His Girl Friday

As if creating one comedic masterpiece with 1938's BRINGING UP BABY was not enough, director Howard Hawks returned to the same genre a scant two years later - and he somehow managed to rival even his own previous masterwork. Nominally a reworking Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's play THE FRONT PAGE, HIS GIRL Friday manages to surpass it's classic source material and emerge as one of the screen's finest comedies. The film is also perhaps the perfect example of Hawks' trademarked rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue, which has never been as fast nor as furious anywhere else before or since. This is certainly one of the fastest moving comedies ever filmed, and the whole cast never misses a beat.

Walter Burns, the conniving, self-serving newspaper editor, is a character that could have easily come off as a tyrannical jerk. As portrayed by the suave Cary Grant, however, the pompous, arrogant Burns actually becomes (gasp!) likable! It is a difficult balancing act that Grant must perform as teetering between the two extremes of the character, and he is arguably the only actor imaginable with the skill and charisma to pull such a tricky characterization off this successfully. And the one-and-only Rosalind Russell is every bit his match - full of verve and aplomb, Russell's Hildy is an independent career woman, brimming with intelligence and class, that impressively pre-dates the major feminist movement of the mid-sixties by a good 25 years.

The film's supporting cast is no less impressive, with every single role cast to perfection. This is particularly true of Ralph Bellamy, who (along with his Oscar-nominated performance in 1937's THE AWFUL TRUTH) proves once again that he is the ultimate straight man. The film contains some grim subject matter that may seem like unlikely fodder for a screwball comedy (murder, attempted suicide, and public execution are all touched upon), although the film somehow manages to deal with such topics respectfully and without sacrificing any laughs. In the end, HIS GIRL Friday is an absolutely unbeatable romantic comedy that remains wildly hilarious and comes as close to sheer perfection as any motion picture could ever hope to.

"His Girl Friday" is a romantic comedy that belongs almost entirely to the screwball tradition. The screenplay is adapted from the 1928 play "The Front Page" by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. This is the second, and by far the most successful, film adaptation of that story.

We follow former star reporter Hildy Johnson, who is about to marry insurance agent Bruce Baldwin. Their plan is simple: to start a family and settle into a quiet life in Albany. But there's a catch-Hildy happens to be the ex-wife of Walter Burns, a ruthless and manipulative newspaper editor determined to derail their plans. Walter convinces Hildy to cover just one more story before she leaves with Bruce. The case seems simple-a chance killing-but beneath it lies a tangle of political corruption. Hildy agrees, on the condition that Walter buys a life insurance policy from Bruce, but by doing so she steps straight into Walter's treacherous game...

Howard Hawks directs with a whirlwind pace: the lines are exchanged at lightning speed, often without pause, like bursts of rapid-fire. This rhythm adds energy to the comedy and makes the escalating entanglements feel endless. Hawks was known to allow improvisation, cutting a scene only when it was necessary to move on to the next sequence. The result is that the audience feels immersed in the true circus of a newsroom. The camera faithfully follows the protagonists, while close-ups highlight the irony and satirical edge of their relationships. Romance here takes a back seat, almost as if life itself is unfair to Hildy. It's clear, however, that ambition drives every character forward.

Thematically, the film exposes corrupt politics and the sensationalism of the press, through the fate of a condemned man abandoned by the justice system. Its characters move through a sharp, cynical game that raises questions about ambition, marriage, emancipation, and honesty in relationships.

Cary Grant is outstanding as Walter Burns-manipulative, unscrupulous, and yet irresistibly charming. He is both an editorial demon and a slippery seducer, and yet the audience can't help but root for him. His charisma makes us sympathize with him, even when we cannot fully grasp his motives. Once again, Grant is flawless in his element.

Rosalind Russell plays Hildy Johnson, the beating heart of the film. Hildy is smart, witty, and resourceful-a woman torn between her desire for domestic peace and the irresistible pull of reporting. She holds her own against Walter in every exchange, and their chemistry, especially in their quarrels, is nothing short of electric.

