The Great Man Votes

I have nothing objective to add to Theowinthrop's commentary on THE GREAT MAN VOTES here at IMDb, but I want to add my own observations concerning and reactions to the film. It had been only a few months since I'd seen John Barrymore, with Delores Costello in WHEN A MAN LOVES (1927), and I liked this role better than that of a man in love fighting the powers that be for the love of a girl and that girl's honor. Simple stuff.

In this one, Barrymore plays Gregory Vance, a "Great Man" under the thumb of the bottle since the death of the love of his life. He loves his two children, who are part of her, and they believe that he is still a "Great Man." The kids at school label him a drunk, and that's what he is to them.

Hearing Vance speak, learning his history, you know he was a Great Man, and you yearn for him to be one again, for his sake and for that of his children. He has that opportunity, and his children are happy for it. (They kids handle the negotiation. It's splendid.) But does he have to sell his soul, in a manner of speaking, to attain it? There's a heavy streak of partisan politics, though the party name is never specified, and you have a ward boss called Iron Hat who doesn't seem so bad as his awful son.

This movie worked. Since this was Barrymore's last important leading role, he goes out on a wonderful note. And, yes, he played a good drunk.

Former Harvard professor John Barrymore (as Gregory Vance) lives in a typical 1923 American city, where he works as a lowly night watchman. Unfortunately, Mr. Barrymore has become an alcoholic. Also a widower, Barrymore may lose his two children due to perpetual drunkenness. Pre-teens Virginia Weidler (as Joan) and Peter Holden (as Donald) adore their dad and try to help regulate his alcohol intake. An upcoming election focuses on Barrymore as he is the only registered voter in his precinct. This may have something to do with the precinct's tradition of always voting unanimously. Having his vote count 100% brings Barrymore much attention. He learns how to lay off the sauce, presumably, and gets close to attractive schoolteacher Katharine Alexander (as Agnes Billow)...

Off screen, Barrymore had lost control of his own drinking, but he could still deliver large, succulent slices of acting ham for director Garson Kanin and RKO Radio Pictures. Later roles helped by having Barrymore play an alcoholic. It wasn't all smooth sailing during this film, however. This is the one where Barrymore allegedly threw Miss Weidler across the set. The little scene-stealer was playing with Barrymore's tie while the acclaimed actor was speaking. Notably, Weidler plays practically the entire movie with a black eye. Weidler did not work with Barrymore again, and young Holden never made another film. Making a great impression, the bully who calls Barrymore a "drunk old bummer" is future "Bowery Boys" series regular Bennie Bartlett (as David "Davy" McCarthy).

******The Great Man Votes (1/13/39) Garson Kanin ~ John Barrymore, Virginia Weidler, Peter Holden, Bennie Bartlett

For a movie which is little more than a light diversion, this turns out to be constructed with a surprisingly high level of craftsmanship and sensitivity. I would find it difficult to believe that anyone could dislike this short but delightful comedy.

On the surface, the movie is about a group of local politicians whose spin doctors have managed to use the media to manipulate the public to the point that the vote of one "great" man will determine the entire outcome of the elections. Ignore the specifics and this political satire is as relevant today as it was when it was made 60 years ago. But the real story is about a father's love for his children and this is what truly makes him "the great man". It isn't presented with much depth - what can you expect from a short simple comedy? - but it is done with enough sensitivity to create a real feeling of warmth and affection.

All of it's characters could easily have lost their humanity by falling into predictable stereotypes, but the movie manages to completely avoid this. The main character is continually drunk, but he never has to resort to slurring or stumbling to portray this, and his drunkenness is never exploited for a cheap laugh. His two precocious children manage to entertain without ever having to be excessively cute. It's rare to see a low budget comedy which has the confidence to show this kind of restraint. The confidence is well deserved; this is a movie which is sure to put a smile on your face.

Scholar Gregory Vance (John Barrymore) has fallen into drunkenness after the death of his beloved wife. His children, Joan and Donald, still love him but they get bullied at school for being the children of a drunk. They have relatives who want to take them away from their father. Due to an odd situation, he is the only registered voter in his precinct and everybody wants his vote.

The plot is very similar to the 2008 movie Swing Vote. Like that one, there is a good amount of fanciful mechanics being written and some kind of civic lesson being promoted. Also like that one, I like the kids more. It is interesting that Gregory is portrayed as a happy drunk. This is a light comedy with an ambitious premise and most of it is fine.

THE GREAT MAN VOTES (RKO Radio, 1939) stars "The Great Profile" John Barrymore, as the "Great Man" named Gregory Vance, in possibly his last good screen performance in a leading role. He stars as a drunken (no acting here) philosopher and widowed father of two pre-teen children (Peter Holden and Virginia Weidler) reduced to working as a night watchman. It so happens that he is the last registered voter in a factory district. When the local party machine pins its hopes on the way this district goes, his vote becomes important, and so does Vance. Vance allows himself to be exploited with the aid of a schoolteacher, Agnes Billow (Katherine Alexander), and thus, starts life anew as a commissioner of education.

A "B" comedy-drama with a lack of big star names (except for Barrymore, whose career by this time was at a decline), the movie plays fast during its 73 minutes running time. During one of its frequent showings on American Movie Classics in 1999, former host John Burke mentioned that Barrymore disliked working with children because they become scene stealers. Indeed the children are here, and are believable in their roles, especially Virginia Weidler, but they don't take away from that Barrymore magic. And director Garson Kanin successfully mixes the plot with sentiment and comedy without making it appear too "hokey." The supporting cast includes William Demarest as Charlie Dale; Donald MacBride as "Iron Hat" McCarlty, and Bennie Bartlett as his bully son, Davie McCarlty. And whatever became of that boy actor named Peter Holden, who makes his one and only screen appearance as Barrymore's intellectual son?

THE GREAT MAN VOTES, which presently shows on Turner Classic Movies, is the sort of movie that would be best shown on Election Day. (****)