The Private Life of Don Juan (1934)

Director:

Alexander Korda

Writers:

Henry Bataille (play)
Frederick Lonsdale (story) ...

Release Date:

30 November 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Earring | Actor | Actress | Cook | Dancer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks	...	Don Juan
Merle Oberon	...	Antonita, a Dancer of Passionate Temperament
Bruce Winston	...	Cafe Manager
Gina Malo	...	Pepita, Another Dancer of Equal Temperament
Benita Hume	...	Dona Dolores, a Lady of Mystery
Binnie Barnes	...	Rosita, a Maid Pure and Simple
Melville Cooper	...	Leporello
Owen Nares	...	Antonio Martinez, an Actor as Actors Go
Heather Thatcher	...	Anna Dora, an Actress as Actresses Go
Diana Napier	...	A Lady of Sentiment
Joan Gardner	...	Carmen, a Young Lady of Romance
Gibson Gowland	...	Don Alfredo, Carmen's Poor Husband
Barry MacKay	...	Rodrigo, the Impostor, a Man of Romance (as Barry Mackay)
Claud Allister	...	The Duke, as Dukes Go (as Claude Allister)
Athene Seyler	...	Theresa, the Innkeeper, a Middle Aged Lady of Young Sentiment

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

London Film Productions

Trivia:

Douglas Fairbanks's final film.

Quotes:

Don Juan: Lovely little girl!
Leporello: She'd look awful by daylight.
Don Juan: Well, who wants to see her by daylight?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shepperton Babylon (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

If You Were Mine

Will The Real Don Juan Stand Up Or Stand Out?

In Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s memoirs, he and his father decided in 1933 to go over to Great Britain together for work. Fairbanks the younger wasn't satisfied with his film career at Warner Brothers and his father was falling head over heels with the British Lady Sylvia Ashley. She became his third and last wife. Doug Jr. said that they bonded while there closer than they did while he was a child.

Doug Jr. did a bunch of films and some stage work in London, his best known film in his British period was Catherine the Great with Elizabeth Bergner. Doug, Sr. did this one film, The Private Life of Don Juan and it's as tailor made a farewell to the screen as The Shootist was for John Wayne.

We all of us get older and even such sex symbols as Don Juan does. He's wearying of the life and I suspect has not the stamina any more for what he was known for. When rumor goes around he's been killed finally by an irate husband, Fairbanks decides with his faithful man Friday, Leporello, played by Melville Cooper to take a long needed rest.

The problem comes when he decides to make a comeback and no one believes this 51 year old man is the real Don Juan. Fairbanks was 51 when he made The Private Life of Don Juan and he did look pretty good for a 51 year old man. At least I didn't look as good when I hit that age.

What will the outcome be for the aged Lothario? For that you'll have to see the film and I will say that Alexander Korda provided a nice bevy of British beauties for Fairbanks to choose from. Such beautiful and talented folks as Merle Oberon, Benita Hume, Binnie Barnes, and Diana Napier all vie for Fairbanks's attention at one point in the film.

Best in the film however is Athene Seyler and her proposition to Fairbanks. Her scene with him is a delight.

I don't know if Fairbanks had it in his head that The Private Life of Don Juan would be his farewell picture. It needn't have been, his speaking voice registered well for sound and by 1934 he wasn't overacting as many of his silent contemporaries did and ruined their careers thereby. But The Private Life of Don Juan was perfect as a farewell performance for a man who was an American icon in his day, as much as John Wayne was in his.