An Oscar was given to the creators of The Scoundrel, Broadway playwrights
Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur for their original story and screenplay. It is
one of the few films where you can see Noel Coward at the height of his career.
Oddly enough and sadly not in one of his own works, but Hecht and MacArthur caught Coward's witty, ascetic, and acerbic personality completely.
Coward plays publisher Tony Mallare who has a put down for all occasions, especially for the authors who depend on him for their livelihood. They in turn have to take and like the guff that Coward hands out as does the rest of the human race.
In Inherit The Wind a the end there's a scene where lawyer Henry Drummond puts down cynical writer E.K. Hornbeck saying no one will give a damn about him once he dies. That's what Coward faces after he dies in a plane crash,an eternal fate of loneliness unless he can find just one among the living who cares about him.
Coward who was a pretty cynical fellow himself in his life gives a wonderful performance as Mallare. Coward who was cynical knew the pitfalls of cynicism and the story that Hecht and MacArthur created is a wonderful life lesson.
Do not miss this if broadcast.
Oddly enough and sadly not in one of his own works, but Hecht and MacArthur caught Coward's witty, ascetic, and acerbic personality completely.
Coward plays publisher Tony Mallare who has a put down for all occasions, especially for the authors who depend on him for their livelihood. They in turn have to take and like the guff that Coward hands out as does the rest of the human race.
In Inherit The Wind a the end there's a scene where lawyer Henry Drummond puts down cynical writer E.K. Hornbeck saying no one will give a damn about him once he dies. That's what Coward faces after he dies in a plane crash,an eternal fate of loneliness unless he can find just one among the living who cares about him.
Coward who was a pretty cynical fellow himself in his life gives a wonderful performance as Mallare. Coward who was cynical knew the pitfalls of cynicism and the story that Hecht and MacArthur created is a wonderful life lesson.
Do not miss this if broadcast.