Dinner at Eight (1933)

“Listen to me old-timer. I'm drunk, and I know I'm drunk but I know what I'm talking about.”

            One of my favorite ways stories are told in either films or TV shows is where there are a bunch of different characters with different stories in different places and either during or at the end of the film or TV show all those different people with their different stories come together. For some reason that way of telling a story never gets old to me. I just really enjoy it. Plenty of films in Old Hollywood used that way of storytelling including Dinner at Eight from 1933.

            The story begins with the Jordan family. The family is wealthy due to Oliver’s (Lionel Barrymore) shipping business. Millicent (Billie Burke), like many high society women during the early 20^th century and before then, is concerned about mingling with all the well known upper class sets from America and Europe. She has finally gotten a British lord and his wife to come to dinner while they are in America. She sets the dinner date for the following Friday at eight o’clock. Oliver and their daughter Paula (Madge Evans) could care less about a dinner date for the following week. Olivier is only looking forward to it because Millicent has invited an old friend of his an old actress named Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler). Oliver is worried about his shipping business and Paula is a bunch of nerves over her fiancé coming back but not in a good way.

            At the office Oliver announces that one of their ships is not going to be able to leave on time because there is not enough cargo. It would be the first time in sixty years since his grandfather started the business that one of the company’s ships is not leaving on time. There is nothing Oliver can do someone else is taking away their business. Carlotta comes to see Oliver at the office. She tells him she is broke but she does not want to give anything up she is from the old set with traveling and knowing people and a certain lifestyle and she does not want to give that up and live permanently in America. The two reminisce about when they were younger. Oliver had proposed to her when he was twenty-one and she broke his heart. She explains that she was so much older than him but it broke her own heart as well. As Carlotta is leaving a man named Dan Packard (Wallace Beery) comes in for a meeting. Dan is wealthy business man that Oliver is looking to sell some stocks to. Dan does not want to take the stocks because Oliver’s company is old and on its way out. Secretly Dan wants to buy out the business. Oliver calls Millicent to say to invite Dan and his wife to their dinner party the following week. Millicent does not really like Dan but she obliges and gives the wife a call.

            Dan has a young wife named Kitty (Jean Harlow). It is obvious right from her first scene that Kitty only married Dan for his money. She claims to be sick and needs to stay in bed all day while waiting for the doctor to come. As she waits she eats a lot of boxes of chocolate, puts on makeup, and tries on a new hat. When Dr. Wayne Talbot comes to the house Kitty puts an act of sickness on but as soon as her maid walks out of her room she gets mad at him for not having come by to see her in days. She says she loves him and that he is the only one who loves her and that she is bored when he does not come around.

            When Dan comes home Kitty tells him that they have been invited to the dinner party. Dan refuses to go especially because he wants to buy Oliver out. They have a huge blow up which comes to an end when Kitty tells him that the British lord will be there. Dan has been trying to get in touch with the lord for two years about some business ventures.

            The following week comes along. Millicent’s perfect party begins to fall apart. The British lord and his wife have decided to head down to Florida to fish. The dinner the cook had made after she dropped it on the floor when she had to break up a vicious fight between the butler and the driver. One of her fill in guests calls her telling her he is very sick and cannot make the party. Millicent’s sister suggests inviting another old actor named Larry Renault (John Barrymore) so he can keep Carlotta company. When Millicent calls Larry he is entertaining, of the people in the world, Paula. Larry is the one that has been causing Paula some confusion and nerves. She loves him more than she loves her fiancé and would rather be with him. He tries telling her that he is all washed up, he is a drunk who cannot get any work, and all three of his wives had severe issues. Paula does not care about any of that no matter how much he tries to make her. She leave when Larry’s manager comes to the room. He is trying to get Larry a part in a new play but no one really wants him since his reputation is not what it used to be. Later on Larry completely ruins his career by yelling at a theater manager who was willing to give him a second rate part. Larry’s manager has it out with him and says that he was never a good actor and no one will want him now that he is a total drunk. Unable to handle the truths and where his life has come to Larry kills himself.

            Oliver meanwhile is not feeling well. He goes to Wayne’s office. He tells Wayne he had had a weak moment at his office after Dan had left. The prognosis is not good Oliver is dying from a thrombosis. Before the party starts that night Oliver stays in his room leaving Millicent to welcome the guests. Wayne and Millicent go up to Oliver to check on him. He lest Millicent know the truth about her husband and how he does not have much time left. Millicent is obviously upset but she makes the best of it. When Oliver tells her they are broke she immediately starts downsizing and being supportive. They walk down to the dinner party together arm in arm.

