CMBA Comedy Classics Blogathon: His Girl Friday (1940)

I saw it for the first time when I was 12 years old and it immediately struck me as the best movie I had seen in my young life at the time. It would keep with me over the years and stay as my favorite movie, withstanding the new releases with all their hi tech fancy stuff like the Star Wars movies, Indiana Jones, and others. For me, there is nothing better than His Girl Friday and watching Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell play off each other.

Cary Grant is never better as newspaper editor Walter Burns, who is about to lose his ace reporter and ex-wife Hildy Johnson (a superb performance by Rosalind Russell) to marriage to an insurance man (Ralph Bellamy). Just so happens a major news story breaks as convicted murderer Earl Williams, who is about to be put to death, escapes from custody. Walter convinces Hildy to take this last job assignment and he will sign a nice big check for an insurance policy for the soon to be wed couple. During her investigation, Hildy manages to track down Williams and tries to keep him safe from the police and the mayor. A wonderful mix of comedy and some drama make this my all time favorite film. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell make a terrific dream team. The one liners fly fast and furious, expertly handled by the entire cast. Great direction by the legendary Howard Hawks.

You couldn't ask for a better screwball film. I have probably seen His Girl Friday like 40 some times and it is still fresh and funny the 40th time as it was the first time. One of the films that even if you own it, you will stop whatever you doing to watch it when it airs on TV. I know I do. Turn off my cell phone, don't want to be disturbed by anyone or anything. It's that great of a film.

A sampling of the fast paced dialogue that has amazed me for all these many years:



Walter Burns: Sorta wish you hadn't done that, Hildy.
Hildy Johnson: Done what?
Walter Burns: Divorced me. Makes a fella lose all faith in himself. Gives him a... almost gives him a feeling he wasn't wanted.
Hildy Johnson: Oh, now look, junior... that's what divorces are FOR!

Wilson, reporter: Any dope on how he escaped?
McCue, reporter: Maybe the sheriff let him out so Williams could vote for him.

Hildy Johnson: [speaking to Walter on the phone] Now, get this, you double-crossing chimpanzee: There ain't going to be any interview and there ain't going to be any story. And that certified check of yours is leaving with me in twenty minutes. I wouldn't cover the burning of Rome for you if they were just lighting it up. If I ever lay my two eyes on you again, I'm gonna walk right up to you and hammer on that monkeyed skull of yours 'til it rings like a Chinese gong!

Louis: What's the matter, Hildy?
Hildy Johnson: Don't give me that innocent stuff! What did you pull on Mr. Baldwin THIS time?
Louis: Who, me?
Hildy Johnson: Yes, you and that albino of yours!
Louis: You talkin' about Evangeline?
Hildy Johnson: None other
Louis: She ain't no albino.
Hildy Johnson: She'll do 'till one comes along!
Louis: She was born right here in this country!

So to wrap this blog up let me just say that His Girl Friday is THE movie for me. Cary Grant's other classic movie, Bringing Up Baby is a close second, but His Girl Friday holds that special place in my heart. To all classic movie lovers out there, if by some small chance you have never seen this movie, take time to watch it somewhere, somehow and I promise you will not regret it.




This post is part of the Comedy Classics Blogathon sponsored by the Classic Movie Blog Association. The event runs January 22-27. For a complete list of participants and to learn more,
click here: Classic Movie Blog Association

THE BIG SLEEP is my favorite film noir

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Martha Vickers, Dorothy Malone, Regis Toomey, Elisha Cook Jr, John Ridgely, Charles Waldron. 1946. Running time 114 minutes. Directed by Howard Hawks.

Classic film noir with Bogart as Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by General Sternwood (Waldron) to deal with several problems involving his family. Mainly blackmail toward the younger daughter Carmen (a terrific Martha Vickers). But this is just the beginning as Marlowe is dragged deeper and deeper into a sordid world of criminals and murder. Along the way Marlowe finds himself falling for the eldest daughter Vivian (played by Lauren Bacall). The Big Sleep is a very complicated movie that is still very entertaining. Featuring crisp dialogue and crackerjack performances. Bogart is cool as Marlowe in what I think is his best role. Bacall exudes enough sex appeal for 100 women. Vickers is delightfully seductive and droll in her child-like performance. And Dorothy Malone shines in her brief scene as a shapely bookstore clerk who flirts with Marlowe. An outstanding film and one of my all time favorites.
A+

Just you and me kid..

