MovieChat Forums > Playmates (1941) Discussion > I'm dying ... and you're telling jokes?

I'm dying ... and you're telling jokes?

posted 16 years ago by dooncan
2 replies | jump to latest

There was something I noticed only part-way into 'Playmates' where John Barrymore was exchanging banter with his agent in a glorious over-the-top fashion until when he comes to a line which sounded all too real, like he let his guard down momentarily and was painfully aware he was being made an object of ridicule ... "I'm dying and you're telling jokes?" After that line he went back to OTT for the rest of that particular sequence. For me, this had a slightly jarring effect.

The actual movie,on the whole, while I guess being no masterpiece wasn't half-bad though.

skizziks spelled backwards is skizziks

[–] ziegfeldgirl1941 14 years ago

I agree. I'm not sure how John Barrymore was as a person (besides an alcoholic) but I felt really bad for him as they blatantly made fun of him.

Like rememeber the part where he poors a drink and Nancy Kelly says, "Go ahead, get yourself some liquid courage" I think I might have seen him grimace or make a face.

I love Kay Kyser, and other than poking fun at a legendary actor, it wasn't a terrible movie.

[–] dooncan 14 years ago

This movie was far from terrible and I guess with all things considered Barrymore acquitted himself very well.

gleam o green