If this movie was at least mediocre I could've stomached it. It was a bad production with a nonsensical plot that was further ruined by annoying characters.
"The Last Gentleman" was a comedic poke at the rich family trying to make themselves appealing for the old patriarch's wealth. It's a concept that has been done in many different fashions and will always exist.
The patriarch was Cabot Barr (George Arliss), an old codger who deemed everyone unworthy of the Barr wealth and the Barr name. He only wanted to leave his money to a male Barr heir and his underhanded and unworthy son was the only male heir. He did take a liking to his granddaughter Marjorie Barr (Charlotte Henry), but alas she was a girl.
If there was a chance she could be an endearing character in spite of her annoying mousy voice, she ruined it early on.
When her grandfather laughingly stated that he wished she'd been born a boy, her response was, "I've always liked being a girl. But now I wish I weren't."
"Why?" Cabot Barr asked.
"Because you wish I weren't," she said in a heartfelt and touching manner.
It was enough to turn Laura Ingraham feminist. Then she bent her head down and kissed her grandfather's hand in the most deferential manner imaginable.
Mind you, Cabot Barr had been nothing but a bully up until this point. Only the simplest minded person or a shameless sycophant would show him the level of respect Marjorie was showing her surly grandfather.
It got worse.
Grandpa Barr sorrowfully added, "If only you'd been born a ... ah well. It's too late now. You're a female. When you marry you'll become your husband's possession. Even to the extent of sacrificing your name."
"Well, I won't marry," Marjorie proudly chirped. "If it will make you happy I'll stay single. I won't mind being an old maid, then I can keep on being a Barr."
By this time, I was in desperate need of a barf bag. This was one of those scenes that made me openly question what was so good about the early twentieth century, especially the movies. Fortunately, I've seen enough 1930's movies to know that they do have some quality movies amongst the racist and sexist piles of rubbish.
Almost as bad as Marjorie deprecating herself for her backwards and tribal grandpappy was her hamfisted romance with Allan Baine (Frank Albertson). Marjorie and Allan were like cats and dogs when they first met, which generally means they will be in love by movie's end. In this case, without prompting, indication, or warning, they were in love and engaged to be married. Quite literally, from one scene to the next, and within a couple of days, they were engaged.
I'd had enough. All that was left was to wrap it up and get on with the sappy ending. The ending gave us a prerecorded will reading in which the cantankerous Cabot gave everyone something to show just how good he was, and to show that whoever put up with his boorishness must really have loved him.
I call BS. People will put up with a lot for money and this movie didn't disprove that. It only fooled the dumb and naive. This movie was terrible and Cabot was no gentleman.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
"The Last Gentleman" was a comedic poke at the rich family trying to make themselves appealing for the old patriarch's wealth. It's a concept that has been done in many different fashions and will always exist.
The patriarch was Cabot Barr (George Arliss), an old codger who deemed everyone unworthy of the Barr wealth and the Barr name. He only wanted to leave his money to a male Barr heir and his underhanded and unworthy son was the only male heir. He did take a liking to his granddaughter Marjorie Barr (Charlotte Henry), but alas she was a girl.
If there was a chance she could be an endearing character in spite of her annoying mousy voice, she ruined it early on.
When her grandfather laughingly stated that he wished she'd been born a boy, her response was, "I've always liked being a girl. But now I wish I weren't."
"Why?" Cabot Barr asked.
"Because you wish I weren't," she said in a heartfelt and touching manner.
It was enough to turn Laura Ingraham feminist. Then she bent her head down and kissed her grandfather's hand in the most deferential manner imaginable.
Mind you, Cabot Barr had been nothing but a bully up until this point. Only the simplest minded person or a shameless sycophant would show him the level of respect Marjorie was showing her surly grandfather.
It got worse.
Grandpa Barr sorrowfully added, "If only you'd been born a ... ah well. It's too late now. You're a female. When you marry you'll become your husband's possession. Even to the extent of sacrificing your name."
"Well, I won't marry," Marjorie proudly chirped. "If it will make you happy I'll stay single. I won't mind being an old maid, then I can keep on being a Barr."
By this time, I was in desperate need of a barf bag. This was one of those scenes that made me openly question what was so good about the early twentieth century, especially the movies. Fortunately, I've seen enough 1930's movies to know that they do have some quality movies amongst the racist and sexist piles of rubbish.
Almost as bad as Marjorie deprecating herself for her backwards and tribal grandpappy was her hamfisted romance with Allan Baine (Frank Albertson). Marjorie and Allan were like cats and dogs when they first met, which generally means they will be in love by movie's end. In this case, without prompting, indication, or warning, they were in love and engaged to be married. Quite literally, from one scene to the next, and within a couple of days, they were engaged.
I'd had enough. All that was left was to wrap it up and get on with the sappy ending. The ending gave us a prerecorded will reading in which the cantankerous Cabot gave everyone something to show just how good he was, and to show that whoever put up with his boorishness must really have loved him.
I call BS. People will put up with a lot for money and this movie didn't disprove that. It only fooled the dumb and naive. This movie was terrible and Cabot was no gentleman.
Free on Odnoklassniki.