Sunday, June 10, 2007
It Happened One Night (1934): Shira's Take
Watching It Happened One Night, I realized I have very little to say about it in this blog. I think that's because most of what I usually have to say about movies is complaints. For this movie, I just don't have any (though it would have been nice to see Gable and Colbert as Peter and Ellen kiss at least once). It clearly wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it was just so entirely enjoyable and cute. I don't so much see it as a best picture winner--if it came out today, I think it would just be seen as a romantic comedy without too much merit. Still, Frank Capra made it work in his classic, lovely way. Claudette Colbert was completely adorable, despite her at-times-spoiled-brattiness. Clark Gable was silly and goofy and still managed to make me (and probably ever other straight woman who has seen this movie) fall completely in love with him. I understand completely why this movie is still so loved. It's just a perfect feel-good movie that completely made up for my hatred of Cavalcade. Notes to myself: when a guy's first name is King, his last name shouldn't be able to double as a first name, because I just assume that King is his title. Also, I'm getting a little tired of the eyebrows on women of the 1930s. Sculpt from whatcha got instead of removing it all and drawing new brows an inch above where they naturally lie. 8/10
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2 comments:
First of all, love your blog!
I don't understand why you think that It Happened One Night doesn't age well. It's more than just enjoyable and cute, it's certainly a monumental film with substance and I feel you're being bias against it because it's just a comedy.
But it's not just A comedy, it's a screwball comedy, with a long and proud tradition of helping audiences through the depression, specifically with its allegory about class: poor man marries rich girl and gives hope to audiences that boundaries of wealth can be overcome through love (which is a metaphor for benevolence, national unity, social programs, etc.)
Besides, it saved an entire studio from bankruptcy (Columbia Pictures), it launched Capra's career into the stratosphere and made Gable a matinee idol
Don't get me wrong. I loved the film and fully agree that it had a depth to it that most romantic comedies lack, but I stand by my thought that if made today, it would not be a best picture winner.
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