The Man Who Came to Dinner

A stage classic that holds up
Very enjoyable staging of Kaufman and Hart play. Nathan Lane and Jean Smart, as you would expect, squeeze every possible laugh from their lines. They're wonderful.

One caveat: The play is filled with quick references to personalities of the period (the 1930s), and most of that might go right over some people's heads. But much of the comedy is timeless, so everyone is bound to enjoy it in the end.

There is more to this DVD than a previous reviewer would have you believe, but only a bit more. In the intermissions, there are some descriptions of the characters and whom they are based on. And there is an enjoyable segment with Kaufman's daughter and Hart's wife (the eternally graceful and charming Kitty Carlisle). The banter between Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson in these segments is weak, however. Essentially you're getting exactly the same thing you would have seen when this was broadcast.

We're fortunate to have had this performance captured on film, and I hope there will be...

Fun, Funny, Great
This recording from a recent production is amazing. Nathan Lane is great and larger than life, as usual. The rest of the cast does wonderful jobs. This is a treasure!

Great play, DVD edition needs improvement...
I first saw this live in 2000 on a local PBS affiliate and from the begining I knew it was an event. A few days ago I checked online to see if it was available and - joy - it was! On the DVD's release date I greedily went to my local (eegads!) video supplier and expecting a great treatment onto DVD paid FULL PRICE ...!!! (Something I almost never do...) I should've been patient and purchased it online with a discount. Don't make my mistake. The Hart/Kaufman farce has always held up and remains a great bit of comedic theater. Nathan Lane & Jean Smart are at top form and their timing is wonderful. The supporting cast is just as good.There are some problems with the transfer of the play to DVD, though. First off, the DVD is bare bones -- no history of the play ( except for the first act intermission break with Liam Neesan and Natasha Richardson), no commentary, not even a cast biography -- a shame. The sound is weak as well 2.0 surround, I believe. The picture quality is fantastic,...

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