On 3/15/2019 at 7:34 AM, TomJH said: Allow me to try to compensate for that glaring omission on my part by posting this video, Dargo. Missing, incredibly, from this selection of music from the film is Steiner's poignant love theme, which is probably my favourite of the entire score. For my money Steiner's remarkable work here is one of the great musical scores of the movies (though few people ever seem to make reference to it - outside of yourself, of course, dude). I own a CD by Charles Gerhardt and the National Philharmonic orchestra that features large excerpts from the score: https://www.amazon.com/Captain-Blood-Classic-Scores-Errol/dp/B000003EMC There is also a large excerpt from the score to The Adventures of Robin Hood. It's one of my favorite CDs, something I'm sure to play if I'm on a long drive or need some extra energy for a task. My vote, Errol Flynn as Don Juan. It's really the last view of Errol as I want to remember him, and the film is beautifully produced. I was most annoyed when I realized that I spent a spring break day correcting papers when I could have been happily viewing Errol in technicolor on my new wide screen TV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 1 hour ago, rosebette said: My vote, Errol Flynn as Don Juan. It's really the last view of Errol as I want to remember him, and the film is beautifully produced. I agree, rosebette. Adventures of Don Juan was the last great star vehicle of Flynn's career, and he rose to the occasion to deliver one of his most engaging performances, which included a touch of world weary cynicism reflecting the actor at that stage in his life. The film succeeds on all levels, for its humour, adventure and romance, and, even though they only share a handful of scenes together, Errol has great chemistry with Viveca Lindfors, one of his better leading ladies. Of the actor's remaining films in his career I like Rocky Mountain and The Master of Ballantrae well enough, but neither comes close to being the triumph of Don Juan, no matter what its box office disappointment may have been for Warners at the time of its release. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM74 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 I love both because I love John Barrymore & I love Errol Flynn. Both films are enjoyable but to me they are so different from each other than I can't really compare them. Barrymore's is dark, more serious, more melodramatic, & a silent film. JB has to do all of his acting with his face, eyes, mannerisms, etc. Barrymore's voice was amazing but, at that time, we weren't able to hear it just yet. Flynn's is fun, energetic, and in technicolor. EF has dialogue along with his mannerism & his beautiful speaking voice doesn't hurt either. These two actors had so much in common & led such tragic lives. I don't think we really got to see their true talent because their inner demons destroyed them & their careers. We only got a glimpse of what could have been. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomJH Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 2 hours ago, DawnM74 said: These two actors had so much in common & led such tragic lives. I don't think we really got to see their true talent because their inner demons destroyed them & their careers. We only got a glimpse of what could have been. Actually, in Barrymore's case, I think we did see what he could accomplish as an actor before his drinking got him by the throat and he slowly evolved into a comic self caricature. Think of the versatility that the Great Profile demonstrated on screen: horror and Grand Guignol (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Svengali), swashbuckling romance (Don Juan, Beloved Rogue), romantic leads (Grand Hotel, Arsene Lupin), straight drama (Councillor at Law, Bill of Divorcement), screwball comedy (20th Century). That is a remarkable acting range, with Barrymore impressive in all of them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM74 Posted March 17, 2019 Share Posted March 17, 2019 22 minutes ago, TomJH said: Actually, in Barrymore's case, I think we did see what he could accomplish as an actor before his drinking got him by the throat and he slowly evolved into a comic self caricature. Think of the versatility that the Great Profile demonstrated on screen: horror and Grand Guignol (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Svengali), swashbuckling romance (Don Juan, Beloved Rogue), romantic leads (Grand Hotel, Arsene Lupin), straight drama (Councillor at Law, Bill of Divorcement), screwball comedy (20th Century). That is a remarkable acting range, with Barrymore impressive in all of them. I do agree that we did get to see some of his amazing talent. I just wish we could have seen him at his full potential. If he was that amazing when he was drinking, just think how amazing he would have been if he never started drinking at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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