The Man Who Came to Dinner is a little uneven, but it's mostly entertaining. The unevenness comes mainly from the dullness of the budding relationship which the film holds in focus. The original play is very well written, especially the dialogue. It was actually performed at my high school when I was there. But its the cast here that excels. Monty Woolley is great in the titular role. He plays Sheridan Whiteside to absolute perfection. Bette Davis is quite good as his secretary, but the role is actually somewhat below her standards. I'm sure she took the role because she loved the play so much and was sure it'd be a hit, but that role is pretty dull. Ann Sheridan perhaps gives the film's most memorable performance as an egotistical Hollywood diva who's not sure whether she wants to marry British nobility for money or just chase around cute guys. Also noteworthy are Billie Burke as Mrs. Stanley, the Ohio society woman who invites Whiteside to dinner, Reginald Gardiner as an eloquent celebrity friend of Whiteside (far underused), and the incredibly insane Jimmy Durante as Banjo. He comes into the film very late, but he very nearly steals the show. 8/10.
105 Reviews
Good for a laugh.
dougandwin5 July 2004
Monty Woolley will always be remembered for his role in this movie, but to me the interesting things about watching this film 60 years after it was made, is the supporting cast. Firstly, there is Bette Davis taking a back seat somewhat in a role that is hardly demanding technically, but one which she underplays very well. Ann Sheridan goes over the top, really hamming it up but having fun. Richard Travis is a disaster, and was terribly outclassed by the rest of the crew. On seeing the movie now, one realises what a gem Billie Burke was in these kind of dithery roles. Reginald Gardiner and Jimmy Durante were very good in their small parts, but it is best just to enter into the fun of the whole thing and have a good laugh. I must say the sarcasm of Monty Woolley in the Forties was a whole lot funnier then, than now!
What a pig.
ptb-819 April 2011
Some supposed great films of their time (in this case, the late 30s/early 40s) find fame and reputation. It might even last a decade or two, but in this case this appalling unfunny film should be put into the window seat cavity in (the genuinely funny) ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. The main character Sheridan Whiteside, as played by blustering queen Monty Woolley is utterly tiresome by the third 'hilarious blistering insult', all of which are over worded and each of which are just ridiculous and stupid. If this film is written to be a farce then it succeeds. But it is also just plain mean spirited. Yes Whiteside is supposed to be that but he is so repulsive and abrasive for 100 minutes that had I lived in that house I would have gladly tossed him into the street and happily paid the consequences. THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER has not dated well and the film now would provoke curiosity only in bewilderment as audiences ask 'is this supposed to be funny? This guy is a prick'.
Aren't we forgetting something?
Matti-Man16 August 2002
Yes, most of the below reviewers are correct. "The Man Who Came to Dinner" is a splendid comedy. But what no one has mentioned - and this is especially relevant, given some of the negative comments here - is that Kaufmann and Hart wrote the play, basing the Whiteside character on their friend Alexander Woolcott, who was a hugely famous and influential - not to mention opinionated and acerbic - theatre critic of the day. The presence of Jimmy Durante, playing "Banjo" is important because a high profile member of the Woolcott "rat-pack" was Harpo Marx, clearly the model for Banjo. Monty Wooley played "Sheridan Whiteside" in the play's initial run (and of course here in the movie) but it's a tribute to Woolcott's ability to laugh at himself that during the play's national tour of the US Woolcott actually played the Sheridan Whiteside part himself. (I only know all of this because I've just finished reading Harpo Marx' autobiography, "Harpo Speaks", which I highly recommend to all IMDBers)
Delightfully smug.
TOMASBBloodhound25 December 2008
Not so much a Christmas movie as it is a movie that happens to take place during the Christmas season. This 1942 farce has a rude and elitist author/lecturer/high society man falling on the icy steps of an Ohio businessman and being forced to stay in the man's home for weeks. Monty Wolley plays Sheridan Whiteside who seems to have contempt to one degree or another for everyone around him. He felt it beneath him to even be somewhere like Ohio in the first place, and he is determined to make life miserable for everyone once he is marooned there. Whiteside has a put down ready for almost everything anyone says to him. His lines of dialog pretty much range from condescending flattery to outright insults. And let it be said here, that he is almost always hilarious.
Bette Davis plays Whiteside's personal secretary who falls in love with a local newspaper man and aspiring playwright. Davis confesses her intent to settle down with the handsome young man, and this is a matter of great concern for Whiteside since he would be nearly helpless without her. Even though his injuries have healed, he continues to act as though he is confined to a wheelchair for much of the picture. And most of the plot deals with Whiteside attempting to sabotage his secretary's blossoming romance.
The film lasts for nearly two hours and seldom lets the viewer up for air. This is a film that you may have to see several times to notice every clever line or plot development. And since it was originally a play, most of it takes place in one room. That being the living room of the put-upon Ohio businessman and his brow-beaten family. Along the way, Whiteside begins meddling in the lives of others, as well. He practically incites a rebellion by the couple's teenage children. He comes up with more insults than one can count for his nurse. And some of the funniest moments deal with an aging doctor attempting to get Whiteside to look at his manuscript about his profession. Many famous people appear and are referred to throughout the film. Most of the pop culture references are really dated, but not so much that it really bogs the film down. The acting is wonderful. Jimmy Durante and Ann Sheridan liven things up in support. The film is rather smug in how it was written by and about famous people who obviously look down on normal Midwestern folk. But the humor is harmless, and all too enjoyable. 10 of 10 stars.
