The World of the Play

Kaufman and Hart based the Man Who Came to Dinner around their mutual friend and famed critic, Alexander Woollcott. Woollcott was well respected by the playwrights, but that did not stop the duo from exposing his obnoxious traits via Mr. Sheridan Whiteside, the larger-than-life central character. The result of their collaboration provides a very specific place and time in which to lay the scene.

Written in 1939, the text is absolutely riddled with 30s Hollywood, political, and social references and should therefore be set in the time in which these things were relevant and thrived. It's approaching Christmas at the Stanley household in Mesaila, a small (but fictional) town in Ohio. Mr. Whiteside's unwelcomed presence in the Stanley living room is a direct result of an injury inflicted from ice on the front stoop of the tasteful home. Thus, a very well connected Whiteside is confined in Ohio, spoiling his Christmas plans.

The town of Mesalia is fairly unremarkable as far as the script is concerned. Bert Jefferson, the newspaper man/ love interest, provides the best look into town life outside of the home. Excited to track a story besides the Depression, Bert quickly rings the doorbell of the Stanley’s in hopes of publishing a story about Whiteside’s stay. Bert owns the Mesalia Journal, a paper inherited from his father. Mesalia, Ohio basically epitomizes Middle America: full of average people leading regular lives, a far cry from Whiteside’s domain. Historically, however, 1939 was anything but usual for the United States.

In 1939, not everyone was as fortunate as the Stanley's. Sandwiched between the Depression and the brink of World War II, this family's holidays are uncommonly bright. Ohio's industries especially suffered for years as a result of the times and saw their doors only open again for the war. However, in this household Mr. Stanley, the man of the house, owns a factory and is able to abundantly provide for this family... but not without complications. The Wagner Act, which supported labor unions for factory workers, supplies a conflict between Mr. Stanley and his daughter’s love. The Stanley's luxuries(complete with domestic help and family doctors) do not constitute the "norm" when compared to the majority in this unsure time.

Germany invaded Poland in September 0f 1939, catapulting Europe into World War II without any initial support from the U.S. The Depression's grasp barely loosened before the tangible prospect of war began. As the Depression had threatened to obliterate the American economy, President Roosevelt retaliated, establishing countless agencies and programs to revive the nation. He is the only President to have served more than two terms. In the midst of a brief recovery, Americans were eager to support the Neutrality Act (signed in November) and seemed content to turn their heads from the problems abroad. In these chaotic times, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pioneered the radio waves, bringing news and hope to every American home. The radio, in many cases, provided the only outlet for new entertainment and was central in the home. Whiteside, a famous radio personality (among other things) conducts broadcasts from his adopted living room, coupled with some behavior that lacks the Christmas spirit.

Christmas is abuzz through the Stanley home, thanks to several guests of Whiteside’s wishing him a very merry one. With all of the excitement, Sherry is a little late in noticing the sparks between local Bert and his long time assistant, Maggie. In a mere two weeks, Maggie mentions she will do “her darndest” to marry Bert. Already in her 30s, Maggie is a tad tardy for the husband race in this time period. People either couldn’t afford to marry or couldn’t scrape up the divorce fees. Women’s rights were largely swept under the rug in the 1930s; therefore Maggie, a successful, attractive (and single) assistant would be a commodity. The thought of losing her prompts Whiteside to call for back-up from old Hollywood to aid in his scheme to break up the happy couple.

Once the Stanleys opened their door to Sheridan Whiteside, he knocked the door down for Hollywood and then some. Discussing everyone from Gandhi to Walt Disney, Sherry seems to enjoy all the benefits of Hollywood's Golden Age. 1939 alone saw the Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, television's first broadcast and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. New York's World Fair emphasized the importance of new ideas, forms and products and brought technology center stage- immensely exciting the public. Einstein himself addressed the fair and pumped new ideas into the mainstream.

Overall, the time frame of the Man Who Came to Dinner represents the best and worst of times and in the worst of times, Kaufman and Hart make a point that it is best to laugh.