The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941)

Featured Audience Ratings

• moon r

  
  Regular folks run headlong into crazy eccentric celebrity when a radio star (Wooley,raucously unbridled) convalesces in small town Ohio. Ann Sheridan plays the bad girl, Bette Davis, and Bette Davis plays Ann Sheridan, the good girl, and then they fight ... talk about love!

• AJ V

  
  A very funny movie, but I didn't get to see the end, I want to watch it again sometime.

• First L

  
  When celebrity personality and generally unpleasant Sheridan Whiteside stops by to have dinner with a family of wealthy socialites and falls and hurts himself on their front steps, he winds up having to stay for far longer than just an evenings dinner and makes a great nuisance of… More
  When celebrity personality and generally unpleasant Sheridan Whiteside stops by to have dinner with a family of wealthy socialites and falls and hurts himself on their front steps, he winds up having to stay for far longer than just an evenings dinner and makes a great nuisance of himself. Mr. Whiteside's assistant (Bette Davis) winds up falling in love with the local newspaper reporter and the diabolical Whiteside tries to concoct a way to keep her in his employ. Based on the 1939 play by Kaufman and Hart, The Man Who Comes to Dinner is a biting look at the world of celebrity elitism, and is fairly relevant today. Monty Woolley plays Whiteside as a boss from hell, straight from The Devil Wears Prada, which I'm sure drew heavily from this film. Bette Davis and Ann Sheridan play against type, or that is they're playing each others roles, take your pick (Davis plays the sweet girl, Sheridan plays the tough broad). The appearance of Jimmy Durante is a bit of a surpise, contrasting the quick verbal exchanges earlier in the film for his schtick-loaded goofiness. Durante also takes the film in a hokey direction, plot-wise (Jimmy Durante is a very odd looking man that modern viewers might find off-putting). However, these are minor quibbles for a film that has nothing major going for it to begin with. It's not a terribly hilarious film, but it is amusing.

• jay n

  
  Amusing trifle with the great Ann Sheridan stealing the show as an egocentric STAR!

• Byron B

  
  Director William Keighley brought another Kaufman and Hart stage play to the screen in early 1942. This time it was adapted by the Epstein brothers. I have read the play and this screenplay remains fairly faithful to the original. Sheridan Whiteside (Woolley) is based on Alexander… More
  Director William Keighley brought another Kaufman and Hart stage play to the screen in early 1942. This time it was adapted by the Epstein brothers. I have read the play and this screenplay remains fairly faithful to the original. Sheridan Whiteside (Woolley) is based on Alexander Woollcott and three of Sherry's friends who come to visit are based on real people too. Diva Lorraine Sheldon (again Sheridan) is based on Gertrude Lawrence, British Beverly Carlton (Gardiner) is based on Noel Coward, and crazy comedian Banjo (Durante) is based on Harpo Marx. They are not pure imitations, but very funny creations by the three actors. For a bit more modern reference, Sheridan Whiteside is kind of how I imagine an older Orson Welles was, or kind of like the character Frasier. Sherry despises Midwestern suburban-ism. It has been arranged that he stop in a small Ohio town on a public relations tour. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley (Mitchell and Burke) have won the opportunity to have this celebrity dine with them. Even though the town is not very small and the Stanleys are not backward, it is torture for Sheridan Whiteside to be confined to their house after he injures his hip slipping on ice on their front porch. Sherry is full of insults, schemes and name dropping, and he is hilarious. The dialog is so sharp. Maggie Cutler (Davis) is Sherry's secretary and the only person who can trade insults with him as an equal. Maggie is given a bit more focus, while the Stanley's butler and cook are reduced a bit in the story. It is great to see Bette Davis in a light comedic role. I can't say I'm a big fan of hers based on the limited dramatic roles I've seen her play, but it is nice to see she can be romantic and playful and funny. Maggie falls for local newspaper man Bert Jefferson (Travis) who also finds a way into Sherry's good graces by showing he can come back with some true wit, that is until Sherry jealously decides Jefferson shouldn't steal Maggie away. How will Sherry's scheme unravel? How much of the local craziness can Sherry stand (um, excuse me, sit through in his wheelchair)? How much of Sherry's impositions can the Stanleys tolerate? This is a great screwball comedy with a large ensemble cast.

• monty h

  
  Manic classic comedy with a lots of star power. When the world famous writer and lecturer Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) breaks his leg while visiting the home of a prominent Ohio family, he must stay there to recuperate. The family at first is estatic to have him stay until they… More
  Manic classic comedy with a lots of star power. When the world famous writer and lecturer Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) breaks his leg while visiting the home of a prominent Ohio family, he must stay there to recuperate. The family at first is estatic to have him stay until they realize what an over-bearing and pompous windbag he really his. Joining him is his personal assistant Maggie Cutler (a subdued Bette Davis). In between frustrating the head of the family, Sheridan, or Sherry as most everyone calls him, must also contend with a newspaper man who is trying to get an interview. The man and Maggie promptly fall in love and Maggie tells Sherry she is leaving him. That won't do so Sherry calls his favorite actress Lorraine Sheldon (a fabulous Ann Sheridan) to come there and break up the happy couple. There are laughs galore in this film and its at a pretty good clip too. Monty Woolley is outstanding in his role as Sherry. He may be hard to deal with it but in the end he will eventually start warming up to others. It's unusual seeing Ms. Davis in a role like this. I mean she has done comedy before and well, but here she is very low key. There are times she kinda fades into the background and is over powered by Ann Sheridan's character. Davis is still good here but I wish during her confronatation scene with Sheridan she was allowed to let loose. In the meantime Ann Sheridan has an absolute great time as Lorraine, trading wisecracks with Sherry and slinging insults to everyone else. Jimmy Durante pops by for a cameo towards the end and he gets a few laughs. The very funny Billie Burke is also on hand as the mother of the put upon family. The Man Who Came To DInner is a solid comedy which I thoroughly enjoyed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sheridan Whiteside: [opening a box of candy] Ah, pecan butternut fudge! Nurse Preen: Oh, my, you mustn't eat candy, Mr. Whiteside, it's very bad for you. Sheridan Whiteside: My great aunt Jennifer ate a whole box of candy every day of her life. She lived to be 102 and when she'd been dead three days she looked better than you do *now!*

• nefnie l

  
  A fast-paced, chaotic, mad-cap comedy with witty dialogue. Monty Woolley is positively brilliant with his sharp tongue which varies from condescending flattery to flat-out insults. Ann Sheridan, Jimmy Durante, and Reginald Gardiner are superb in their brief appearances, and, of… More
  A fast-paced, chaotic, mad-cap comedy with witty dialogue. Monty Woolley is positively brilliant with his sharp tongue which varies from condescending flattery to flat-out insults. Ann Sheridan, Jimmy Durante, and Reginald Gardiner are superb in their brief appearances, and, of course, Bette Davis shines. Lots of fun!

• Emily B

  
  A very funny film with Bette Davis taking a backseat role. Monty Wooley is brilliant as the sarcastic lecturer Sheridan Whiteside. Admitingly some of the jokes may seem a little dated today but this still a very good film with great dialogue.

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