The Great Garrick
Encyclopedia
The Great Garrick is a motion picture directed by James Whale
and starring Brian Aherne
(as the famous eighteenth century actor David Garrick
) and Olivia de Havilland
. It also features Lionel Atwill
, Edward Everett Horton
, and Melville Cooper
. Lana Turner
has a bit part. The film was based on the play Ladies and Gentlemen by Ernest Vajda
.
. A person in the audience jeers that they want him to teach them how to act. When word reaches Paris, the story has become so garbled that the remark is attributed to Garrick himself. The outraged French actors, led by their president, Picard (Melville Cooper), decide to humiliate Garrick. They take over an inn where he will be staying, and the playwright Beaumarchais
(Lionel Atwill) devises a plot intended to frighten Garrick into returning to England. Garrick however is forewarned by Jean Cabot (Etienne Girardot
), an admirer who works as a Comédie-Française prompter. He plays along, ignoring the misgivings of his servant Tubby (Edward Everett Horton).
A complication arises when Germaine Dupont, Countess de la Corbe (Olivia De Havilland), arrives at the inn soon after. Garrick believes she is one of the actresses (and not a very good one), when she is actually fleeing a marriage arranged by her father. She falls in love with Garrick, and he plays along.
Meanwhile, the French try to discomfort the Englishman with a sword fight, a shootout between a husband and his wife's lover, a mad waiter (Luis Alberni), and at the end, a violent blacksmith. After overhearing the "blacksmith" remind himself to hit his anvil, not Garrick's head, with his hammer, Garrick disguises himself as the blacksmith and, pretending to be drunk, tells the aghast French actors that he has struck and killed their intended victim. Then he reveals his identity. Relieved, Picard apologizes and begs him to join them in Paris. Garrick graciously accepts. Before they leave, however, he criticizes Germaine for her bad acting, infuriating her.
At his premiere in Paris, playing Don Juan
, Garrick learns that Germaine is not a member of the company. Realizing that she was telling the truth and that he actually loves her, he is too distraught to perform. Fortunately, Jean Cabot informs him that he ran into Germaine and explained the whole thing to her. She forgives him and is in the audience.
James Whale
James Whale was an English film director, theatre director and actor. He is best remembered for his work in the horror film genre, having directed such classics as Frankenstein , The Old Dark House , The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein...
and starring Brian Aherne
Brian Aherne
Brian Aherne was a British actor of both stage and screen, who found success in Hollywood.-Early life and stage career:...
(as the famous eighteenth century actor David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
) and Olivia de Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
. It also features Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill
Lionel Atwill was an English stage and film actor born in Croydon, London, England.He studied architecture before his stage debut at the Garrick Theatre, London in 1904. He become a star in Broadway theatre by 1918, and made his screen debut in 1919. He acted on the stage in Australia but was most...
, Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons. He is especially known for his work in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.-Early life:Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Isabella...
, and Melville Cooper
Melville Cooper
George Melville Cooper , best known as Melville Cooper, was a British stage, film and television actor. Among his roles are the cowardly Sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn, and Mr...
. Lana Turner
Lana Turner
Lana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
has a bit part. The film was based on the play Ladies and Gentlemen by Ernest Vajda
Ernest Vajda
Ernest Vajda was a Hungarian actor, playwright and novelist, but is more famous today for his screenplays. He co-wrote the screenplay for the film Smilin' Through , based on the hit play by Jane Cowl and Jane Murfin...
.
Plot
In 1750, David Garrick, the famous English actor, announces onstage that he has been invited to Paris to work with the prestigious Comédie-FrançaiseComédie-Française
The Comédie-Française or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. It is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris....
. A person in the audience jeers that they want him to teach them how to act. When word reaches Paris, the story has become so garbled that the remark is attributed to Garrick himself. The outraged French actors, led by their president, Picard (Melville Cooper), decide to humiliate Garrick. They take over an inn where he will be staying, and the playwright Beaumarchais
Pierre Beaumarchais
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was a French playwright, watchmaker, inventor, musician, diplomat, fugitive, spy, publisher, arms dealer, satirist, financier, and revolutionary ....
(Lionel Atwill) devises a plot intended to frighten Garrick into returning to England. Garrick however is forewarned by Jean Cabot (Etienne Girardot
Etienne Girardot
Etienne Girardot was a diminutive stage and film actor of Anglo-French parentage born in London, England....
), an admirer who works as a Comédie-Française prompter. He plays along, ignoring the misgivings of his servant Tubby (Edward Everett Horton).
A complication arises when Germaine Dupont, Countess de la Corbe (Olivia De Havilland), arrives at the inn soon after. Garrick believes she is one of the actresses (and not a very good one), when she is actually fleeing a marriage arranged by her father. She falls in love with Garrick, and he plays along.
Meanwhile, the French try to discomfort the Englishman with a sword fight, a shootout between a husband and his wife's lover, a mad waiter (Luis Alberni), and at the end, a violent blacksmith. After overhearing the "blacksmith" remind himself to hit his anvil, not Garrick's head, with his hammer, Garrick disguises himself as the blacksmith and, pretending to be drunk, tells the aghast French actors that he has struck and killed their intended victim. Then he reveals his identity. Relieved, Picard apologizes and begs him to join them in Paris. Garrick graciously accepts. Before they leave, however, he criticizes Germaine for her bad acting, infuriating her.
At his premiere in Paris, playing Don Juan
Don Juan
Don Juan is a legendary, fictional libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors. El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra by Tirso de Molina is a play set in the fourteenth century that was published in Spain around 1630...
, Garrick learns that Germaine is not a member of the company. Realizing that she was telling the truth and that he actually loves her, he is too distraught to perform. Fortunately, Jean Cabot informs him that he ran into Germaine and explained the whole thing to her. She forgives him and is in the audience.
Cast
- Brian AherneBrian AherneBrian Aherne was a British actor of both stage and screen, who found success in Hollywood.-Early life and stage career:...
as David Garrick - Olivia de HavillandOlivia de HavillandOlivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
as Germaine Dupont, Countess de la Corbe - Edward Everett HortonEdward Everett HortonEdward Everett Horton was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons. He is especially known for his work in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.-Early life:Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Isabella...
as Tubby - Melville CooperMelville CooperGeorge Melville Cooper , best known as Melville Cooper, was a British stage, film and television actor. Among his roles are the cowardly Sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn, and Mr...
as M. W. Picard - Lionel AtwillLionel AtwillLionel Atwill was an English stage and film actor born in Croydon, London, England.He studied architecture before his stage debut at the Garrick Theatre, London in 1904. He become a star in Broadway theatre by 1918, and made his screen debut in 1919. He acted on the stage in Australia but was most...
as M. Beaumarchais - Luis Alberni as Luis Basset
- Lana TurnerLana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
as Mademoiselle Auber - Marie WilsonMarie Wilson (American actress)Katherine Elisabeth Wilson , better known by her stage name, Marie Wilson, was an American radio, film, and television actress. She may be best remembered as the title character in My Friend Irma.-Career:...
as Mademoiselle Nicolle - Linda Perry as Mademoiselle Molee
- Fritz LeiberFritz Leiber, Sr.Fritz Reuter Leiber Sr. , was an was a American actor . Highly respected as a Shakespearean actor on stage, he also had a successful career in film...
as Horatio (in the play Hamlet)