            There was so much going on in this film that I cannot possibly write because it would confuse you reading it since I am not good with getting points across in a coherent way and also not to give too much away. Now you have to go and watch Dinner at Eight!

            Dinner at Eight was a very good film. I enjoyed how all the characters were connected and what brought them to the party. I think I can officially say that I now see what so many film historians and film critics really like Jean Harlow. I am not a fan of Harlow’s but I really liked her character in this. Kitty was very funny and very tough and Harlow did a great job with being both. The story was written by Frances Marion along with a few others. I like Marion as a storyteller she wrote some of my favorite Mary Pickford films. George Cukor directed and his direction is always flawless he always knew how to get the best out his actors.

            I am very happy I finally watched Dinner at Eight. I usually see it on lists for Pre-Codes or best films of the 1930s. Dinner at Eight is absolutely worth taking the time to watch. 

Silent Sundays: The Show (1927)

“You shouldn’t have to live in the same world with a thing like me.”

            The Show takes place in a small town in Hungary. A young girl from the country named Lena, has come to town with her father to sell his herd of sheep. Since she has come to the city Lena has been seeing a sideshow performer named Robin (John Gilbert). Whenever they go out Robin makes her pay for everything.

            In the show Robin performs the story of Salome with an actress (Renée Adorée) he used to date who plays and is known as the title character. After the show Salome asks Robin if he is going to see Lena again that night. She is downtrodden when he says he will be.

            On the streets a man simply known as The Greek (Lionel Barrymore) stalks the city streets with an associate. The associate saw Lena’s father that morning sell his sheep and heard how much money he had made. The two men attack Lena’s father and kill him. When they look in his wallet he has nothing. Lena was told she had to stay in their room that night to watch the money.

            In the dressing room after the show, Salome gets jealous of the other women looking at Robin. She shoves one away and tells the others to mind their own business. The Greek walks into the dressing room. He has been seeing Salome. He pulls out his knife. Robin has a sword and makes it look like he is going to use it on The Greek. Instead he does something with his shoe and walks out. Robin goes to a bar to wait for Lena. The Greek and Salome come into the bar as well. It is clear from Salome’s face that she is still in love with Robin. Even The Greek can see it and he is not too happy.

            When Robin returns home Lena is waiting for him. She does not want to be alone with all the money. Robin is tempted to take the money for himself. He has it in his hand when he hears a knock on the door. Before he can even open it Salome comes charging in trying to warn Lena that Robin is only going around with her because of her money. Robin grabs Salome and almost hits her. Lena runs out of the house frightened leaving her money behind.  He throws Salome on the ground and goes to hit her with a stick he has. She stays calm and winds up talking him out of hurting her.

            The Greek’s associate was standing outside Robin’s house and saw Salome come out. He tells The Greek that Robin has Lena’s money and that Salome is in on it with Robin.

            The following night is the last night of the show. The Greek has beaten the man who plays the executioner in the show to take his place. Robin plays John the Baptist. The character has his head cut off. There are two different swords that are used: one is a real sword the other is a fake. Someone backstage watching the show notices the swords were not switched out and stops The Greek just in time. The Greek manages to get away. At that moment Lena shows up with a police officer who is looking for Robin for stealing the money and possibly the murder of the father. Salome tells Robin to go to her apartment and hide in the attic. That night The Greek has climbed the room to Salome’s room and sees Robin has brought the money to the attic.

            Salome keeps letting a blind neighbor come into her room so she can read his letters to him. He is excited about his letters that are from his son. She reads the latest one that says the son is now a captain in the navy. Robin cannot understand why she lets the old man come in and why she has to read to him. She confesses that she is the one who writes the letters to the man because his son is going to be hanged the following morning. The only thing keeping the man alive is receiving the letters and hoping his son will be home soon. Salome told the man that he will know his son will be home when he hears the bands playing outside. The following day there is a parade with bands playing. The man gets excited and comes racing to Salome’s room wanting to see his son. The man brings Robin into his room to speak to him alone. The man says he is proud and happy for the son to be home. At the moment the real son is hanged the man dies. When Robin walks into Salome’s room she is on her knees praying to a crucifix. A police officer from the prison comes to her door telling Salome that her brother has officially been hanged that morning and that if her father wants he can come and pick up the brother’s belongings. Robin is so upset for everything he has put Salome through and for her father dying at the same time her brother did. He kisses her and then falls to the ground hugging her legs. Salome sits down and holds Robin in her arms. Robin wants to give the money to please her.

