Apparently out of step with most of the viewers here on this one, I find Twentieth Century a lot less than meets the eye and ear. Barrymore is great and thunderous, but that is kind of what I have against the pace and tone. Too much yelling, screaming, too frenetic, and the sinuosity of the plot, the way he and Lombard keep sliding around each other in their yelling matches grow increasingly wearisome until it all just gets a little too unbelievable for me, whereas, say the antics of Lombard and Powell in My Man Godfrey are right on, perfect pitch. All that aside, it is a great comedy, far far better than most. Ahead of its time? Certainly. As was Hawks. But are there many scenes I want to see more than once? Not many here. I guess the long and short of it, this seems like one of Ben Hecht's rush jobs. Everything crammed together way too fast, with all kinds of juicy bits with a lot of garbage. And undoubtedly written with, seemingly Barrymore just over his shoulder say, ahh great, I will give that line Superbly, do you want me to cry out of my left eye, or right one, or both. The veritable paroxismitic apotheosis for Johnny Boy. The only movie faster paced than this, and even less successful was One Two Three. Both of them titles of speed, and overwhelmed by the own notion of their pace.
But don't miss either one of them, at least once.
But don't miss either one of them, at least once.