Twentieth Century

In TWENTIETH CENTURY, Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore), a temperamental Broadway producer with a history of success and an ego to match, turns his tyrannical energies on young starlet Mildred Plotka (Carole Lombard). Before long she's renamed Lily Garland and has become the toast of the town, amid a tempestuous romantic relationship with Jaffe. Years and several successful plays later, Lily leaves for Hollywood, and Jaffe's plays begin to flop. After a disastrous show in Chicago, Jaffe encounters Lily on a train and tries everything to get her to return to Broadway, but Lily doesn't want anything to do with her former mentor. A dazzling showcase for the skills of Barrymore and Lombard and one of the first screwball comedies, TWENTIETH CENTURY boasts rapid-fire dialogue, entertainingly oddball supporting characters, and terrific writing. The film is adapted from the Hecht-MacArthur play NAPOLEON OF BROADWAY, which is based loosely on the life of producer David Merrick. Minimize