The Man Who Came to Dinner

Scripted by Julius and Philip Epstein from Kaufman and Hart's play, a delightful comedy about a radio host (Woolley) and his chaotic sojourn, after accidental injury while on a lecture tour, at the suburban home of Billie Burke and family (who are expected to wait on him hand and foot while suffering a stream of insults). Based loosely on the character of theatre critic Alexander Woollcott, and thus peppered with caricatures of stage celebrities like Noël Coward (Gardiner), Harpo Marx (Durante) and Ann Sheridan's voracious actress (Gertrude Lawrence? Tallulah?), it's rather unimaginatively directed, but the performers savour the sharp, sparklingly cynical dialogue with glee.