The Great Man Votes

"Great Man Votes" is simple, unpretentious, thoroughly charming slice of Americana, made for RKO in 1939, expertly directed by Garson Kanin. Its simplistic view of small-town politics in a by-gone era may be outdated by now, but it passes by pleasantly in its short running time.

I wanted to see it because of the legendary John Barrymore, who here gives one of his most honest and satisfying performances as Gregory Vance, an eccentric, once-famous Harvard professor who turned to alcohol after the death of his wife. Vance lives with his two charming kids (Peter Holden and Virginia Wiedler). One day, he has been chosen to cast the deciding vote in the city's mayoral election.

Though it is at first a portrait of community in an idealistic American city set sometime in the 1920s, "Great Man Votes" is mostly a character study. Barrymore excels in his incarnation of Vance. And he does it well while being drunk most of the time. He is at once funny yet sad, innocent yet scrupulous, sardonic yet charming.

This was one of Barrymore's last memorable performances as a leading man and another reminder of what an extraordinary actor he was.