History Theatre / TheManWhoCameToDinner

--> "I simply will ''not'' sit down at dinner with Midwestern barbarians."

--> '''June:''' Mr. Whiteside, he's a very sensitive boy. You... you'll be kind to him, won't you?\\

* JerkAss:

** Whiteside himself is based on Alexander Woollcott, a CausticCritic for ''Magazine/TheNewYorker'', radio commentator, and friend of Kaufman and Hart. One day, Woollcott showed up at Hart's house unannounced and more or less took over, sleeping in the master bedroom, terrorizing the staff and writing in the guest book, "This is to certify that I had one of the most unpleasant times I ever spent."[[note]] Woollcott himself was initially offered the part of Whiteside for the show's Broadway debut, but had to decline owing to his schedule. He did go on to play the role in subsequent touring productions. [[/note]]

** Banjo is a cross between [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] (reference is made to "Wackko and Sloppo") and Creator/JimmyDurante. When Durante himself played the role in the movie, the role obviously became a bit more based on his characteristics.[[note]] In a bit of StuntCasting, Harpo himself played Banjo (yes, a speaking part) in at least one summer theater production, alongside playwrights Kaufman and Hart as Sheridan Whiteside and Beverly Carlton respectively. [[/note]]

--> "Shall I tell you something, Sherry? I think you're a selfish, petty egomaniac who would just as soon see his mother burning at a stake, if that was the only way he had of lighting a cigarette. I think you'd sacrifice your best friend without a moment's hesitation if he interrupted the sacred ritual of your self-centered, paltry little life. I think you're incapable of any emotion higher up than your stomach. And I was the fool of the world for ever trusting you."

-->'''Banjo:''' Stuck, eh?
-->'''Whiteside:''' In the words of one of our greatest lyric poets, "You said it."

* SophisticatedAsHell: The UsefulNotes/HaysCode version; after Whiteside explains to Banjo what's been going on regarding Maggie, Lorraine, and Bert:

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

--> '''June:''' Mr. Whiteside, he's a very sensitive boy. You... you'll be kind to him, won't you?
--> '''Whiteside:''' ''Confound'' it, June, when are you going to learn that I am always kind and courteous? Bring this idiot in.

** Banjo is a cross between [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] (reference is made to "Wackko and Sloppo") and Creator/JimmyDurante. When Durante himself played the role in the movie, the role obviously became a bit more based on his characteristics.[[note]] Harpo himself also played Banjo (yes, a speaking part) in at least one summer theater production, alongside playwrights Kaufman and Hart as Sheridan Whiteside and Beverly Carlton respectively. [[/note]]

* AmbiguouslyGay: Sheridan Whiteside. Beverly Carlton is somewhat less ambiguous.

** Banjo is a cross between [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] (reference is made to "Wackko and Sloppo") and Creator/JimmyDurante. When Durante himself played the role in the movie, the role obviously became a bit more based on his characteristics. [[note]] Harpo himself also played Banjo (yes, a speaking part) in at least one summer theater production, alongside playwrights Kaufman and Hart as Sheridan Whiteside and Beverly Carlton respectively. [[/note]]

** Whiteside himself is based on Alexander Woollcott, a CausticCritic for ''Magazine/TheNewYorker'', radio commentator, and friend of Kaufman and Hart. One day, Woollcott showed up at Hart's house unannounced and more or less took over, sleeping in the master bedroom, terrorizing the staff and writing in the guest book, "This is to certify that I had one of the most unpleasant times I ever spent."
*** Woollcott himself was initially offered the part of Whiteside for the show's Broadway debut, but had to decline owing to his schedule. He did go on to play the role in subsequent touring productions.

** Banjo is a cross between [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] (reference is made to "Wackko and Sloppo") and Creator/JimmyDurante. When Durante himself played the role in the movie, the role obviously became a bit more based on his characteristics.
*** Harpo himself also played Banjo (yes, a speaking part) in at least one summer theater production, alongside playwrights Kaufman and Hart as Sheridan Whiteside and Beverly Carlton respectively.

*** Harpo himself also played Banjo (yes, a speaking part) in at least one summer theater production.

* NiceToTheWaiter: The household servants are among the few people whom Whiteside is genuinely nice to.

* NiceToTheWaiter: The household servants are among the few people Whiteside is genuinely nice to.

* NiceToTheWaiter: The household servants are about the only people Whiteside is actually nice to.

* ArmorPiercingResponse: Banjo gives one to Whiteside after hearing his version of what's happened: "So, Lorraine ''just happened'' to drop by, did she? I smell a rat, Whiteside! A rat with a beard!...Sure, you haven't thought of yourself in years!"