The Hound.
Bette Davis plays Whiteside's personal secretary who falls in love with a local newspaper man and aspiring playwright. Davis confesses her intent to settle down with the handsome young man, and this is a matter of great concern for Whiteside since he would be nearly helpless without her. Even though his injuries have healed, he continues to act as though he is confined to a wheelchair for much of the picture. And most of the plot deals with Whiteside attempting to sabotage his secretary's blossoming romance.
The film lasts for nearly two hours and seldom lets the viewer up for air. This is a film that you may have to see several times to notice every clever line or plot development. And since it was originally a play, most of it takes place in one room. That being the living room of the put-upon Ohio businessman and his brow-beaten family. Along the way, Whiteside begins meddling in the lives of others, as well. He practically incites a rebellion by the couple's teenage children. He comes up with more insults than one can count for his nurse. And some of the funniest moments deal with an aging doctor attempting to get Whiteside to look at his manuscript about his profession. Many famous people appear and are referred to throughout the film. Most of the pop culture references are really dated, but not so much that it really bogs the film down. The acting is wonderful. Jimmy Durante and Ann Sheridan liven things up in support. The film is rather smug in how it was written by and about famous people who obviously look down on normal Midwestern folk. But the humor is harmless, and all too enjoyable. 10 of 10 stars.
The Hound.
Comic Brilliance
nycritic20 December 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Movies like these don't get filmed anymore. The subject matter would not appeal to an audience that today run to the hills at the mention of the words "literate adaptation of a successful Broadway play" which happens to be not about sexy murderesses or sexy bed hoppers, but of people who talk and act in perfectly clipped words and mannered affectations more often seen in such sitcoms like "FRASIER".
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER is a perfect example of a film that remains dated due to its very subject matter. Screenwriters George S. Kaufmann and Moss Hart came up with this hilarious story based on the personalities (as per them) of then-film critic Alexander Woollcott, playwright Noel Coward, and theatre actress Gertrude Lawrence, and in doing so created a smash Broadway hit that received this film version. Stories tell of John Barrymore being up for the part of Sheridan Whiteside (Woolcott) but being 'unable' to remember his lines, which prompted to keep theatre actor Monty Woolley from the original play. Monty breathes a massive amount of life into his smothering, capricious character and of course makes the movie all his. By his side, a perfect foil, is Bette Davis playing Maggie Cutler. The original role was not as large in the play but was expanded for this version and is the only time during her golden period in Hollywood when she stepped down and took a secondary role (though billed first, which must have helped make it a box-office hit). Ann Sheridan as theatre actress Lorraine Sheldon has the third billing and rips into her hysterical role. Watch her scenes with Bette: Maggie and Lorraine bait each other whenever they're on screen together but for the first time, do not watch Davis (who plays well as the quieter, servant female). Ann Sheridan looks like she's about to burst out of her clothes and tear right into Davis.
A near perfect cast: Billie Burke playing more of the same variation of the ditsy socialite, Reginald Gardner doing a great impersonation of Noel Coward (and sporting a great "stuttering" scene at a key point of the movie) and especially Mary Wickes, playing Mrs. Preen, a nurse in attendance of Sheridan who cracks under the pressure of so much craziness. A fantastic, wonderful comedy.
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER is a perfect example of a film that remains dated due to its very subject matter. Screenwriters George S. Kaufmann and Moss Hart came up with this hilarious story based on the personalities (as per them) of then-film critic Alexander Woollcott, playwright Noel Coward, and theatre actress Gertrude Lawrence, and in doing so created a smash Broadway hit that received this film version. Stories tell of John Barrymore being up for the part of Sheridan Whiteside (Woolcott) but being 'unable' to remember his lines, which prompted to keep theatre actor Monty Woolley from the original play. Monty breathes a massive amount of life into his smothering, capricious character and of course makes the movie all his. By his side, a perfect foil, is Bette Davis playing Maggie Cutler. The original role was not as large in the play but was expanded for this version and is the only time during her golden period in Hollywood when she stepped down and took a secondary role (though billed first, which must have helped make it a box-office hit). Ann Sheridan as theatre actress Lorraine Sheldon has the third billing and rips into her hysterical role. Watch her scenes with Bette: Maggie and Lorraine bait each other whenever they're on screen together but for the first time, do not watch Davis (who plays well as the quieter, servant female). Ann Sheridan looks like she's about to burst out of her clothes and tear right into Davis.
A near perfect cast: Billie Burke playing more of the same variation of the ditsy socialite, Reginald Gardner doing a great impersonation of Noel Coward (and sporting a great "stuttering" scene at a key point of the movie) and especially Mary Wickes, playing Mrs. Preen, a nurse in attendance of Sheridan who cracks under the pressure of so much craziness. A fantastic, wonderful comedy.
Orry-Kelly's talent in all its glory. A must-see for Costume-Lovers
vmdougherty20 December 2021
Orry-Kelly manages to communicate the prinicpal female characters' personas without their speaking a word.
Ann Sheridan's willowy figure, plus his fluid blouses/gowns, minus any foundation garments left Monty Woolley struggling to keep his eyes on her face. I must admit, i couldnt take my eyes off her myself. Every entrance is a chance to revel in her delightful over-the-top style
Contrasted with Bette Davis' perfectly tailored wool suits and accessories, this film shows the exceptional range of Orry-Kelly's Costume Design in one film.
Fabulous.
