cynical
The (figurative) train ride "Twentieth Century" wasn't an altogether new experience for John Barrymore; he long had been accustomed to getting good reviews (even if some weren't quite as universal as what he received here). But for Carole Lombard, used to being considered little more than a clotheshorse on screen, the reviews she received were unlike anything she'd ever experienced, and for her, it was pretty heady.
Columbia, sensing it had another comedy blockbuster on its hands following the unexpected success of "It Happened One Night," pulled out all the stops for this one:
In the end, Columbia learned it couldn't quite duplicate the achievement of "It Happened One Night," as stories of Broadway really didn't resonate in the heartland (although "Twentieth Century" was quite popular in urban markets).
