Product Details

• Actors: Nathan Lane, Jean Smart, Harriet Sansom Harris, Jack Arendt, Jozef Fahey
• Directors: Jay Sandrich
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: March 18, 2003
• Run Time: 176 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00008975D
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,872 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Product Description

One of the most beloved American comedies comes to sparkling life in this fast-paced, stylish production starring Tony Award-winning Broadway favorite Nathan Lane (The Producers) and Jean Smart ("Designing Women")! While dining at the midwestern home of the prominent Stanley family, noted critic and social celebrity Sheridan Whiteside slips on their doorstep and injures his hip, leaving the city slicker confined to the house for an outrageous six week recovery period which leads to cockroach farms, an octopus in the cellar, a dinner party with ex-convicts, "The Penguin" and more madcap mayhem! Written by the classic comedy team of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, this razor sharp farce remains pointed and side-splitting today. Pull up a few extra chairs and invite some guests for dinner and a show; the fun is about to begin!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A stage classic that holds up, April 21, 2003

By	Bill (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Man Who Came to Dinner (DVD)

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.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scene stealing performance by Byron Jennings, August 5, 2004

By	Tasha (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Came to Dinner (DVD)

"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.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great play, DVD edition needs improvement..., March 14, 2003

By	D. C. Squires (High in the sky traveling at Mach-2) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Man Who Came to Dinner (DVD)

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.