Hiya doll...

Marlowe in a bit of a jam

Say what did you take?

Probably the best bookstore seduction scene ever...why can't all bookstore clerks be more

like Dorothy?

THE MONTIES: 1940 - HIS GIRL FRIDAY nearly sweeps the Monties....

Time to kick off a new decade with another presentation of The Monties, my own version of the Academy Awards. Let's get right to it, shall we.

BEST FILM:

So we just won some Monties? Fancy that...

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
KITTY FOYLE
WATERLOO BRIDGE
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
REBECCA
HIS GIRL FRIDAY (WINNER)
THE GRAPES OF WRATH
THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT
MY FAVORITE WIFE

My favorite film of all time, His Girl Friday, is the easy choice for me as Best Film of 1940. A perfect screwball comedy that has the fastest speaking dialogue ever. Check out the other films I nominated this year as two more Cary Grant films made the list with The Philadelphia Story and My Favorite Wife.


BEST DIRECTOR:

JOHN FORD - THE GRAPES OF WRATH
HOWARD HAWKS - HIS GIRL FRIDAY (WINNER)
ALFRED HITCHCOCK - REBECCA
GEORGE CUKOR - THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
ROBERT Z. LEONARD - PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

The second Montie goes to Hawks for his smooth direction of His Girl Friday. Hawks was a master of several different genres and he showed he could switch gears from comedy to drama to western with the greatest of ease.


BEST ACTOR:

LAURENCE OLIVER - REBECCA
CARY GRANT - HIS GIRL FRIDAY (WINNER)
HENRY FONDA - THE GRAPES OF WRATH
JAMES STEWART - THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
ROBERT TAYLOR - WATERLOO BRIDGE


Mr. Grant picks up his second Montie for his wonderful turn as the scheming and manipulative newspaper editor Walter Burns in His Girl Friday. This is one of my favorite performances by Cary as he is just phenomenal. Sorry Jimmy.


BEST ACTRESS:

VIVIEN LEIGH - WATERLOO BRIDGE
JOAN FONTAINE - REBECCA
ROSALIND RUSSELL - HIS GIRL FRIDAY (WINNER)
GINGER ROGERS - KITTY FOYLE
KATHERINE HEPBURN - THE PHILADELPHIA STORY


Rosalind Russell easily matched Cary tit for tat in His Girl Friday with her amazing performance as ace reporter Hildy Johnson. But this race was really close as I thought Leigh was outstanding with her follow-up to Gone with The Wind in Waterloo Bridge and a really good turn by Joan Fontaine in Rebecca. Sorry girls, but Roz gets this Montie. Her second consecutive I might add. Go Roz!


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

GEORGE SANDERS - REBECCA (WINNER)
WALTER BRENNAN - THE WESTERNER
DENNIS MORGAN - KITTY FOYLE
HUMPHREY BOGART - THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT
BASIL RATHBONE - THE MARK OF ZORRO

The sly and urbane George Sanders was very good in the film Rebecca. A foreshadowing of his other great future performance in All About Eve. Maybe he will pick up his second Montie for that performance as well. We shall see.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

JUDITH ANDERSON - REBECCA (WINNER)
JANE DARWELL - THE GRAPES OF WRATH
RUTH HUSSEY - THE PHILADEPHIA STORY
ANN SHERIDAN - THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT
GAIL PATRICK - MY FAVORITE WIFE

While Jane Darwell gave a powerful performance in The Grapes of Wrath, I went with Judith Anderson's truly wicked performance as the sinister Mrs. Danvers. Everytime I see this film, she just creeps me out.

So for the fifth year in a row, a comedy takes home the top prize as His Girl Friday just rolls over the competition and goes home with 4 Monties total. Rebecca grabs the other two awards in the supporting categories.

Up next: 1941...