- Actors: Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Flavia Arcaro
- Directors: George Cukor, Jom McQuade, Roy Mack
- Writers: A. Dorian Otvos, Donald Ogden Stewart, Eddie Moran, Edna Ferber
- Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Subtitled, NTSC
- Language English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Warner Home Video
- DVD Release Date: 1 Mar 2005
- Run Time: 111 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B0006Z2KXO
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 85,693 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This movie was adapted from the work of George Kaufman and Edna Ferber by Frances Marion and Herman Mankiewicz, casting some of the best names in Hollywood. Brilliantly directed by George Cukor, the story is a character study of four individuals during depression era (1933), affected by love, greed, possible poverty, and infidelity. John Barrymore offers one of his finest performances as a down and out actor, Larry Renault, caught up with drinking, and in desperation commits suicide as he has no other way to go in a world that doesn't accept losers. Lionel Barrymore offers another great performance as Oliver Jordan, a shipping magnate and the CEO of a company, which is in financial ruins, and it is close to collapse unless a financier helps to save the company. Burdened with his heart problems, and his scatterbrained high-society wife, Millicent Jordan (Billie Burke) preoccupied with hosting a dinner party for rich and famous, and his only daughter in love with much older Larry Renault, is confronted with the realities of the Great Depression. Dan Packard (Wallace Beery) plays a devious and crooked financier who plots to gain from Oliver Jordan's company, and his unfaithful wife, Kitty Packard (Jean Harlow) who threatens him to do a good deed by spilling beans about his dirty scheme to Oliver Jordan, when Dan likes to file for divorce because of her infidelity. Marie Dressler as an aging star, Carlotta Vance is very entertaining; in spite of her own insecurities, she offers her wisdom to Paula Jordan (Madge Evans), when she gives her the news that her lover, Larry Renault committed suicide, and to Kitty Packard in the film's final scene.
If you are a fan of Jean Harlow, don't expect much from this movie. With regards to the fans of John Barrymore, it is ironic that his final years in real life was somewhat similar to the character of Larry Renault as his addiction to alcohol and possibly Alzheimer's disease had significant impact on his movie career.
If you are a fan of Jean Harlow, don't expect much from this movie. With regards to the fans of John Barrymore, it is ironic that his final years in real life was somewhat similar to the character of Larry Renault as his addiction to alcohol and possibly Alzheimer's disease had significant impact on his movie career.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
this is a highly entertaining "social" comedy/drama with marvellous performances from john barrymore, marie dressler, jean harlow and wallace beery in particular.
at the time of shooting, marie dressler was not a well woman and her days were numbered, sadly. according to some sources, "M.G.M" mogul louis b. mayer refused dressler time off so that she could receive medical attention! even so, she is never less than professional.
most of the wit and humour comes from jean harlow, marie dressler and also from billie burke as the slightly stressed and snooty hostess of the dinner party. her husband played by lionel barrymore, portrays the over-worked and terminally ill businessman who is swindled by crook wallace beery. his performance is good, especially at the beginning but he seems to be all but written out before the end. a shame as he isn't quite as over-the-top as in some of his other performances.
his scene with marie dressler is one of the highlights of the production.
my favourite performance however, is that of john barrymore. he only has two scenes but regardless, these are fairly long scenes that take place in one film set which for me, is even better. he makes the most of them and his actual screentime is approximately 32 minutes. it seems a bit sad that by this time in his life and career, barrymore's drinking issue was starting to take the effect that it did by the early 1930s, with hollywood producers becoming somewhat reluctant to employ him. unfortunately, this is his character down to a tee in "dinner at eight" as he plays an actor of the stage and screen called larry renault, who loses his last chance to secure any type of acting work after insulting a prominent theatre producer whilst in a drunken stupor. his scenes represent the drama of the film, not to mention the fact that his character is the most interesting and the most detailed. as the old saying goes, life can imitate art. the dialogue in barrymore's scenes is some of the best that's written and it's interesting to note that none of the other cast members appear in his two scenes, apart from a largely forgotten actor called lee tracy, who plays the faded renault's agent.
the ending is interesting as one wonders what will become of all the guests during and after the evening is over.......
a very good film that hasn't lost its roots in the theatre, being a successful stage play originally. well recommended.
at the time of shooting, marie dressler was not a well woman and her days were numbered, sadly. according to some sources, "M.G.M" mogul louis b. mayer refused dressler time off so that she could receive medical attention! even so, she is never less than professional.
most of the wit and humour comes from jean harlow, marie dressler and also from billie burke as the slightly stressed and snooty hostess of the dinner party. her husband played by lionel barrymore, portrays the over-worked and terminally ill businessman who is swindled by crook wallace beery. his performance is good, especially at the beginning but he seems to be all but written out before the end. a shame as he isn't quite as over-the-top as in some of his other performances.
his scene with marie dressler is one of the highlights of the production.
my favourite performance however, is that of john barrymore. he only has two scenes but regardless, these are fairly long scenes that take place in one film set which for me, is even better. he makes the most of them and his actual screentime is approximately 32 minutes. it seems a bit sad that by this time in his life and career, barrymore's drinking issue was starting to take the effect that it did by the early 1930s, with hollywood producers becoming somewhat reluctant to employ him. unfortunately, this is his character down to a tee in "dinner at eight" as he plays an actor of the stage and screen called larry renault, who loses his last chance to secure any type of acting work after insulting a prominent theatre producer whilst in a drunken stupor. his scenes represent the drama of the film, not to mention the fact that his character is the most interesting and the most detailed. as the old saying goes, life can imitate art. the dialogue in barrymore's scenes is some of the best that's written and it's interesting to note that none of the other cast members appear in his two scenes, apart from a largely forgotten actor called lee tracy, who plays the faded renault's agent.
the ending is interesting as one wonders what will become of all the guests during and after the evening is over.......
a very good film that hasn't lost its roots in the theatre, being a successful stage play originally. well recommended.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great picture with so many great stars Billie Burke and both Barrymores and Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow. A real treat. There are hysterically funny moments - Marie Dressler's entrance dragging her fur..but quite a bit of darkness as well. John Barrymore's character mirrors some of the same devils that plagued the actor. Not perfect but surprisingly multi-dimensional given the norms of the time.
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