Don Juan (1926)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Alan Crosland

Writers:

Walter Anthony (titles)
Lord Byron (poem)

Release Date:

19 February 1927 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

A Super Spectacle Depicting the Romantic Adventures of THE LORD OF ALL LOVERS! (original poster)

Plot:

If there was one thing that Don Juan de Marana learned from his father Don Jose, it was that women gave you three things - life...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Jane Winton	...	Donna Isobel
John Roche	...	Leandro
Warner Oland	...	Cesare Borgia
Estelle Taylor	...	Lucrezia Borgia
Montagu Love	...	Count Giano Donati
Josef Swickard	...	Duke Della Varnese
Willard Louis	...	Pedrillo
Nigel De Brulier	...	Marchese Rinaldo
Hedda Hopper	...	Marchesia Rinaldo
Myrna Loy	...	Mai, Lady in Waiting
Mary Astor	...	Adriana della Varnese
John Barrymore	...	Don Jose de Marana / Don Juan de Marana

Runtime:

167 min | Spain:110 min | 112 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (musical score and sound effects) | Silent

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Don Juan plants 191 kisses on various females during the course of the film, an average of one every 53 seconds.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Remembers: Myrna Loy - So Nice to Come Home to (1991) (TV)

Close Enough for Classic Barrymore

John Barrymore stars as "Don Juan", who (as young lad, Philippe De Lacy) is taught by his father (Mr. Barrymore, also as Dad Jose) how to handle women - Love 'Em and Leave 'Em! Learning his lesson well, Barrymore spends much of his time with various women. Willard Louis (as Juan's pal Pedrillo) is especially useful in fending off husbands and other strangers, and doesn't seem too interested in competing with Barrymore for female attention! All goes well until Barrymore is smitten with Mary Astor (as Adriana della Varnese); something about Ms. Astor makes Don Juan want to change his lifestyle, and stick with one woman. But, the reigning Borgias stand in his way - and, Estelle Taylor (as Lucrezia) wants Barrymore, while Montagu Love (as Donati) claims Astor…

Notable for Barrymore's turn as Juan, but better for its soundtrack - the original synchronized sound effects and score are as originally utilized in 1926; and, it works much better than musical soundtracks composed a century later. Barrymore's best scene involves his impersonating a dungeon torturer, nearer the end of the film. Some parts of the story are difficult to understand; for example: What happens to Pedrillo? Why does Juan accuse a certain husband of killing his wife? Perhaps to put him in a later escape scene? which is also difficult to comprehend. Some of the actors read their lines so well, title cards are not needed; however, the acting is not always great. Still, there is enough of everything in "Don Juan" to call it a classic.

******** Don Juan (1926) Alan Crosland ~ John Barrymore, Mary Astor, Montagu Love