Warner Bros. Pictures presents "THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER" (1942 113 min/B&W) -- Starring: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley, Richard Travis, Jimmy Durante, Billie Burke, Reginald Gardiner & Grant Mitchell
Directed by William Keighley
While on a lecture tour in Ohio, Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) slips on the ice outside his hosts' home; until his broken leg heals, the hosts, Mr & Mrs Ernest Stanley (Grant Mitchell & Billie Burke) are forced to put up with the imperious Whiteside. This means enduring an unending stream of Whiteside's whims, caprices and vitriolic bon mots, as well as his long-distance phone calls, eccentric guests and a variety of critters, ranging from penguins to octopus. Whiteside insists upon stage-managing the lives of everyone around him. He is particularly keen on discouraging a romance between his faithful secretary Maggie Cutler (Bette Davis) and local newspaper editor Bert Jefferson (Richard Travis).
The George S. Kaufman/Moss Hart Broadway hit The Man Who Came to Dinner was inspired by the authors' mutual friend, waspish critic/author Alexander Woollcott.
The script, by the Epstein brothers, manages to retain most of the plays best lines and situations, even while expanding Bette Davis' role to justify her star status.
* Special footnote: -- Monty Woolley's favorite song for entertaining at parties was Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets".
BIOS:
1. William Keighley Director)
Date of Birth: 4 August 1889 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 24 June 1984 - New York City, New York
2. Bette Davis [aka: Ruth Elizabeth Davis]
Date of Birth: 5 April 1908 - Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Date of Death: 6 October 1989 - Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France
3. Ann Sheridan
Date of Birth: 21 February 1915 - Denton, Texas
Date of Death: 21 January 1967 - Los Angeles, California
4. Monty Woolley [aka: Edgar Montillion Wooley]
Date of Birth: 17 August 1888 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 6 May 1963 - Albany, New York
5. Jimmy Durante
Date of Birth: 10 February 1893, New York City, New York
Date of Death: 29 January 1980, Santa Monica, California
Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 4 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]
Total Time: 113 min on DVD ~ Warner Bros. Pictures ~ (May 30, 2006)