Dinner at Eight. 1933 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy
Director: George Cukor
Available from Amazon as a single DVD, or part of the Classic Comedies Collection.
This one is a film adaptation of the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber.
Billie Burke is Millicent Jordan, a social butterfly who arranges a dinner party that would benefit the business of her husband, Oliver (Lionel Barrymore). A week before the big shindig, Millicent is overjoyed that Lord and Lady Ferncliffe have accepted her invitations, even though she seems unaware of her husband and daughter Paula's (Madge Evans) not being as enthusiastic as she is. Paula's fiance Ernest DeGraff (Phillips Holmes) is due back from Europe, and Oliver's shipping firm has been struck hard by the Great Depression; bad enough that a former flame from his past is offering to sell her holdings, and Oliver doesn't have the cash to buy the stock back. Millicent's next task is to fund an escort for her only single female guest, former stage star Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler), who is now broke, and is essentially a "professional guest" now.
Oliver confides in mining mogul Dan Packard (Beery) about his financial problems, asking him to take over some of his stocks until business improves. Dan eagerly agrees, then goes home to brag to his gold digging wife Kitty (Harlow) that the Jordan Line is a valuable property that he plans to devour through crooked stock purchases. The Packards are also extended invitations, mostly to make Dan hesitant about buying the stock. Kitty jumps at the chance, but Dan only agrees when he hears about the Ferncliffes attending the party.
Meanwhile, Kitty is secretly having an affair with Dr. Wayne Talbot (Edmund Lowe), and Millicent finds herself inviting alcoholic silent film star Larry Renault (John Barrymore) as Carlotta's date, unaware that Paula is having an affair with him! Larry accepts, then urges Paula to forget about him and return to Ernest, which she doesn't take seriously. Carlotta sees Paula leaving Larry's hotel room.
Basically, nothing goes right at the party. The Ferncliffes cancel and go to Florida instead, and Oliver falls ill from the stress of his business problems. Kitty and Dan argue, where she reveals her affair with Dr. Talbot (who is also caught by his wife Lucy, played by Karen Morley), then blackmails him into not divorcing her, since she will tell the Cabinet about his crooked business dealings. Larry's comeback attempt fails when he's removed from the lead role of his newest stage play, and goes on a bender that leads to his suicide right before he's supposed to be at the party. Millicent, upon learning of Larry's death and her own husband's illness, finally realizes she's been focusing too much on social gatherings and not her own family. Paula ultimately stays engaged to Ernest, and Dan backs down from his takeover of the Jordan Line.
Recommended movie.
Showing posts with label george cukor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label george cukor. Show all posts
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
David Copperfield
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger. 1935 MGM/Turner Entertainment.
Starring: W.C. Fields, Lionel Barrymore, Freddie Bartholomew, Maureen O'Sullivan, Basil Rathbone
Director: George Cukor
Available at Amazon: Single DVD, or as part of the Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection.
The film adaptation of Dickens' great novel comes across more as a long series of seemingly unrelated sketches connected by the character David Copperfield, played by Freddie Bartholomew as a youth, and Frank Lawton as an adult. David was the apple of his mother's (Elizabeth Allan) eye until Edward Murdstone (Rathbone) came into the picture, marrying her, and imposing his strict ways on the young David. His mother's death during childhood is the first step in a long and difficult journey for David, as he endures various setbacks personally and professionally, but still comes out a stronger person.
W.C. Fields portrayed Wilkins Micawber, who stays close to David as he grows up. Fields also played the character with his normal American accent, despite a clause in his contract requiring him to use a British accent. This is also the only movie that Fields appears in where he doesn't ad lib. He was also loaned from Paramount Pictures to MGM after Charles Laughton, the original actor for Micawber, recommended him.
Recommended movie.
Starring: W.C. Fields, Lionel Barrymore, Freddie Bartholomew, Maureen O'Sullivan, Basil Rathbone
Director: George Cukor
Available at Amazon: Single DVD, or as part of the Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection.
The film adaptation of Dickens' great novel comes across more as a long series of seemingly unrelated sketches connected by the character David Copperfield, played by Freddie Bartholomew as a youth, and Frank Lawton as an adult. David was the apple of his mother's (Elizabeth Allan) eye until Edward Murdstone (Rathbone) came into the picture, marrying her, and imposing his strict ways on the young David. His mother's death during childhood is the first step in a long and difficult journey for David, as he endures various setbacks personally and professionally, but still comes out a stronger person.
W.C. Fields portrayed Wilkins Micawber, who stays close to David as he grows up. Fields also played the character with his normal American accent, despite a clause in his contract requiring him to use a British accent. This is also the only movie that Fields appears in where he doesn't ad lib. He was also loaned from Paramount Pictures to MGM after Charles Laughton, the original actor for Micawber, recommended him.
Recommended movie.
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