The Man Who Came to Dinner
Directed by William Keighley
Written by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein from the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
1942/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Sheridan Whiteside: Is there a man in the world who suffers as I do from the gross inadequacies of the human race?[/box]
This is a wacky frenetic comedy something along the lines of Kaufman and Hart’s You Can’t Take It With You.
Sheridan Whiteside (Monte Woolley) is the grand old man of American letters and a beloved radio host, specializing in sentimental holiday specials. He is also a nasty egomaniac who uses his acerbic wit to bully all in earshot to do his bidding.
He and secretary Maggie Cutler (Bette Davis) arrive in a small Ohio town to give a lecture. They are scheduled to dine at the home of local bigwig Ernest Stanley and his ditzy socialite wife (Billie Burke). He slips on their icy steps before he can even get in the front door however and the doctor announces that he has broken his hip and cannot be moved.
Through threats of litigation, Whiteside manages to take over the entire household, relegating the Stanleys to cowering in an upstairs bedroom. He terrorizes his nurse (the wonderful Mary Wicks – Now, Voyager) and starts running his media empire via long distance calls around the globe on the Stanley’s phone. He also gives the Stanley children advice that causes both of them to run away from home.
The sojourn in Ohio does have the positive effect of allowing faithful Maggie to fall in love with local newspaper owner and aspiring playwright Bert Jefferson. Fearful that Maggie will leave him, Whiteside schemes his seduction by actress Lorraine Sheldon (Ann Sheridan). who has her own personal axe to grind against Maggie. But Maggie has a secret weapon in the form of Whiteside’s friend Banjo (Jimmy Durante).
I just loved Ann Sheridan in the part of the vain pretentious Lorraine, so uncharacteristic of her usual roles. While a little bit of Durante goes a long way, he also is very good here. The whole is a pleasant enough entertainment with some real laughs.
Clip – Jimmy Durante, Monte Woolley, and Mary Wickes