Ann Sheridan's willowy figure, plus his fluid blouses/gowns, minus any foundation garments left Monty Woolley struggling to keep his eyes on her face. I must admit, i couldnt take my eyes off her myself. Every entrance is a chance to revel in her delightful over-the-top style
Contrasted with Bette Davis' perfectly tailored wool suits and accessories, this film shows the exceptional range of Orry-Kelly's Costume Design in one film.
Fabulous.
An evergreen classic of comedic brilliance...
jackdaw888 December 2005
This movie is still as funny every time I see it as it was the very first time. The characters are all very solidly defined and the storyline even today has a spark of brilliance to it. The viewer is swept along throughout the entire length of the film, the dialogue mostly sharp, witty and fast paced. The dizzying speed of the succession of events in no way detracts from the film, rather adding to a sense of panic in empathy for the poor family hosting the eponymous gentleman, whilst at the same time inspiring an almost malicious anticipation to see what he will inflict upon them next. A true classic with wonderful energy and more than a few surprises, this is one to buy on DVD (if available) so you can watch and enjoy it again and again.
All Ego, No Core
jzappa19 October 2010
"Form follows function" is not just a principle that applies to architecture but something that makes everything legitimate and well-designed. The shape or tone of something should be mainly anchored in its idea or meaning, for the most part, right? Well, The Man Who Came to Dinner is an account of one of surely countless similar episodes in the life of the biggest douchebag in the history of cinema, actually probably in the history of all vaginal cleaning agents. Whatever they were using before douche, he still outranks it. That's fine. If you have a character you fully develop, give presence and make a movie about, I'm there! Many of my favorite films center around less than sympathetic characters, but none of them work via the presumption that I must like him. This remarkably snooty romp seeks to lionize a character so vain and contemptible, and spend all of its energies on surefire formulas for farce, so that we don't stop to think about anything the script doesn't want us to.
Everything accelerates with one contrivance after another, what with a boys' choir, an Egyptian mummy, a flock of penguins. The cast relishes the incisive, brightly sneering dialogue with delight, but it's only Bette Davis, in the sole straight part, who manages to overcome the common air of laugh-begging despair. The movie grovels for laughs while striving for the wittiest way to say any and everything that's said. And Davis and the rest of the cast don't serve the story so much as anchor it in our associations with the familiar faces and names, as well as graceful comportment and transatlantic accents. The film strains itself over impeccable form to compensate for its flimsy, snooty, cloying function.
The pacing is not as rhythmic as it would like to think it is. This whole movie likes to think, and would especially like us to think, that it's a quick-witted, razor-sharp farce in the classic Hawksian or Capra-esquire sense. It doesn't really want us to care about elements and characters it's just placed to add bulk around what it has truly designed for us to care about, which is Bette Davis' love interest and how her controlling boss prevents her marriage to the Ohio newspaperman. Nearly every other character, no matter how significant the conflict is that they're presented with, is forcibly marginalized for the remainder only to be resolved in a hurry at the end. But it's OK because we're effectively engaged in the quandary between Davis and her giant douche of a boss. The trick is that we're not supposed to think about much outside of that.
My earliest ventures in thinking about movies, not just watching them, not just putting them on and looking at them, showed me that thinking has much to do with keeping experiences alive long enough to take something away from them, making them valuable ones. Thinking may bring to light distressing realities or produce dead ends, but its real purpose is to strengthen an idea, to increase our connection to a subject by strengthening its value in our minds. In this way, thinking gives life some character and linkage, a narrative characteristic, as if our ideas, prompted by unembarrassed interest, were running through our minds like movies! A light-hearted movie is one thing, but a movie that disregards the expectation that its audience would like to actually sink its teeth into it is another.
Everything accelerates with one contrivance after another, what with a boys' choir, an Egyptian mummy, a flock of penguins. The cast relishes the incisive, brightly sneering dialogue with delight, but it's only Bette Davis, in the sole straight part, who manages to overcome the common air of laugh-begging despair. The movie grovels for laughs while striving for the wittiest way to say any and everything that's said. And Davis and the rest of the cast don't serve the story so much as anchor it in our associations with the familiar faces and names, as well as graceful comportment and transatlantic accents. The film strains itself over impeccable form to compensate for its flimsy, snooty, cloying function.
The pacing is not as rhythmic as it would like to think it is. This whole movie likes to think, and would especially like us to think, that it's a quick-witted, razor-sharp farce in the classic Hawksian or Capra-esquire sense. It doesn't really want us to care about elements and characters it's just placed to add bulk around what it has truly designed for us to care about, which is Bette Davis' love interest and how her controlling boss prevents her marriage to the Ohio newspaperman. Nearly every other character, no matter how significant the conflict is that they're presented with, is forcibly marginalized for the remainder only to be resolved in a hurry at the end. But it's OK because we're effectively engaged in the quandary between Davis and her giant douche of a boss. The trick is that we're not supposed to think about much outside of that.
