Dinner at Eight (1933)

In MGM's and George Cukor's sophisticated comedy/drama with many great stars, the first all-star comedy:

• failing shipping line magnate Oliver Jordan's (Lionel Barrymore) nostalgic memories of his love for aging grand dame actress Carlotta Vance (Marie Dressler)
• platinum blonde trophy wife Kitty Packard (Jean Harlow), in her white-hot extravagant bedroom, taking bites out of chocolates and putting the pieces back in the box
• Kitty's memorable argument scenes with tycoonish husband Dan (Wallace Beery)
• Mrs. Oliver Jordan's (Billie Burke) hyper-ventilating hysteria over her ruined dinner plans for Friday's "dinner at eight" for a group of elite socialites
• the image of failed, ex-silent era star Larry Renault's (John Barrymore) profile in a vivid but pathetic suicide scene by turning on the gas in his sealed Versailles Hotel suite
• the well-known show-stopping closing with priceless dialogue when Kitty made conversation with Carlotta on their way into dinner ---

Carlotta's Comment to Kitty

Kitty: "I was reading a book the other day."
Carlotta (staggering at the thought): "Reading a book!"
Kitty: "Yes. It's all about civilization or something, a nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy said that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?"
Carlotta (eyeing Kitty's costume and shapely physical charms): "Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about."