Dinner at Eight (film)
- Marie Dressler: Carlotta Vance
- John Barrymore: Larry Renault
- Wallace Beery: Dan Packard
- Jean Harlow: Kitty Packard
- Lionel Barrymore: Oliver Jordan
- Lee Tracy: Max Kane
- Billie Burke: Millicent Jordan
- Madge Evans: Paula Jordan
- Jean Hersholt: Jo Stengel
- Karen Morley: Mrs. Lucy Talbot
- Louise Closser Hale: Hattie Loomis
- Phillips Holmes: Ernest DeGraff
- May Robson: Mrs. Wendel
- Grant Mitchell: Ed Loomis
- Phoebe Foster: Miss Alden
- Elizabeth Patterson: Miss Copeland
- Hilda Vaughn: Tina
- Harry Beresford: Fosdick
- Edwin Maxwell: Mr. Fitch
- John Davidson: Mr. Hatfield
- Edward Woods: Eddie
- Anna Duncan: Dora
- Herman Bing: waiter
Dinner at Eight, also known as Friday evening at 8 (Original Title: Dinner at Eight ), is an American comedy film directed by George Cukor in 1933 as a model for those produced by MGM Pre -Code film served a play by George. S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber.
Action
Millicent Jordan, the status-conscious wife of a New York shipowner, will organize a dinner for a selected company. Her husband Oliver is not particularly fond of spending another boring evening of this kind, although his former flame, the former stage actress Carlotta Vance, is invited. Oliver is concerned, but his business is running as a shipowner since the Great Depression more than bad. From the nouveau riche tycoon Dan Packard, he expects financial support. This agrees because he Olivers troubled shipping company wants to snaffle anyway. Then Oliver persuaded his wife, also Packard and its level of loose, but socially ambitious wife Kitty invite to the planned dinner. While Kitty invitation will immediately assume Packard says to only when he learns that Lord and Lady Ferncliffe, the richest couple in England, the dinner will be attending. Another guest is Dr. Wayne Talbot, who has an affair with Kitty.
As Millicent needed a table for their Lord suddenly entlobte daughter Paula, she invites further ado the silent film star Larry Renault, without knowing that this and Paula have a relationship. The three -divorced and alcohol-dependent Larry then learns from his agent Max Kane that he got the lead role he should play in a stage play lost. Instead, he will now take a small walk-on role. In view of this, Larry is disappointed and desperate towards the alcohol.
Meanwhile, Dr. Talbot finds out wife Lucy that her husband is cheating with Kitty. Dr. Talbot admits that he is addicted to women, although he still love Lucy sincere. Shortly thereafter, he is called to his office to examine Oliver Jordan, who complains of chest pain. Dr. Talbot makes every effort to to appease its actually very serious diagnosis, but Oliver sees through him and is certain to live much longer. When Oliver goes home and Millicent apologizes for him at the upcoming dinner, so that he can recover, Millicent is having a nervous wreck because the remote cliffes have now canceled again.
When making the Packards for the dinner ready, gets the couple in quarrel. Angry Kitty tells her husband that she had an affair. Packard is now threatening her with a divorce, to which he replied Kitty respect einfordernd that it would bring his shady business practices to the public, he should not back away from his plan to take over Olivers shipping company. After Larry has finally fallen out with his agent and the management of his hotel asks him to find another residence, he flees to suicide. Carlotta Vance, who lives in the same hotel, Paula is looking at to tell this from the suicide of her lover, and advises her empathetic to return to her ex- fiancé Ernest.
Shortly before dinner, Millicent learns from Dr. Talbot, how bad it is with her husband. She looks after all a that she was always too selfish, and is determined to benefit the family less wasteful and to be a better wife. When the guests arrive on time at eight clock, located at the urging Kitty Packard turns to Oliver, to assure him that he would not longer accept the shipping company.
Background
For David O. Selznick Dinner was at eight in the first production after his move from RKO Pictures MGM. After Irving Thalberg with the star-studded film people in the hotel ( Grand Hotel, 1932) for MGM a great success had been able to post, Selznick wanted to prove that he could keep up with Thalberg and end up just such a hit. As a director, he undertook George Cukor, he was allowed to borrow from RKO Pictures. For Dinner at Eight, in which it was as with humans at the hotel at the film adaptation of a successful stage play, Selznick also put together a stellar cast. While John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore and Jean Hersholt were used as in people in the hotel, should especially Marie Dressler, who despite her advanced age and her matronly appearance a big star in Hollywood during the early 1930s, the viewers lure into theaters. For the role of Kitty director Cukor wanted to Jean Harlow, after he had seen in the jungle by storm ( Red Dust, 1932), and sat down, despite concerns by Selznick. With a budget of $ 420,000, the film was shot from March to April 1933 within 27 days.
Dinner at Eight was premiered on August 23, 1933 at the Astor Theatre in New York and proved subsequently a huge success with critics and audiences. The New York Times and Daily film included the film one of the ten best productions of 1933. In Germany, the comedy film was first shown in January 1934 under the title Friday night at 8 in the movie theaters. On 14 July 1982 she was entitled Dinner aired at eight for the first time on German television.
Reviews
According to Variety, the story " from beginning to end full of tension " is, where " sad moments of enjoyable " would be compensated, so that for almost two hours, " a fascinating mosaic " arises. Within the occupation Dressler and Harlow praise they deserve. The latter deliver when Kitty " an amazingly balanced representation". The New York Times said that the film " all expectations " will. It would involve " one of those rare productions that captivate one to end up in the seat, because you do not want to miss a brilliant line of dialogue ".
For the New York Daily Mirror was Dinner at Eight " is a great movie that you should not miss ." Among the consistently " excellent " actors prick out " the little Jean Harlow ". She was simply " gorgeous ". The film critic Pauline Kael praised in retrospect Jean Harlow, " in comedic top form " which was. Director George Cukor was "a witty and much better version of Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman's play" succeeded. The lexicon of the International film was that Cukor had done so based " primarily on the dialogues and the star-studded ".