Customer Reviews

The Man Who Came to Dinner

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Very enjoyable staging of Kaufman and Hart play. Nathan Lane and Jean Smart, as you would expect, squeeze every possible laugh from their lines. They're wonderful.

One caveat: The play is filled with quick references to personalities of the period (the 1930s), and most of that might go right over some people's heads. But much of the comedy is timeless, so everyone is bound to enjoy it in the end.

There is more to this DVD than a previous reviewer would have you believe, but only a bit more. In the intermissions, there are some descriptions of the characters and whom they are based on. And there is an enjoyable segment with Kaufman's daughter and Hart's wife (the eternally graceful and charming Kitty Carlisle). The banter between Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson in these segments is weak, however. Essentially you're getting exactly the same thing you would have seen when this was broadcast.

We're fortunate to have had this performance captured on film, and I hope there will be more of the same.

This recording from a recent production is amazing. Nathan Lane is great and larger than life, as usual. The rest of the cast does wonderful jobs. This is a treasure!

This is my favorite play of all time and it's all because of this production/video. Nathan Lane is my absolute favorite actor ever and he is perfection in this show. The material is quick and comical but there are also great moments of heart. Every cast member embodies their part and one can tell that they are enjoying themselves in the act. Harriet Harris plays secretary, matching wits and glares with Lane's 'Sherry'. Jean Smart plays a Broadway actress who gives her best (and most frequent) performances in the bedroom; Byron Jennings is the arrogantly lovable Beverly Carlton; and Lewis Stadlen is Banjo- a wacky Hollywood director who at times during his performance channels Jimmy Durante-the movie counterpart. The narrations done by Natasha Richardson and Liam Niasson are ok to sit through once but during repeat watchings they can be skipped over. I have watched this many times over and I'm still laughing. Kauffman and Hart's words have found their true home with this ensemble!

"Scene stealing performance by Byron Jennings"

I gave this DVD version of the play 5 stars simply for the scene stealing performance by Byron Jennings. He is truly amazing as Beverley Carlton. This is not to be missed by anyone who appreciates uncommonly gifted acting.

Nathan Lane as Sheridan Whiteside is the perfect foil for him. His line about the Lindbergh baby is hilarious, and Byron Jennings' reaction is well in tune with Nathan Lane's humor. It's rare to watch actors who are so much in sync with each other. Too often a film or play will feature great talent playing opposite mediocre talent. Speaking of which, the actress who plays Sheridan Whiteside's secretary is not of their caliber and detracts from their performance.

The play's greatest weakness is that Mr. Jennings appears in just one scene. Still, it's amazing enough to be worth the cost of purchase.

It's so unfortunate that American film and theater productions place greater value on perfectly photogenic looks, rather than exceptional talent. If only film and theater goers were able to recognize substance and depth of character, they would be able to look beyond the shallowness and one dimensional "acting" that is so routinely foisted on us.

I first saw this live in 2000 on a local PBS affiliate and from the begining I knew it was an event. A few days ago I checked online to see if it was available and - joy - it was! On the DVD's release date I greedily went to my local (eegads!) video supplier and expecting a great treatment onto DVD paid FULL PRICE ...!!! (Something I almost never do...) I should've been patient and purchased it online with a discount. Don't make my mistake. The Hart/Kaufman farce has always held up and remains a great bit of comedic theater. Nathan Lane & Jean Smart are at top form and their timing is wonderful. The supporting cast is just as good.There are some problems with the transfer of the play to DVD, though. First off, the DVD is bare bones -- no history of the play ( except for the first act intermission break with Liam Neesan and Natasha Richardson), no commentary, not even a cast biography -- a shame. The sound is weak as well 2.0 surround, I believe. The picture quality is fantastic, though, even if it is full screen (yes, I know... it was on television that way and that's it's suppossed original aspect ratio -- 1.33.1).All in all, this is a fantastic, rollicking, "catty" rendering of the play and since there are so few of this caliber available to purchase it is a worthy addition to your home DVD collection. Hey, it's cheaper than a theater ticket! Maybe next time we'll get more for our money when it comes to extra features. Are you listening "Image Entertainment"? In closing...Imagine World Peace.

I thoroughly enjoy Nathan Lane movies and this is no exception. However, I must admit I still like the classic movie version of this with Monty Woolley, Betty Davis, Billie Burke, Jimmy Durante, and many other known actors, a bit more. This stage version seems chopped at the beginning and the over abundence of running around by the actors wore me out. This is not to say the sardonic wit is not appreciated. Lane was perfectly cast as Sheridan Whiteside. I think this would be great to see on stage with him, but on TV I like the original movie.

When a witty radio speaker finds himself in a wheelchair at a home where he fell on the ice and broke his hip, he first ridicules, then plots chicanery. Half the fun are the items sent to him by the likes of the circus and other eccentrics. This story whether on stage or screen transfers well and is well worth seeing in either format. The DVD quality is great and it has a good deal of replayability. If you enjoyed this catch "Noises Off!".

CA Luster

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.

I had caught the last half of this video on public television's Masterpiece Theatre, and for many months my wife and I watched for it to be released on DVD. Turns out that, as outrageously funny as the last half was--it's that hilarious from the opening scene to the closing credits!
If you've seen Nathan Lane in The Bird Cage, you'll have an idea of the side-splitting comedy that he brings to the stage or screen. The Man Who Came to Dinner put him in an utterly different character, but one just as over-the-top, and just as outrageous.
For a Nathan Lane fan, this one is not to be missed. For anyone who likes a hilarious comedy, this is one of the best!

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.

I very much enjoyed this filming of the stage production. It crackles much more than the movie version, which I found strangely uninvolving. I liked Nathan Lane much better than Monty Wooley (the film's Sheridan), and the other actors do fine work.

There have been some minor changes made along the way in Acts 1 & 2, but changes are much more extensive in Act 3. The character of Banjo is modeled here on Jimmy Durante, who did it in the movie. The film's choice of Durante must have been for contractual reasons, as Harpo Marx (the original stage play's model) was very much alive at the time. I found Durante annoying in the role, not the crazed presence Banjo is in the show.

In any event, this version of the play goes the Durante route, with a heavy re-writing of Act 3 (where Banjo appears). There's long stretches of boredom and a downright tedious sequence shortly after his entrance. Inasmuch as Lewis J. Stadlen is very familiar with the Marx Brothers (he even did a one-man show as Groucho), I don't know why they went this path. The result is a downward spiral that is only saved by Lane and Jean Smart. If the rest of the show were like Act 3, it would get just two (weak) stars. Thankfully, it isn't.

This version is better than the film, but it could have been much better had they stayed with the original concept. Hart and Kaufman knew what they were doing; these folks should have trusted them.