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DVD The Man Who Came to Dinner
Nathan Lane practically explodes with bile as Sheridan Whiteside, a tyrannical radio celebrity who has been trapped in a Midwestern household by an injured hip. Whiteside rails entertainingly at the quavering family he's stuck with, but the play really kicks into motion when Whiteside's secretary, the only person who can stand to work with him, falls in love with a local newspaperman, forcing Whiteside to hatch a scheme to keep her by his side. Expertly crafted by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, The Man Who Came to Dinner zooms along. Lane (The Birdcage, Mouse Hunt) plays the part with his personality cranked up to 11--he rattles off each sneering barb with acid bombast. The production was originally broadcast live from Broadway, which gives it a genuine crackle of energy. Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson act as hosts, providing some historical background to this classic comedy. --Bret Fetzer
This was an entertaining presentation of a really enjoyable Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman play.
In the second act Nathan Lane settled into his character and realized that even though he was performing his role in a wheelchair, he was not completely immobilized from the waist up. Once Lane relaxed in his chair, he appeared to be able to concentrate and become more believable in his role.
While Lane is much more well-matched to the actual physical size of Alexander Woolcott (on whom his character of Sheridan Whiteside was based), he appeared very diminutive in the wheelchair. The chair itself was downsized in this production, no doubt to lessen the impact of the size optical illusion. This only helped a small amount though. In comparison to the impending presence of Monty Woolley who played Whiteside in the 1942 film offereing of this classic comedy, Lane looks very small.
Lewis Stadlen in the role of Banjo, played by Jimmy Durante in the aforementioned film, was a real show-stealer, totally lighting up the stage and the play with his presence.
Jean Smart, as actress Lorraine Sheldon, was interesting in her role, but didn't quite pull of the era of the tale in her portrayal. Sheldon appeared to be more modern than the other characters and the late 30's time of the play itself.
The presentation of historical information about the play by Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson between the acts was actually painful to watch. Neeson appeared to be drugged with perhaps Prozac and Natasha apparently was practicing the art of ventriloquism (or perhaps her lips were paralyzed with the same subtance as Lane's upper body parts during the first act). The Neesons sleepwalked and mumbled during the intermissions and their time can be skipped to retain the pace of the story.
Having said all this, this was an overall enjoyable offering and a great way to enjoy a play from the comfort of your home. I would recommend however, if you enjoy the story, you also watch the Bette Davis film of 1942, but definitely not back-to-back, as this stage play suffers by immediate comparison.
Stage on DVD
This is a marvelous recording of a wonderful stage performance. One drawback is that there are no extras and you have to wait until the very end of the performance to find out who the cast is (there is no indication on the box or any of the explanatory material aside from the two stars. But there is historical material, presumably from the original broadcast that appears as intermission feature.
Great Theater
If you like the theater, the Man Who Came to Dinner is for you. This is a fun filled Kaufman and Hart romp with some great character acting. The between acts filler is comprehensive, but can also be tedious so my advice is first to look it the show, skipping over the lengthy inter-act discussions. Later go back if you want to find out more. I only wish more theater performances like this were available on DVD.
It's terribly boring. period.
This DVD makes me fall asleep very easily.
Too many interviews and the video quality is really bad. More Info about this DVD Director(s): Rick McKay DVD Release Date: Released the 09 November 2004 Usually ships in 6 to 8 days
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MGM originally promoted Dinner at Eight by touting the "all-star cast," but this is no run-of-the-mill omnibus picture. On the contrary, rather than cramming as many big names as possible into a lumbering vehicle, the movie's impeccably crafted script (by Edna Ferber and Herman J. Mankiewicz) and direction (by George Cukor) gave some immortal screen luminaries a chance to shine. For sheer bravery, John Barrymore's achingly poignant performance as Larry Renault, a washed-up matinee idol who has "outlived everything but his vanity," is unmatched. Barrymore's brother, Lionel, is equally touching as shipping magnate Oliver Jordan. Oliver vainly tries to save his family's century-old firm, at the same time hiding his financial and health troubles from his wife, Millicent, played to... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Marie Dressler - John Barrymore - Wallace Beery Director(s): George Cukor DVD Release Date: Released the 01 March 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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If you've ever wanted to sit in on a recording session for a Broadway cast album--one that just happens to be one of the most successful in recent history-- you're in for a treat. Recording "The Producers": A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks follows creator Brooks, stars Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, and the rest of the company as they create the cast recording for the musical that won a record 12 Tony Awards and became the hottest ticket on Broadway in the spring of 2001. Brooks provides plot background and historical anecdotes between the 14 musical numbers that are excerpted, including "The King of Broadway," "I Wanna Be a Producer," "When You Got It, Flaunt It," and the inevitable "Springtime for Hitler." Watching this 85-minute documentary is no substitute for seeing... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Susan Frömke - Kathy Dougherty DVD Release Date: Released the 02 October 2001 Special Order
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