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Revisting - Movie Archive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you think of "Best Comedies of All-Time" you don't normally think of the year 1934...

 

The Players: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert

The Director: Frank Capra

 

The Gist: A simple story of "rich naive girl runs away. Girl meets shrewd albeit unemployed newspaper man on bus. Girl gets herself in trouble only to have the man bail her out again and again. Man falls for girl and girl for man albeit at different moments and kicking and screaming along the way." But wait! Did I mention girl was married? The plot thickens, it always thickens.

 

Frankly, my dear, George Clooney stole my shtick....

It's easy to forget about films that aren't flashy, raunchy or even in color. My impression of Clark Gable prior to this movie was probably like so many others: he's the "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" guy from that ridiculously long movie "Gone with the Wind"...my thoughts after watching this movie? He's hilarious, charming, confident and a great lead actor.

Yet, what makes this movie so fun was that Claudette Colbert isn't a pushover to his antics. She is assertive, witty and matches Gable step by step. Throw in the 1930s vibe where even the "common" people had class and the collective conscience was far less cynical. All in all you have a classic film that seems awfully familiar in design and execution because so many films have borrowed from this formula over the years.

Think back to your favorite and the most successful romantic comedies: There's Something About Mary, Notting Hill, and basically every Rom-Com in the 70 years since this movie was made can thank "It Happened One Night" for the "guy/girl, will they won't they, sexual tension" thing that makes Rom-Coms, Rommy and Commy. This movie is special and in context, most other Rom-Coms feel like bad photocopies.

Thumbing for a hitch...Gable and Colbert provide some great banter.

Watch this movie and tell me that Gable hasn't been plagiarized by George Clooney? The witty comebacks, the arrogance, and always in nice clothing. I know I'm in the middle of a love/hate affair with Clooney, but seriously I can't be making up this connection. This isn't to loft Gable as some untouchable actor or denigrate Clooney's skills; both men are skilled in their own way and have a few chinks in the armor to boot. It's just interesting to see that one came 50 years before the other. Make your own decision, but it's great to see the original at his best.

 

Buy it, Rent it, Skip it...

I'm not even sure this one is available to purchase, but if you can find it, it's worth owning. If not, watch it on Netflix like we did.