My earliest ventures in thinking about movies, not just watching them, not just putting them on and looking at them, showed me that thinking has much to do with keeping experiences alive long enough to take something away from them, making them valuable ones. Thinking may bring to light distressing realities or produce dead ends, but its real purpose is to strengthen an idea, to increase our connection to a subject by strengthening its value in our minds. In this way, thinking gives life some character and linkage, a narrative characteristic, as if our ideas, prompted by unembarrassed interest, were running through our minds like movies! A light-hearted movie is one thing, but a movie that disregards the expectation that its audience would like to actually sink its teeth into it is another.
one of the best movies of all time
smkh1915 January 2007
This movie never fails to lift my spirits, giving me so many laughs I have lost count. Everyone in this movie is absolutely delightful! There are never enough good things to say about Monty Wooley, & Bette Davis is great, as always. Good to see her comedic side. I believe this is one of the very best comedies I have ever seen - - actually probably the best. I was so happy to find it out on DVD. If you are a lover of good comedy, this is a do not miss! Even the lesser known players are superb. Too bad Hollywood does not make this kind of movie anymore. Ann Sheridan is the perfect glamour girl, Reginald Gardiner is one of a kind, & Jimmy Durante is so funny. I read this was Mary Wickes's first film. She is a gem! I certainly miss all of these stars.
Delightful Usury
FiendishDramaturgy28 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Considering the base nature of this screenplay, I'm surprised that I could find it enjoyable on any level, however, there is a large amount of enjoyment to be had.
An elderly showbiz aristocrat arrives for a visit, slips and falls, and ends up appropriating the home of his host couple and their children, the house staff, the telephone, and everything else right down to the entire first floor. Of course, he's not as injured as he has led everyone to believe, and upon (finally) discovery, he flees, only to slip and fall once again on the way out the door.
Lovely performance by all involved, but especially by the beautiful and young Bette Davis. Simply timeless, is her beauty. I have yet to see a Bette Davis performance I did not love, but her performance herein is simply delightful, irascible, and feisty. I love it.
It rates a 7.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
An elderly showbiz aristocrat arrives for a visit, slips and falls, and ends up appropriating the home of his host couple and their children, the house staff, the telephone, and everything else right down to the entire first floor. Of course, he's not as injured as he has led everyone to believe, and upon (finally) discovery, he flees, only to slip and fall once again on the way out the door.
Lovely performance by all involved, but especially by the beautiful and young Bette Davis. Simply timeless, is her beauty. I have yet to see a Bette Davis performance I did not love, but her performance herein is simply delightful, irascible, and feisty. I love it.
It rates a 7.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
A Christmas Classic with Wit!
NativeTexan23 December 2002
This witty and wonderful Christmas classic has been neglected in recent years, but thanks to Turner Classic Movies it is once again being introduced to grateful audiences. Monty Woolley is fabulous as the brilliant writer and radio star, the curmudgeonly Sheridan (Sherry) Whiteside. Bette Davis is low key and perfect as his savvy personal secretary, Maggie Cutler, and Ann Sheridan is at her very, very best as the beautifully selfish and completely hilarious theatre star, Lorraine Sheldon. Reginald Gardiner,the fabulous English comedic actor and Jimmy Durante both sparkle in their brief but pivotal cameos. There are more classic one-liners in this script than you can count, but you'll enjoy trying!
Some notes about casting the roles
fcullen23 December 2012
Robert Osborne of TCM said that Warners intended John Barrymore but the Great Profile was too ill by 1942) for the role of Sheridan Whiteside (whose real life model was columnist & broadcaster Alexander Woolcott. Monty Woolley, who originated the role on Broadway (if one can originate what is a copy of the original) brought his smart performance from stage to screen. Others including Clifton Webb, Orson Welles, Simon Callow, Vincent Price and Nathan Lane have attempted the role with various degrees of success, and no doubt Barrynmore would have been great in the juicy, flamboyant role. Indeed, The Man Who Came to Dinner (MWCD), like all scripts written by George S. Kaufman and his various collaborator (Edna Ferber, Mac Connolly and Moss Hart) offers a great roles for all its actors. The screen cast was excellent, especially Reginald Gardiner who, in the role of Mr Beverly Carlton) captured Noel Coward perfectly. Gardiner and Monty Woolley recreated their roles for TV in 1954 (CBS' Best of Broadway 1954). Surprising to me was that Bette Davis actually underplayed and fit very nicely into the ensemble as the sane counterweight to a bunch of madcap egoists. Ann Sheridan sparkled in the slightly unpleasant role based on Gertrude Lawrence. And when did Billie Burke ever disappoint? Jimmy Durante played Banjo (based on Harpo Marx who, as a bachelor, palled around with the same sophisticated set in real life). Davey Burns created Banjo on Broadway, but Durante worked as a more famous casting choice, though in the 1954 Best of Broadway TV revival of this play, Banjo was played by Bert Lahr, and I preferred Lahr's performance. Although Mary Wickes was perfect as the nurse (she played the role in the Broadway production as well as in the film), Zasu Pitts was even more suited to the nurse ("Miss Bedpan!") role in the telecast, and casting Buster Keaton as the doctor in the TV version was brilliant. Most Kaufman plays, including MWCD, written with various partners (who probably supplied structure), remain playable and funny today. He was a master.
Dated, overrated and unfunny
brendangcarroll24 September 2010
What a great disappointment this famous film turned out to be when I finally sat down to watch the DVD.
In spite of its impressive literary pedigree, remarkable cast and fine production values, it tries much too hard to be funny and likable. Maybe it's because I am British and not American that to me, this frantic farce seemed so desperately unfunny?
The main problem is with the central performance by Monty Woolley who may have been terrific in the stage version but whose 'hit the audience over the head' style doesn't really work on film. Every time he is about to deliver another bon mot, he draws himself up and tells us "Get ready!" before he even opens his mouth.
