Dinner at Eight (1933)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Frances Marion (screenplay) and
Herman J. Mankiewicz (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 January 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Social climbing Millicent and Oliver Jordan throw a dinner for a bunch of New York society types, each of whom has much to reveal.

Plot Keywords:

Dinner Party | New York | Millionaire | Shaving | Hotel

Cast

Marie Dressler	...	Carlotta Vance
John Barrymore	...	Larry Renault
Wallace Beery	...	Dan Packard
Jean Harlow	...	Kitty Packard
Lionel Barrymore	...	Oliver Jordan
Lee Tracy	...	Max Kane
Edmund Lowe	...	Dr. Wayne Talbot
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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Baxter	...	Gustave (uncredited)
Mary Dees	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Frances Marion		(screenplay) and
Herman J. Mankiewicz		(screenplay)
George S. Kaufman		(from the stage play by) and
Edna Ferber		(from the stage play by)
Donald Ogden Stewart		(additional dialogue)

Produced by
David O. Selznick	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Axt		(musical score by) (as Dr. William Axt)

Cinematography by
William H. Daniels		(photographed by) (as William Daniels)

Film Editing by
Ben Lewis

Art Direction by
Hobe Erwin
Fredric Hope		(as Fred Hope)

Costume Design by
Adrian		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph M. Newman	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Cullen Tate	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording director
Charles E. Wallace	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Tanner	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Harvey White	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Chester W. Schaeffer	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Sam Harris	....	producer: stage play (as Sam H. Harris)
Howard Dietz	....	general press agent (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (controlled by Loew's Incorporated) (David O. Selznick's Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1933) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1934) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (video rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:PG | USA:Approved (PCA #2284-R: 15 May 1936 for re-release) | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1934)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Remade for television in 1989 with Masha Mason, John Mahoney, Lauren Bacall, Harry Hamlin, Charles Durning and Ellen Greene.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Carlotta gives Ed her dog, introducing him as "Tarzan", her lips don't match the word.

Quotes:

Max Kane:[entering Renault's room] Am I buttin' in?
Paula Jordan:Not at all. I was just going. Goodbye.
[Paula exits]
Max Kane:Pearls in your oysters.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Cheers: Dinner at Eight-ish (#5.20)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

I Loved You Then As I Love You Now

An all star cast in an all star movie

Dinner at Eight is one of the consummate movie buff's movies...

It has romance, glamour, wit, charm, intrigue, interesting characters and a great story.

The agonies that Mrs. Oliver Jordan (the incomparable Billie Burke [Are you a good witch or a bad witch?]) must go through to stage what is supposed to be a simple dinner party will leave you laughing, sympathizing and grateful you are not her.

Jean Harlow is at her most beautiful. She radiates an overt yet somehow innocent sexuality that shows why she became a major star so quickly.

Marie Dressler proves why she was so heralded. Her acting cannot be called subtle -- but it is always effective.

After watching this film you will wonder if people ever really did live this way. Strangely enough, I believe they probably did.