El soldadito del amor

Just as cute and with an incredibly similar storyline and banter style as It Happened One Night, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Young head up the cast of this adorable romantic comedy Red Salute. For some reason It Happened One Night swept the Oscars and no one's ever heard of Red Salute. Maybe this one didn't become a classic because it pokes fun at the fear of Communism; but then again, Frank Capra's comedy makes fun of wife-beating.

In this one, Barbara Stanwyck is in love with a man her father disapproves of. She's spoiled and rich, and to prevent their marriage, her dad, Purnell Pratt, tries to trick her into going to Mexico. She meets Robert Young, who's also broke and trying to find his way home, so together, they hitchhike their way back to the US. Sound familiar?

As much as I love Claudette Colbert and think she's two tons of adorable, I like Red Salute better. It's just as funny, clever, and silly, but it doesn't have the sting of winning five undeserved Academy Awards lurking in the background. Try this one out when you're in the mood for a cute romantic comedy in the afternoon.