His delivery is also less than crisp and he often gabbles his lines. Originally Bette Davis hoped for John Barrymore in the role and it is a great pity that, by 1941, the Great Profile was an alcoholic wreck unable to memorise dialogue or withstand the frenetic demands of such a production. In his heyday, he would have eaten this up, and brought a manic quality to the role (think of his Oscar Jaffe in Twentieth Century, a part not dissimilar to Whiteside) He would also have been much more likable.
The rest of the cast are interesting, especially Davis who impresses by being able to suppress her familiar mannerisms and bring a presence to her scenes. However it was hardly a convincing romance between Davis and the colourless Mr Travis (another dull actor that Warners had high hopes for, similar to the vacuous Michael North a few years later).
Ann Sheridan does her best but seems out of her depth. Reginald Gardiner makes the most of his cameo as a Coward clone (though I was sorry that Cole Porter's song written for the stage version was dropped). Billie Burke reprises her usual dizzy matron act, and Grant Mitchell does his usual flustered, pompous father.
In spite of the gloss, the film irritates and tries far too hard, and the one-liners - though coming thick and fast - are just not very funny. The original trailer (also on the DVD) interestingly makes much of the Davis-Sheridan rivalry and even the soppy romance with barely a mention of the main plot strand at all. It also contains scenes not in the finished film!
No matter.This is a much over-rated film that does not bear repeated viewings.
In spite of its impressive literary pedigree, remarkable cast and fine production values, it tries much too hard to be funny and likable. Maybe it's because I am British and not American that to me, this frantic farce seemed so desperately unfunny?
The main problem is with the central performance by Monty Woolley who may have been terrific in the stage version but whose 'hit the audience over the head' style doesn't really work on film. Every time he is about to deliver another bon mot, he draws himself up and tells us "Get ready!" before he even opens his mouth.
His delivery is also less than crisp and he often gabbles his lines. Originally Bette Davis hoped for John Barrymore in the role and it is a great pity that, by 1941, the Great Profile was an alcoholic wreck unable to memorise dialogue or withstand the frenetic demands of such a production. In his heyday, he would have eaten this up, and brought a manic quality to the role (think of his Oscar Jaffe in Twentieth Century, a part not dissimilar to Whiteside) He would also have been much more likable.
The rest of the cast are interesting, especially Davis who impresses by being able to suppress her familiar mannerisms and bring a presence to her scenes. However it was hardly a convincing romance between Davis and the colourless Mr Travis (another dull actor that Warners had high hopes for, similar to the vacuous Michael North a few years later).
Ann Sheridan does her best but seems out of her depth. Reginald Gardiner makes the most of his cameo as a Coward clone (though I was sorry that Cole Porter's song written for the stage version was dropped). Billie Burke reprises her usual dizzy matron act, and Grant Mitchell does his usual flustered, pompous father.
In spite of the gloss, the film irritates and tries far too hard, and the one-liners - though coming thick and fast - are just not very funny. The original trailer (also on the DVD) interestingly makes much of the Davis-Sheridan rivalry and even the soppy romance with barely a mention of the main plot strand at all. It also contains scenes not in the finished film!
No matter.This is a much over-rated film that does not bear repeated viewings.
Groucho-like Insults Worth Memorizing
mrzeppo13 December 2004
George S. Kaufman co-wrote this play-turned-film based on the real-life characters with whom he regularly associated. Alexander Woolcott, the famed Broadway critic was the inspiration for Sheridan Whiteside, a publicly loved figure who's private, curmudgeonly demeanor was less than idyllic. Kaufman even went so far as to have Whiteside occasionally sing jibberish with a child's speech impediment, which was a practice of Woolcott's.
Monty Wooley brilliantly delivers the Groucho-like insults penned with supreme wit by the Marxian play and film write. Kaufman, of course, co-wrote many of the Marx's best works and was a good friend of Harpo, upon whom the character "Banjo" is based.
The entire cast is brilliant save for Richard Travis who, while not distractingly bad, is somewhat outclassed by the likes of Bette Davis, Billie Burke, Mary Wickes, and Reginald Gardiner.
All in all, this is solid comedy that bears repeated seasonal viewing. I can't figure out why it's not on DVD. That's not true. I CAN figure it out. I doubt it would sell large numbers of copies given movie audiences' limited awareness of the film. What I meant was, I wish it were available on DVD.
Monty Wooley brilliantly delivers the Groucho-like insults penned with supreme wit by the Marxian play and film write. Kaufman, of course, co-wrote many of the Marx's best works and was a good friend of Harpo, upon whom the character "Banjo" is based.
The entire cast is brilliant save for Richard Travis who, while not distractingly bad, is somewhat outclassed by the likes of Bette Davis, Billie Burke, Mary Wickes, and Reginald Gardiner.
All in all, this is solid comedy that bears repeated seasonal viewing. I can't figure out why it's not on DVD. That's not true. I CAN figure it out. I doubt it would sell large numbers of copies given movie audiences' limited awareness of the film. What I meant was, I wish it were available on DVD.
The man who came to dinner
john-gallagher6923 January 2006
I have always thought this a classic film, yet very underrated and understated. Although Kaufman is probably best remembered for the Marx Brothers "A night at the opera", you only see the genius of the script when it is performed by a sterling cast who don't improvise. Although the plot is typical Kaufman it is encrusted with some excellent comic inventions pertinent to the time that may be lost now. Both Jimmy Durante as Banjo and Reginald Gardiner as Beverly Carlton perform excellent parodies of Harpo Marx and Noel Coward respectively. Anne Sheridan is brilliant as the bitch; Davis has never really given a bad performance and as always Mary Wickes as nurse Preen is a joy.
