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Jean Harlow would have turned 94 this month, which makes it even more tragic that she never lived to turn 27. Harlow, born Harlean Carpentier on March 3, 1911, died of kidney failure in 1937. But man, did she pack a lot of living in those 26 years! Harlow ran away from her Kansas City home at 16 to get married. The marriage failed, as did the other two marriages she'd squeeze in during her short time on Earth. But running away to Los Angeles did accomplish one thing: she was discovered by billionaire weirdo Howard Hughes, who cast her in Hell's Angels in 1930. From there, she'd star in several films with Clark Gable, which helped cement her place as one of Hollywood's first sex goddesses. While her career was taking off, her personal life and health were crashing down. Her second husband, producer Paul Bern, killed himself and a childhood illness took serious hold in the form of the kidney failure that killed her. The immediate aftermath of Harlow's death was almost as interesting as her life. The gossip rags had a field day conjuring up ridiculous causes for her death including hair dye, a botched abortion, and the idea that her mother's religious beliefs precluded seeking medical attention. Harlow's funeral was quite the to-do, attended by Gable, the Marx Brothers, and Spencer Tracy.
Harlow's early death is a major reason why she's endured. Like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, she was larger than life when alive yet didn't live long enough to destroy her career in sitcoms and movies-of-the-week.
Arguably, her best film role was in George Cukor's 1933 screwball drama Dinner at Eight. Featuring an all-star cast that was a reaction to the previous year's Grand Hotel, Dinner at Eight is a rather ambitious combination of comedy, drama and light satire. The titular party is being hosted by Millicent Jordan (Billie Burke), a schemer so busy scheming that she doesn't realize her husband's failing health and her daughter's indifference to an impending marriage. Among the invited is fading celebrity Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler), who refuses to come out of retirement, preferring to "have my double chins in privacy." Also there's Dan Packard (Wallace Berry) and his brash, much-younger girlfriend Kitty (Harlow). The party itself is marred by the unfortunate suicide of one of the characters, which motivates Carlotta to say, "That's the unfortunate thing about death. It's so terribly final."
Dinner at Eight is a grand comedy of manners and mores, with some great dialogue lifted from the original play by George S. Kaufman. However, I just didn't grab onto the film as much as I thought I would. Jokes about the Depression and the men's room at the Astor Hotel seemed quaint, not biting. And what was considered outrageous in 1933 (like Kitty called Dan "a piece of scum") is about six months away from becoming standard dialogue on Nickelodeon. Dinner at Eight is a terrific rental for those curious about an earlier, grander era of Hollywood. But it doesn't compare to similar 1930s films like It Happened One Night, Top Hat, or Lady Eve.
The Video: How Does The Disc Look?
I was expecting very little in the full screen transfer, especially after being disappointed in Warner's To Be or Not To Be. However, Dinner at Eight looks excellent. The picture is not free of dirt, nicks, and scratches but there's far fewer than expected. Grain is heavy at times and the borders around bodies and objects can sometimes break up, like they're being beamed up to the Enterprise. However, the grays are smooth and the blacks are above average for their age. Detail is damn good, but some of Harlow's close-ups are shot with such beauty-enhancing soft focus that they look too dreamy (admittedly typical for films of that era). The transfer is a wonderful surprise.
The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
The Dolby Digital mono is acceptable. There is hiss that should have been equalized out. When characters are silent, the hiss is audible. The music shows below average fidelity and can be harsh. Still, it won't insult your ears, especially considering how old the movie is. Dynamic range is narrow. My subwoofer fell asleep. Dialogue is generally discernable, but some of the female characters have high, squeaky voices and I had to turn on the subtitles to make sure I understood what was said. It's unfair to knock the mix too much; the movie is 72 years old. But I'm required to report what I hear. And that's what I hear.
English, French and Spanish subtitles are also available.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
I may be in the minority, but I like when DVDs contain documentaries produced for network or cable broadcast. Although it smacks of dumping an existing product onto a disc instead of creating your own product, the results are usually better. For instance, would you rather watch some crappy 5-minute Warner Home Video created bio on Jean Harlow or the excellent, 45-minute Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell that originally aired on TCM? Hosted by another blonde bombshell, Sharon Stone, the documentary charts Harlow's life and career, both cut short when she died of kidney failure at age 26. A terrific documentary containing lots of great old footage, it's worth checking out from start to finish.
Next is the Vitaphone short Come to Dinner. Twenty-two minutes, the film is a spoof of Dinner at Eight. Come to Dinner features musical numbers and look-alikes of the original cast. More a curiosity piece then a seriously good short, Come to Dinner is ever-so-droll and worth one look. Like Dinner at Eight, the picture looks surprisingly good, while the audio is serviceably fine.
The final supplement is Dinner at Eight's theatrical trailer.
Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?
There are no DVD-ROM features on this DVD.
Final Thoughts
Even before watching Dinner at Eight, I was ready with adjectives like "sparkling," "charming," and "classic." However, the film is a good watch, but not a great watch. Yes, there are energetic performances, funny lines, and high style. So it's hardly a waste of time and has generally earned its reputation. But while one can imagine it being hilarious in 1933, in 2005 you'd have to be a serious fan of these kinds of movies to appreciate it on more than a scholarly level. Fans of Warner Bros. comedies of the 1930s are better off with To Be or Not To Be. On the plus side, the Dinner at Eight transfer is great and the TCM documentary is terrific. Recommended for those who know what they're getting.
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