The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)

starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monte Woolley

directed by William Keighley

Sheridan Whitehead (Monte Woolley), writer and radio personality, is visiting a small town in Ohio when he slips and falls. The people at whose home he was supposed to have dinner allow him to stay until he gets better. They quickly learn to regret being so generous.

Whitehead pushes everyone around. The only person who pushes back is Maggie Cutler (Bette Davis), his secretary. She's had enough of his shenanigans. She decides to quit after meeting and falling in love with Bert Jefferson, the owner/editor/reporter for the local paper. Sheridan refuses to take the news sitting down, even though he is confined to a wheelchair while he recovers, and quickly comes up with a scheme to break up Maggie and Bert.

Sheridan Whitehead convinces Lorraine Sheldon (Ann Sheridan), an actress who spends most of her time chasing after a rich man, to come to Ohio. Bert has written a play and Sheridan is convinced that if Lorraine can distract Bert enough then Maggie will throw in the towel and continue to work for him.

Maggie gets wise to Sheridan's ploy and comes up with a scheme of her own to chase Lorraine away from Bert. It works until Sheridan figures out what she's up to and pulls the rug out from under her. The scheming doesn't end there.

Thoughts

There is considerably more to the story than I described above. There are a number of other little plot threads that come and go throughout the story.

I started to watch this movie last night. I was tired and had to turn it off after about 40 minutes because I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. I put on again tonight and watched it from the beginning. I am very happy that I gave it another try and started over from the beginning.

The development of Maggie's relationship with Bert isn't the focus of the movie. It arrives very suddenly. Their relationship felt like it went from zero to a hundred in no time flat. That isn't the only plot element that got this sort of treatment.

There is one moment in this movie where it becomes apparent that Lorraine is wearing a see-through top with nothing on underneath. I was stunned to see that was the case. Sheridan Whitehead was apparently also very taken by this top because there is at least one moment when he is talking to Lorraine and his eyes keep bouncing back and forth between her face and her chest.

This movie got better the further I got into it. Things accumulate over the course of the movie. The manner in which the action bounces back and forth between different plot threads is a big part of what makes it work so well. I enjoyed this movie very much and would watch it again.

Notes

Elizabeth Fraser played the part of June Stanley, the daughter of the couple who provide Sheridan with a place to stay. I know her best for playing MSgt Joan Hogan in The Phil Silvers Show.

Mary Wickes played the part of Miss Preen, the nurse. She also played the part of Miss Preen in the stage version of The Man Who Came to Dinner, prior to the filming of this version of the story. I have also seen her in Now Voyager (1942).

Billie Burke played the part of Mrs. Ernest Stanley, whose house Sheridan Whitehead stays in while he is recovering. She is best known for playing the Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Grant Mitchell played the part of Ernest Stanley. He has been in at least a couple other movies I have seen, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

Also found on the DVD on which I found this movie are the following special features

The Man Who Came to Dinner: Inside a Comedy Classic (2006)

12 minutes

People interviewed for this feature include

• Jeanine Basinger, film professor, Wesleyan University
• Paul Clinton, film critic
• Dr. Drew Casper, USC film professor
• Boze Hadleigh, author

Things I learned from watching this

• the movie is based on a play written by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
• the character of Sheridan Whitehead was based on Alexander Woolcott, who died in 1943
• there is some discussion of the inspirations for the other characters in the movie. There is also talk about what makes the movie so good
• all of the people interviewed for this feature were interviewed separately and do not interact with one another

So You Think You Need Glasses (1942)

11 minutes

This is a Joe McDoakes comedy short. It stars George O'Hanlon. There were over 60 Joe McDoakes comedy shorts. The series lasted from 1942 to 1956. This may be the first one I have seen.

Six Hits and a Miss (1942)

9 minutes

This is a musical short although the DVD case advertised it as a cartoon classic. The name of the short is also the name of the musical group that sings the song in the short.