John Barrymore Screen Test for Hamlet (1933)

Barrymore's screen test for Hamlet in 1933. In color. Intro features a brief clip of Orson Welles from 1963.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• hamlet
• barrymore
• screen test
• 1933
• orson welles
• shakespeare
• olivier
• gielgud
• burton
• forbes robertson
• irving
• tree

[diddeliduddi]

Marvelous stuff! Recently read 'John Barrymore, Shakespearean Actor' and I would recommend it to anyone who knows what this video is about. Is this clip from a specific documentary?

[cowsill2x2]

@diddeliduddi It's from a late 80's BBC doc, I think. Sadly, nothing else on JB other than what appears here.

[STSGirl05]

It is positively criminal that Barrymore's Hamlet never made it to the screen. This is amazing.

[al1936ful]

How could Orson Welles have seen Barrymore in "Hamlet"? He was 7 years old at the time Barrymore played it.

[steepertree]

Marvelous! A shame this is all we have.

[stevevandien]

So sad that technological limitations kept Barrymore from filming/recording this scene some 10 years earlier. There is power and intelligence in his performance here. But he is simply too old for the role.

[NoGoodBoyo1000]

Barrymore had to make screen test?

[diarci]

If you can find it (try your local library) I strongly suggest reading Gene Fowler's "Goodnight Sweet Prince." A loving but balanced biography.

[stevevandien]

@diddeliduddi That's an excellent book.  Shed much light upon Barrymore's work in Shakespeare:).

[clementinemonkey]

I believe the only color footage of Jack (unless of course you count the now lost technicolor general crack) that survives. Hard to believe he was nearly 52 when this was filmed in Dec 1933. Doesn't he look super duper fantastic!

[Mrsilenciobackgammon]

This is all gold. would love to see that Welles interview in full.

[Cantabrigidian]

@deepseadirt The other actor with Barrynore and Denny is Donald Crisp