The Most Hilarious Film Ever Made
sdiner8214 April 2001
After nearly 60 years, "The Man Who Came To Dinner" still ranks as the most hilarious film ever committed to celluloid. Though censorship at the time required some of Kaufman and Hart's ribald dialogue to be toned down, no matter! Monty Woolley's performance is priceless, but Bette Davis, for once in a subdued, non-star performance, provides the heart of the movie and is achingly touching in her subtle evocation of a down-trodden secretary finally discovering love--and in danger of losing her Romeo to the ravishing, outrageously man-eating Ann Sheridan. A perfect film for Christmas viewing (thanks to its exquisite black-and-white cinematography capturing a greeting card background for the non-stop lunacy in the foreground). A perfect film for any day of the year. I've seen other versions--the TV production with Orson Welles, the Broadway musical in the late 1960s, the recent Broadway revival with Nathan Lane. They all pale when compared to this definitive, timeless, masterpiece!
Can't Stand It
telegonus22 December 2002
I can't stand the Kaufman and Hart play The Man Who Came To Dinner. It's one of those "sparkling" comedies that was supposed to make the theatre so fun in the old days. Maybe it worked sixty years ago, but I find it excruciating to watch now. Not that the movie adaptation is bad. It's a well-made film, and capably acted by all save Monty Woolley, who, in the title role, is simply incompetent. Woolley couldn't act, thus his lines fall flat. His character, Sheridan Whiteside, is based on the famous columnist Alexander Woollcott, one of the wits of the famous Algonquin "round-table". When Whiteside breaks his leg he is compelled to spend time living in the home of the sort of provincial American family he despises. What's worse, he's in the Midwest, away from civilization (i.e. New York). He spends most of the play in a wheel-chair, railing against the mediocrity of everyone around him. There's potential for a good play in this, maybe even a great one, and perhaps George Bernard Shaw could have made something of the premise. Kaufman and Hart can't. In place of a battle of wits and ideas we get one-liners, a la Neil Simon, which instead of showing Whiteside's superiority merely reveal him as a snob and a bit of a mediocrity himself.
"Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to go.....Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to stay....."
bkoganbing25 May 2006
Worlds collide in The Man Who Came to Dinner. Sheridan Whiteside noted critic and acerbic wit gets a meal while on a lecture tour at the very respectable Rotarian home of Mr.and Mrs. Stanley in small town Ohio. Upon leaving their home, Whiteside trips going down their porch stairs and breaks a leg. He's then confined to their home and literally takes over the place.
Authors George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart use The Man Who Came for Dinner as an opportunity to satirize both their elite world of ideas and wits and the stifling world of small town Ohio. There are so many concurrent plot lines going in this story, I can't begin to list them all. Suffice it to say that just corraling them all together to make a coherent play was enough of a triumph for Kaufman and Hart.
The play ran on Broadway from 1939 to 1941 for 739 performances. Besides Monty Woolley in the title role the only other two cast members who came over from Broadway were Ruth Vivian as the pixillated sister of Mr. Stanley and Mary Wickes as Ms. Preen the much put upon nurse that has to deal with Woolley's insults. Though Ruth Vivian made only one other screen appearance besides The Man Who Came To Dinner, Mary Wickes had an over 50 year career in Hollywood right up to her appearances in the Sister Act films.
Though a whole lot of people, most particularly Orson Welles in a made for television movie, have played Sheridan Whiteside the part has remained Monty Woolley's. The Whiteside character is based on fellow Algonquin Club member Alexander Woollcott who like Woolley was acerbic, witty and gay. You will also recognize Noel Coward in Reginald Gardiner, Gertrude Lawrence in Ann Sheridan, and Jimmy Durante lampooning his fellow comedian, Harpo Marx. Though Harpo never said a word in film, he was every bit the wit his brother Groucho was and more.
Bette Davis who was fighting for better roles continually with Jack Warner takes the supporting part as Woolley's wise and efficient girl Friday. You won't see any of Bette's real talent here, she's not the center of the film. But she did agree to appear in this to give the film a box office name. I think she did it because she liked the play and wanted to be associated with the screen version.
Could it be done with references to today's celebrities instead of those of 1939? Very easily and I can see the persona of Sheridan Whiteside today embodied in Rush Limbaugh.
If The Man Who Came to Dinner is broadcast again, don't ever miss an opportunity to see a great American piece of literature performed.
Authors George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart use The Man Who Came for Dinner as an opportunity to satirize both their elite world of ideas and wits and the stifling world of small town Ohio. There are so many concurrent plot lines going in this story, I can't begin to list them all. Suffice it to say that just corraling them all together to make a coherent play was enough of a triumph for Kaufman and Hart.
The play ran on Broadway from 1939 to 1941 for 739 performances. Besides Monty Woolley in the title role the only other two cast members who came over from Broadway were Ruth Vivian as the pixillated sister of Mr. Stanley and Mary Wickes as Ms. Preen the much put upon nurse that has to deal with Woolley's insults. Though Ruth Vivian made only one other screen appearance besides The Man Who Came To Dinner, Mary Wickes had an over 50 year career in Hollywood right up to her appearances in the Sister Act films.
Though a whole lot of people, most particularly Orson Welles in a made for television movie, have played Sheridan Whiteside the part has remained Monty Woolley's. The Whiteside character is based on fellow Algonquin Club member Alexander Woollcott who like Woolley was acerbic, witty and gay. You will also recognize Noel Coward in Reginald Gardiner, Gertrude Lawrence in Ann Sheridan, and Jimmy Durante lampooning his fellow comedian, Harpo Marx. Though Harpo never said a word in film, he was every bit the wit his brother Groucho was and more.
