Dinner at Eight

Unrated

12/28/19331h 51m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ HERE IS THE SCREEN'S CLIMAX OF GLAMOR AND THRILL THAT RAN OVER A YEAR ON BROADWAY! THE STAGE SMASH NOW A SENSATIONAL FILM TRIUMPH! ~

Overview:

An ambitious New York socialite plans an extravagant dinner party as her businessman husband, Oliver, contends with financial woes, causing a lot of tension between the couple. Meanwhile, their high-society friends and associates, including the gruff Dan Packard and his sultry spouse, Kitty, contend with their own entanglements, leading to revelations at the much-anticipated dinner.

Director:

George Cukor

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$435,000.00

Revenue:

$2,156,000.00

Key words:

adultery
new york city
businessman
blackmail
great depression
based on play or musical
alcoholism
social satire
debt
extramarital affair
socialite
pre-code
eviction
financial problem
heart condition
financier
shipping magnate
dinner party
socialite party
shipping company
unhappy marriage
stage actress
fading star
suicide by gas
corrupt businessman
theatrical agent
theatre producer

Cast

Marie Dressler

~ as ~

Carlotta Vance

John Barrymore

~ as ~

Larry Renault

Wallace Beery

~ as ~

Dan Packard

Jean Harlow

~ as ~

Kitty Packard

Lionel Barrymore

~ as ~

Oliver Jordan

Lee Tracy

~ as ~

Max Kane

Edmund Lowe

~ as ~

Dr. Wayne Talbot

Billie Burke

~ as ~

Millicent Jordan

Madge Evans

~ as ~

Paula Jordan

Jean Hersholt

~ as ~

Jo Stengel

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

t
talisencrw
Written 9 year(s) ago
10
Excellent. Part of my TCM Jean Harlow 4-pack, and the bonus feature-length doc on Harlow's short life and career is exemplary. Highly recommended to any Pre-Code connoisseurs--and I know you're out there...
barrymost
Written 6 year(s) ago
9
One of great director George Cukor's best films, Dinner at Eight is a prime example of a Pre-Code era classic, and an excellent star vehicle for the combined multifarious talents of Marie Dressler, Wallace Beery, Brothers Barrymore (Lionel and John), Jean Harlow, and Billie Burke, among others. Coupled with the great acting is the offbeat and alternately dramatic and humorous story line of the flighty hostess who plans an extravagant dinner party for a wealthy and highly-esteemed British couple who never do show up. The audience is introduced one by one to the various guests, as well as the host and hostess, and by the conclusion of the film, the viewer knows how and why each of them has chosen whether or not to accept the invitation, with each character's situation shown in an intimate, behind-the-scenes manner.

Would I recommend? Yes, but please, don't go into this thinking you're in for a hyper, all-out screwball comedy. It's not. It's a comedy/drama leaning more toward the latter, and it's very...different. That's all.