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Christopher Bean

  • 19331933
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
39
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Lionel Barrymore and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)
  • Comedy
When the painter Christopher Bean dies, some unscrupulous art dealers try to get several of his paintings cheaply from a family who have no idea of their value.When the painter Christopher Bean dies, some unscrupulous art dealers try to get several of his paintings cheaply from a family who have no idea of their value.When the painter Christopher Bean dies, some unscrupulous art dealers try to get several of his paintings cheaply from a family who have no idea of their value.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
39
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sam Wood
  • Writers
    • Robert E. Hopkins(uncredited)
    • Sidney Howard(play "The Late Christopher Bean")
    • Laurence E. Johnson
  • Stars
    • Marie Dressler
    • Lionel Barrymore
    • Helen Mack
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sam Wood
  • Writers
    • Robert E. Hopkins(uncredited)
    • Sidney Howard(play "The Late Christopher Bean")
    • Laurence E. Johnson
  • Stars
    • Marie Dressler
    • Lionel Barrymore
    • Helen Mack
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos11

    Marie Dressler and Helen Mack in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Marie Dressler, and Helen Shipman in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore and Helen Mack in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Beulah Bondi and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore, Marie Dressler, and Jean Hersholt in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Marie Dressler, and Helen Mack in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)
    Lionel Barrymore and Marie Dressler in Christopher Bean (1933)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marie Dressler
    Marie Dressler
    • Abbyas Abby
    Lionel Barrymore
    Lionel Barrymore
    • Dr. Milton Haggettas Dr. Milton Haggett
    Helen Mack
    Helen Mack
    • Susan Haggettas Susan Haggett
    Beulah Bondi
    Beulah Bondi
    • Mrs. Hannah Haggettas Mrs. Hannah Haggett
    Russell Hardie
    Russell Hardie
    • Warren Creameras Warren Creamer
    Jean Hersholt
    Jean Hersholt
    • Rosenas Rosen
    H.B. Warner
    H.B. Warner
    • Maxwell Davenportas Maxwell Davenport
    Helen Shipman
    • Ada Haggettas Ada Haggett
    George Coulouris
    George Coulouris
    • Tallentas Tallent
    Ellen Lowe
    • Maidas Maid
    Symona Boniface
    Symona Boniface
    • Auction Participantas Auction Participant
    • (uncredited)
    Adolph Faylauer
    Adolph Faylauer
    • Auction Participantas Auction Participant
    • (uncredited)
    George Irving
    George Irving
    • Art Criticas Art Critic
    • (uncredited)
    Edwin Maxwell
    Edwin Maxwell
    • Auctioneeras Auctioneer
    • (uncredited)
    Sam McDaniel
    Sam McDaniel
    • Porteras Porter
    • (uncredited)
    Lee Phelps
    • Mechanicas Mechanic
    • (uncredited)
    Dewey Robinson
    Dewey Robinson
    • Bearded Man in Lower Boothas Bearded Man in Lower Booth
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Sam Wood
    • Writers
      • Robert E. Hopkins(uncredited)
      • Sidney Howard(play "The Late Christopher Bean")
      • Laurence E. Johnson
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    When the painter Christopher Bean dies, some unscrupulous art dealers try to get several of his paintings cheaply from a family who have no idea of their value.
    • lost film
    • based on play
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • TOGETHER AT LAST! - the two best loved characters on the Screen! (Print Ad- Albany Times-Union, ((Albany, NY)) 18 November 1933)
    • Genre
      • Comedy
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film has never been distributed for television showing or released on home video.
    • Connections
      Alternate-language version of Mind the Paint (1933)

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    3/10
    Dressler's swan song
    "The Late Christopher Bean" is a weak comedy-drama, notably only as the last film of the beloved character actress Marie Dressler. Like Lon Chaney in his last film (and for similar reasons), Dressler gives a poor performance here, because her body was riddled with the cancer that would soon kill her. But there are still a few flashes of her old brilliance.

    The Haggetts are a "respectable" family who have fallen onto hard times but are keeping up appearances. Years ago, they took in a lodger who was also Doctor Haggett's tubercular and alcoholic patient. The lodger was Christopher Bean, an obscure painter who shows no promise of artistic greatness. The snobbish Haggetts look down on Bean. One of his paintings is pressed into service to patch a leaky roof, another consigned to the chicken-house, while daughter Ada paints on the back of yet another. Bean's only friend in the Haggett household is Abby, the kind-hearted cook played by Marie Dressler. Eventually, Christopher Bean dies, broke and obscure ... but not before Abby poses for a portrait. Bean bequeaths this last painting (his masterpiece) to Abby, who treasures the worthless artwork as a memento of her dear friend.

    All of the above takes place before the movie starts, as backstory. Time has passed. Christopher Bean's artistic talents have been recognised (after his death, of course), and now his paintings are valuable. The Haggetts, who never had any use for Bean when he lived under their (leaky) roof, now scheme to trick Abby out of the portrait so that they can sell it. Heart-of-gold Abby has no interest in money: she wants to keep the painting because it's her only memento of her friend Christopher Bean ... or was he perhaps more than merely a friend?

    Despite her poor health here, Dressler shows a few sparks of her talent in one scene as she recalls how the artist taught her to appreciate colour and light. Near the film's end, one scene is poignant for the wrong reason. Abby's trunk is packed as she prepares to leave the Haggetts' home forever. Dressler (only a few months away from death) repeatedly says good- bye while nobody pays attention.

    George Coulouris (in his usual weasel mode, as a confidence trickster) and Beulah Bondi (less sympathetic than usual) repeat their roles from the Broadway cast. Helen Mack deftly handles a role that's in deepest cliché, as the ingenue yearning to elope with a handsome young artist (Russell Hardie) who is of course deeply talented. Just once, I'd like to see a movie in which the handsome young artist has no talent at all. As the head of the household, Lionel Barrymore's performance has an interesting character arc: he starts out as a selfless physician, then gradually succumbs to greed as he learns how valuable Bean's paintings are.

    "The Late Christopher Bean" makes some very obvious points which aren't necessarily true. I give this film 3 points out of 10, and one of those points is for Sam Wood's brisk direction.
    helpful•10
    8
    • F Gwynplaine MacIntyre
    • Mar 1, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 17, 1933 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Late Christopher Bean
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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