Bette Davis who was fighting for better roles continually with Jack Warner takes the supporting part as Woolley's wise and efficient girl Friday. You won't see any of Bette's real talent here, she's not the center of the film. But she did agree to appear in this to give the film a box office name. I think she did it because she liked the play and wanted to be associated with the screen version.
Could it be done with references to today's celebrities instead of those of 1939? Very easily and I can see the persona of Sheridan Whiteside today embodied in Rush Limbaugh.
If The Man Who Came to Dinner is broadcast again, don't ever miss an opportunity to see a great American piece of literature performed.
The Harsh Man
gavin69428 July 2016
When acerbic critic Sheridan Whiteside slips on the front steps of a provincial Ohio businessman's home and breaks his hip, he and his entourage take over the house indefinitely.
Four of the leading characters are based on real-life personalities. Sheridan Whiteside was inspired by celebrated critic and Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott, who eventually played the role on stage; Lorraine Sheldon, by musical stage actress Gertrude Lawrence; Beverly Carlton, by playwright and renowned wit Noël Coward; and Banjo, by Harpo Marx.
Whiteside comes off as a cross between WC Fields (with his witty remarks) and the Simpsons' Comic Book Guy (with his mocking condescension). He is both a joy to watch, and simultaneously a wretched monster to be reviled. The romance is really the thread that ties everything together, but it hardly carries the film the way Whiteside does.
Four of the leading characters are based on real-life personalities. Sheridan Whiteside was inspired by celebrated critic and Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott, who eventually played the role on stage; Lorraine Sheldon, by musical stage actress Gertrude Lawrence; Beverly Carlton, by playwright and renowned wit Noël Coward; and Banjo, by Harpo Marx.
Whiteside comes off as a cross between WC Fields (with his witty remarks) and the Simpsons' Comic Book Guy (with his mocking condescension). He is both a joy to watch, and simultaneously a wretched monster to be reviled. The romance is really the thread that ties everything together, but it hardly carries the film the way Whiteside does.
an honest-to-goodness-gem
scottydawg2 August 2002
Monty Wooley, Jimmy Durante, and oh yeah, Bette Davis. For me, that could say it all, and that is not even to mention the priceless ensemble of supporting character actors. Okay, so Bette just didn't DO comedy. She was there for the "drama relief," and like the consummate professional she was, she competently kept a low profile to not bleed off any of the spotlight from the incredible Wooley. Where have all the character actors gone? Why are there no more B movies that are such a plain old rollicking good time? This is one of the finest examples of the wonderful screwball comedies of the 30's and 40's.
Fun but dated broad-comedy
jamesrupert201431 October 2017
I will admit that I was disappointed with "The Man Who Came to Dinner". I was expecting the humour to be a little dated, with lots of the hammy delivery, 'double-takes', and 'slow burns' that were a staple of comedies of that era, but I was also expecting the witty and sparkling dialogue that characterises the best of the genre (1934's "The Thin Man" being a good example). While Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) had lots of acerbic one-liners, most of the other characters simply served as targets, so there was not much of the 'give and take' repartee that can really liven up this kind of stagy story. Not surprisingly, Jimmy Durante 'over-the-topped' his manic 'Banjo' role while, on the other hand, Bette Davis was moderately restrained, playing a role than any Hollywood ingénue could have handled. The rest of the ensemble cast was fine, especially Anne Sheridan as a sultry parvenu from Kansas, character actress Mary Wickes as Nurse Preen, and Reginald Gardiner as Beverly Carlton (whose 'upper class twit of the year' impression was a highlight (IMO)). The broad-comedy bits (e.g. the arrival of penguins, octopi, etc. at the Stanley's besieged home) just seemed contrived and ridiculous and did a lot to lower my overall opinion of the film. All in all, I was underwhelmed but comedy is a very personal taste, so take my comments as opinion, not recommendation. Note: the script name-drops a 1940's 'who's who', so some viewers may want access to Google while watching (Zazu Pitts or Walt Winchell jokes being bit obscure these days), but I doubt that I'd want to watch an updated remake (on stage or film) – a phone call from Eleanor Roosevelt seems inherently funnier than a phone call from Melania Trump.
A true classic
preppy-320 May 2004
Radio lecturer Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) reluctantly agrees to visit a family in Ohio for dinner to help a friend. He slips and falls on the ice outside their house. He is confined to a wheelchair and can not leave their house for another two weeks. He also has a VERY bad temper and fires cruel insults off left and right. In the space of two weeks he disrupts the entire household by meddling into their lives and playing host to a steady stream of crazy guests. His secretary (Bette Davis) keeps everything calm.
Hysterical comedy seemingly forgotten. It was also a hit Broadway play. It's VERY quick and has sharp dialogue delivered breathlessly by the cast. Davis nicely downplays her role (she was also the one who persuaded Warner Bros. to do this film). Ann Sheridan is great playing an actress who will do anything for money. And Jimmy Durante appears as Banjo--he overacts all over the place but he IS funny. Best of all is Woolley--he played this role on stage and it shows. He's just great. He plays it to perfection. He was BORN to do this. The only bad acting is by Richard Travers playing hunky Bert Jefferson. He's just terrible! His idea of acting is grinning nonstop at EVERYTHING. And his drunk scene is deplorable. In a way he's so bad he's fascinating to watch.