Future ''Series/InsideTheActorsStudio'' host James Lipton cowrote a {{musical}} adaptation called ''Sherry!'' in 1967. ''Series/HallmarkHallOfFame'' aired a remake in 1972, starring Welles and updating the story for the television age. Meanwhile, the original play has been revived a number of times, including a 2000 production starring Creator/NathanLane.

TheFilmOfThePlay was released in 1942, directed by William Keighley and starring Monty Woolley as Whiteside, Creator/BetteDavis as Maggie, and Creator/AnnSheridan as Lorraine. Woolley had originated the role on Broadway but was not the studio's first choice, being relatively unknown to film audiences at the time. Creator/JohnBarrymore read for the part, but his severe alcoholism kept him from getting the role (he died not long after). Creator/OrsonWelles and Creator/CharlesLaughton were also interested, but Woolley wound up reprising his role after all.

Whiteside quickly takes over the entire household, to the extreme annoyance of Mr. Stanley. His famous friends send their most "heartfelt condolences", and arrangements are made for him to broadcast his weekly radio program direct from the Stanley living room. Meanwhile, his trusted secretary, the eternally patient Maggie Cutler, falls in love with Bert Jefferson, the editor of the local Mesalia newspaper. Whiteside, horrified at the prospect of losing his right-hand woman, decides he must put a stop to the romance. Bert has written a play, so Whiteside hits on the idea of bringing theater actress Lorraine Sheldon to town, ostensibly to talk about the play, but really to seduce Bert away from Maggie.

Future ''Series/InsideTheActorsStudio'' host James Lipton cowrote a {{musical}} adaptation called ''Sherry!'' in 1967. ''Series/HallmarkHallOfFame'' aired a remake in 1972, starring Welles and updating the story for the television age. Meanwhile, the original play has been revived several times, including a 2000 production starring Creator/NathanLane.

Whiteside quickly takes over the entire household, to the extreme annoyance of Mr. Stanley. His famous friends send their most "heartfelt condolences", and arrangements are made for him to broadcast his weekly radio program direct from the Stanley living room. Meanwhile, his assistant, the eternally patient Maggie Cutler, falls in love with Bert Jefferson, the editor of the local Mesalia newspaper. Whiteside is horrified at the prospect of losing his assistant, and decides he must put a stop to the romance. Bert has written a play, so Whiteside hits on the idea of bringing theater actress Lorraine Sheldon to town, ostensibly to talk about the play, but really to seduce Bert away from Maggie.

* OutOfCharacterMoment: PlayedForLaughs; after Whiteside is able to convince Lorraine to come up to Mesalia to break up Maggie's romance, he actually greets Miss Preen pleasantly (albeit in a booming voice) after treating her like crap the rest of the time. Naturally, she's so freaked she immediately runs out of the room.

Sheridan Whiteside, a cranky, irascible New York author and critic, is conducting a nationwide lecture tour. As a publicity stunt two weeks before Christmas, he is the reluctant dinner guest of prominent Mesalia, Ohio businessman Ernest Stanley and family. While climbing the icy front steps at their house, Whiteside slips and breaks his hip, putting him in a wheelchair and forcing him to remain with the Stanleys for the holidays while he heals.

** Beverly Carlton is Creator/NoelCoward.

** Lorraine Sheldon is Broadway actress Gertrude Lawrence.

* LockedOutOfTheLoop: Bert Jefferson spends most of the second half the story blissfully unaware of Whiteside's manipulations to break up (then patch up) his relationship with Maggie, nor her heartache at the prospect of Lorraine Sheldon seducing him away from her. Lampshaded by Whiteside in his parting words to him: "Goodbye, Jefferson - you'll never know the trouble you've caused."

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Maggie to Whiteside, after his plan to use Lorraine to lure Bert away from her appears to have succeeded:

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Maggie to Whiteside, after she catches on to his plan to use Lorraine to lure Bert away from her:

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Maggie to Whiteside, after his plan to use Lorraine to lure Bert away from her backfires:

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Maggie to Whiteside, after her plan to keep Lorraine away from Bert backfires:

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Maggie to Whiteside, after her plan to keep Lorraine away from Bert backfires:
--> "Shall I tell you something, Sherry? I think you're a selfish, petty egomaniac who would just as soon see his mother burning at a stake, if that was the only way he had of lighting a cigarette. I think you'd sacrifice your best friend without a moment's hesitation if he interrupted the sacred ritual of your self-centered, paltry little life. I think you're incapable of any emotion higher up than your stomach. And I was the fool of the world for ever trusting you."

* ItsAllAboutMe: Whiteside, especially when he tries to break up Maggie's romance just because he doesn't want to get a new assisstant.

* YouCalledMeXItMustBeSerious: Maggie normally calls Whiteside "[[AffectionateNickname Sherry]]", demonstrating the bond between them; however, when she warns him not to try anything to break up her relationship with Bert Jefferson, she calls him by his last name.