Ralph Bellamy, as Bruce Baldwin, is the good-natured, gentlemanly fiancé who is hopelessly out of place in the chaos of journalism. His character is the complete opposite of Walter and Hildy, providing a perfect counterbalance that deepens the comedy. Bellamy is superb in the role, though one might joke that his fans should start a petition never to cast him opposite Grant again-because no one escapes Walter's tricks unscathed.

"His Girl Friday" is a film about the speed of life, the power of words, and the manipulative games that unfold within the noisy world of politics and journalism. Love and professional passion collide in a single point, while truth remains as slippery and fleeting as a tabloid headline. For lovers of romantic comedy, this film is essential viewing and stands as one of the finest examples of the genre from the 1940s.

A very, very funny movie, this rapid-fire farce combines a terrific cast, a great script, and a plot that lends itself wonderfully both to comedy and satire. There are more funny lines and good gags than you can count, even when you've already seen it a few times.

Cary Grant is excellent at this kind of manic comedy, and Rosalind Russell gives what had to be one of her very best performances, as a worthy foil for Grant's domineering character. Ralph Bellamy is also ideal as the naive insurance salesman, and they are backed up by a cast filled with fine comic character actors. Some of the supporting cast do a terrific job of getting laughs with very limited screen time. They all get great material to work with, too. The dialogue is just amazing, with funny, creative lines coming constantly - sometimes literally on top of each other. The setting and the plot create hilarious situations and some great opportunities to satirize politicians and the news media. If anything, the satire is even funnier and more appropriate as regards today's institutions than it was in 1940.

"His Girl Friday" is absolutely hilarious, a classic comedy that you can watch and enjoy over and over.

This screen adaptation of the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play "The Front Page" was adapted for the talents of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell -- there is no such character as Hildy Johnson (Russell) in that play.

Director Howard Hawks wanted to show the whirlwind pace of the newsroom in the criminal courts system so he had his actors overlap their lines -- so much so that at times it seems as though everyone is talking at once; it even gets difficult to understand all that is going on.

He also had the cast move FAST so the film looks totally frenetic from scene to scene with no respite -- either from the laughs or from the action.

There are two really good "inside" jokes in the script: The first is where Walter Burns (Grant) is describing Hildy's fiancee and says that "he looks like that guy in the movies -- Bellamy," Well, it WAS Ralph Bellamy playing that part!

The other is when Burns says something about someone he once knew named "Archie Leach" which just happens to be Cary Grant's real name.

This is one of the true gems of Hollywood's most prolific era. It has incredible pacing, acting, photography and an authentic gritty feeling that would be associated with hard-boiled, "anything for a story" newspaper people.

It has long been one of my favorite films and deserves to be watched over and over again -- just for all the dialogue and great acting that may have gone by so fast you missed it the first time.

I just finished watching the DVD of this first-class, semi-Screwball comedy in Columbia Classics beautiful transfer, and it absolutely made my day! What a movie! What a screenplay! The dialogue is better - more modern - in fact, than a in lot of contemporary movies. It's incredibly funny, too, and my teenage sons kept laughing right along with me at the smart come-backs. Cary Grant is, of course, as good (if not better) than ever, and I've never seen Rosalind Russel in a role that suited her more perfectly. And that's just for starters: The timing of the thing is still awe- inspiring after sixty-odd years; the supporting actors, down to the bit-players, are all memorable, convincing and hilarious; the camera work (this IS the forties, though) is inventive and the editing superb. I can safely confess now that I hadn't ever seen it before, but that's no reason for you to make the same mistake: Go buy/rent it NOW! Hats off to the great Howard Hawks, his cast and crew for pulling this comedy masterpiece off. And thank you, thank you, thank you Columbia Pictures, for

making it possible for me to watch it in such pristine condition! (I've got the 2002 edition, and from what I've heard you should beware of earlier DVD issues).