One minor complaint--Some of the jokes were topical in 1941 (there are references to Tillie the Toiler and various political figures of the time). Today they might be bewildering to some people---those jokes have dated BADLY! But that's a small complaint--this is essentially a great movie with a great twist ending.
A must see!
Hysterical comedy seemingly forgotten. It was also a hit Broadway play. It's VERY quick and has sharp dialogue delivered breathlessly by the cast. Davis nicely downplays her role (she was also the one who persuaded Warner Bros. to do this film). Ann Sheridan is great playing an actress who will do anything for money. And Jimmy Durante appears as Banjo--he overacts all over the place but he IS funny. Best of all is Woolley--he played this role on stage and it shows. He's just great. He plays it to perfection. He was BORN to do this. The only bad acting is by Richard Travers playing hunky Bert Jefferson. He's just terrible! His idea of acting is grinning nonstop at EVERYTHING. And his drunk scene is deplorable. In a way he's so bad he's fascinating to watch.
One minor complaint--Some of the jokes were topical in 1941 (there are references to Tillie the Toiler and various political figures of the time). Today they might be bewildering to some people---those jokes have dated BADLY! But that's a small complaint--this is essentially a great movie with a great twist ending.
A must see!
When Bette Came to Dinner
anaconda-4065824 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942): Dir: William Keighley / Cast: Bette Davis, Monty Woolley, Richard Travis, Ann Sheridan, Jimmy Durante: It is not about who came to dinner, but the attitude he possessed. When crass Sheridan Whiteside slips on the icy steps at the residents of a businessman and breaks his hip, he is holed up there. He takes over immediately with acquaintances showing up and inconveniences following. This is often very funny but structure is staged with corny humour. Director William Keighley brings a humorous conclusion. Bette Davis plays the loyal secretary experiencing love. When this becomes complicated due to her clingy boss, she decides to quit. She is loyal but does not desire being tied down to demands. Monty Woolley is quite funny as the cranky boss taking advantage of a housing situation and totally annoying everyone there even when it becomes clear that his injury has healed. He plays the sarcastic Whiteside and his lesson is one of the film's best jokes. Richard Travis plays a newspaper journalist whose play impresses Davis who addresses it to her refusing boss. Ann Sheridan plays an actress whom Whiteside uses in an attempt to break up his secretary and her new beau. Jimmy Durante becomes part of the plan in order to get Sheridan out of the picture. It echoes what goes around, comes around, even before dinner. Score: 7 / 10
Headlong Attempt at Comedy.
rmax30482318 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I realize that this is regarded as a classic example of screwball comedy but it didn't work for me. The plot, what there is of it, is paper thin. Monty Woolley is Sheridan Whiteside, the renowned lecturer and radio personality who pals around with Churchill and Gypsy Rose Lee. He breaks his hip visiting a family in a small Ohio town and is stuck there until he's able to move about. His assistant is Bette Davis, who is courted by local reporter Richard Travis. It's directed with typical zest by Warners stalwart William Keighley. And it's from a successful play by Kaufman and Hart.
It would seem to have a lot going for it but I found the laughs sparse, despite the frenetic pace.
A lot depends on the central character. Monty Woolley had been a professor of English and drama at Yale and gave up his academic career for a life in the theater. He'd played this part on the stage, and it shows. He mostly sits in his wheelchair and bellows his lines. The director frequently cuts to a close up while Woolley is shouting, to emphasize that the line is supposed to be funny.
The problem is that the lines really aren't very funny. They're cutting, they're insulting, sure, but they lack poetry and wit.
"Now will you MOVE? Or shall I have my secretary move through you with a BASEBALL bat?" When told that someone looks strange: "STRANGE? She looks like something straight out of 'The Hound of the BASKERVILLES'." Do you find that sort of thing funny? I ask, because I don't. This role may have amused audiences in 1942 but it's dated now. It was less than ten years later that George Sanders perfected that persona -- closed the book on it -- in "All About Eve," where the lines really were funny. That's not to mention Oscar Wilde.
Woolley's character now seems more obnoxious than funny. Arrogant, intolerant, without sense of purpose, egotistical beyond belief, without charm of any kind. Who in the world could put up with an extended visit from such an unpleasant moron?
It would seem to have a lot going for it but I found the laughs sparse, despite the frenetic pace.
A lot depends on the central character. Monty Woolley had been a professor of English and drama at Yale and gave up his academic career for a life in the theater. He'd played this part on the stage, and it shows. He mostly sits in his wheelchair and bellows his lines. The director frequently cuts to a close up while Woolley is shouting, to emphasize that the line is supposed to be funny.
The problem is that the lines really aren't very funny. They're cutting, they're insulting, sure, but they lack poetry and wit.
"Now will you MOVE? Or shall I have my secretary move through you with a BASEBALL bat?" When told that someone looks strange: "STRANGE? She looks like something straight out of 'The Hound of the BASKERVILLES'." Do you find that sort of thing funny? I ask, because I don't. This role may have amused audiences in 1942 but it's dated now. It was less than ten years later that George Sanders perfected that persona -- closed the book on it -- in "All About Eve," where the lines really were funny. That's not to mention Oscar Wilde.
Woolley's character now seems more obnoxious than funny. Arrogant, intolerant, without sense of purpose, egotistical beyond belief, without charm of any kind. Who in the world could put up with an extended visit from such an unpleasant moron?
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