            In the meantime, The Greek has gotten into Salome’s attic and taken the money. When Robin gets up into the attic he notices the money has gone. The police are at the door looking for Robin now. In the attic a deadly lizard from one of the shows has somehow gotten in there. Robin comes face to face with The Greek when the lizard scares both of them. The two men fight and are broken apart when the lizard jumps up to attack them. One of the police officers sees the lizard and shoots it. The Greek comes down holding the side of his neck from where the lizard got him. Robin comes down after. He gives the money to the one officer and tells them he is ready to go to the prison.

            The show of Salome is again performed.  Robin is back in his role as John the Baptist after being released for having given the money back.

            John Gilbert and Renée Adorée were wonderful together. I love them as a pair as so much. Gilbert may best be known for his pairing with Garbo but he did not look half as good with the “Divine One” as he did with Adorée. Adorée looked like a normal, real life woman. Of the films I have seen her in she is completely believable as her characters I never see her as just an actress. In his pairings with Adorée, Gilbert also becomes his character and not just an actor as he is with Garbo. I just like the way Gilbert and Adorée look together. Out of all the Hollywood pairs I like they look the most realistic and believable. In The Show you can believe that Robin has some good in him otherwise Salome would not have loved him so much. I have to say out of all the John Gilbert films I have seen so far this was definitely his best acted. There was no hamminess or over emoting he was just perfect.

            The Show is now one of my favorite silent films and it has a lot to do with John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. The story was not too bad. I liked the twist with the neighbor being her father and her brother being the one in jail. The whole thing with the killer lizard was a cheesy but that could be forgiven since the rest of the film is good. The Show is available to view in full on Youtube and I highly suggest seeing it. 

Silent Sundays: The New York Hat (1912)

When I was in high school I had bought a book about some interesting historical facts about New Jersey. Before you ask yourself why on earth would I buy a book about New Jersey, I live in the Garden State down the shore. Anyway, one of the most interesting things I read in the book was that NJ was used as a filming location for early silent films. Directors like D.W. Griffith used to go to the town of Fort Lee to make their films. For all that time that piece of information about NJ being the first Hollywood always stuck with me. Now that I have become a film enthusiast and have researched film history I find that fact even more interesting and special. It is awesome to know that New Jersey, the state that everyone makes fun for The Jersey Shore, silly accents, and guidos, played an important part in shaping the modern movie industry and helped to build the careers of Griffith, Paramount, Alice Guy Blaché, Mary Pickford, the Barrymores, and the Gish sisters.

            After all this time I have finally watched a silent film that was made in Fort Lee entitled The New York Hat.

            A young girl named Mollie Goodhue (Mary Pickford) has lost her mother. Before the mother died she wrote a letter to the local minister Pastor Bolton (Lionel Barrymore) to take whatever money she was able to save and use it to help buy her daughter nice things that were denied to her by the girl’s father.

            In the village is a hat shop with the latest hats from New York City. Mollie stands outside with some girls her age looking at the nice hats in the window wishing they could have one. Bolton passes by the shop and notices Mollie looking longingly at a ten dollar hat. Bolton goes inside and buys the hat for her. The local gossips just so happened to be in the store at the time Bolton buys the hat and soon enough word about his purchase spreads all over town.

            Bolton brings the hat to Mollie. He leaves before she opens the box. When she sees he has bought her the hat she saw in the window she is happy, sad, and delighted all at the same time.

            At church that Sunday the women notice Mollie is wearing the hat Pastor Bolton bought during the week. The three gossips from the store are up in arms using their vicious tongues to tell Mollie’s father what they have imagined has been going on. When Mollie comes home her father asks her about the hat. When she tells him that Pastor Bolton did buy her the hat, her father takes the gift and rips it apart.

            Upset Mollie runs to Bolton in a flood of tears to tell him what has happened to his gift. Not long after that the gossips and, possibly their husbands, angrily come to Pastor Bolton to speak to him and accuse him of a scandal. When they arrive Bolton shows them the letter Mrs. Goodhue had written to him before she died. Mr. Goodhue also comes and is also shown the letter. Everything that has happened was all a misunderstanding from malicious gossip.

            I liked The New York Hat. It was a cute story. Mary Pickford was perfect in her part as Mollie. At this time she was only nineteen years old. You can see she had that something that would make her one of the world’s most famous actresses. Lionel Barrymore was also very good. It was nice to see him as a good guy and to see him so young.  Lillian and Dorothy Gish and Jack Pickford have background parts. The Gish sisters are in the shop scene and Jack has a small part that you have to really look for or know what he looks like in the church scene.

            The New York Hat is great to watch if you are interested in film history because the film industry was just really starting out and this is where some of the most important stars of silent Hollywood began their careers.

            If anyone is interested in learning about Fort Lee, NJ pertaining to the film industry please visit the website: Fort Lee Film Commission