I missed the beginning of the movie, but what I saw of it was quite enough. The supporting cast, especially Shakespearean actor John Gielgud as Arthur's sarcastic butler, did a good job, but the main characters unfortunately brought the movie down.
Arthur, the star, is a rich happy drunk with no ambition, and his family arranges him to marry a rich woman whom he does not love, but he must go through with it or lose his chance of inheriting the family fortune. Along the way he meets a waitress/struggling actress whom he does fall in love with. What to do? The movie's major problem is that we're supposed to find a man with a drinking problem humorous. Trouble is, drunkards are not happy people-see "Leaving Las Vegas" to show how having a drinking problem is really like. Not fun at all. Arthur's butler shows real concern for him, and Arthur redeems himself by his showing concern for him as he dies-but the redemption is temporary. In the end he shows up drunk at his wedding and publicly humiliates his bride. Ha, ha. Of course he will get his fortune anyway in the end.
The other problem is Liza Minelli as the girlfriend. Her career only existed because her father, director Vincent Minelli, pushed her into her acting career, as she looks ugly and is a weak actress. Seeing her is as appealing as eating an average worm sandwich. (Though admittedly the movie would have been a turkey no matter who played the girlfriend.)
Arthur, the star, is a rich happy drunk with no ambition, and his family arranges him to marry a rich woman whom he does not love, but he must go through with it or lose his chance of inheriting the family fortune. Along the way he meets a waitress/struggling actress whom he does fall in love with. What to do? The movie's major problem is that we're supposed to find a man with a drinking problem humorous. Trouble is, drunkards are not happy people-see "Leaving Las Vegas" to show how having a drinking problem is really like. Not fun at all. Arthur's butler shows real concern for him, and Arthur redeems himself by his showing concern for him as he dies-but the redemption is temporary. In the end he shows up drunk at his wedding and publicly humiliates his bride. Ha, ha. Of course he will get his fortune anyway in the end.
The other problem is Liza Minelli as the girlfriend. Her career only existed because her father, director Vincent Minelli, pushed her into her acting career, as she looks ugly and is a weak actress. Seeing her is as appealing as eating an average worm sandwich. (Though admittedly the movie would have been a turkey no matter who played the girlfriend.)