Don Juan on TCM

I'm watching it and can't help but think that Rudy should have played this role since in all due respect he was the real McCoy when it came to eing a Don Juan. Also, with the knowledge that this movie appeared the same year and month (as TCM reported it was August of 1926 this movie came out) of his death is equally of interest to me.
As I watch John Barrymore play out the role, whom I have nothing against (or for), I can't help but see Rudy, where he should have been if Natasha didn't throw his career off track. And although I can "miss" that he didn't have this opportunity as it would have surely been his if he continued on his path to glory, I can't help but think Natasha had some credence in her belief the movies could cheapen the art of movie making. I mean just look around today. It's as if her vain battle, belief, instinct was never even a threat to the trite, predictable, and cheap plots that churn out now every year and with the same hype that bores me to tears. No wonder I have found myself loving the silents. At least back then there was some art, originality and creativity going into the plots when now we just have the same basic, bone structure coming out like clockwork.
I rarely go see movies of today because I find them very boring and overly thought out, rehearsed. It's such a shame to see such a wonderful opportunity as movie making to produce art to usually just produce more of the same for the almighty buck.