“It Happened One Night” is a 1934 romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra. The story revolves around Ellie Andrews, a spoiled heiress who escapes her father’s clutches and runs away from her arranged marriage. She meets Peter Warne, a witty journalist who helps her on her journey to reunite with her lover. Along the way, they face numerous adventures and obstacles but slowly fall in love. The movie was a huge success, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and establishing a blueprint for romantic comedies. It remains a classic and influential film in the genre..
Accessibility is one of the things I’ve been harping on about with my entries in this Movies to See Before You Die series, focusing on movies that can serve as introductions for anyone who wants to see more black and white films, more arthouse stuff etc, but maybe doesn’t know where to start. It Happened One Night, directed by Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life) nearly a century ago, is a perfect way to start watching “old” movies, if you haven’t seen very many of them.
It Happened One Night is the story of an heiress (comedic genius Claudette Colbert) who is separated by fantastical circumstance from her new husband (Walter Connolly). The only way she’s going to get back to him in one piece is with the help of a clever, witty, relentlessly energetic news reporter (Clark Gable at his charismatic best, showing chops for comedy, drama, romance, and everything in between). Their relationship goes the way you would imagine it would, from antagonistic to romantic over a wild road movie plot that doesn’t slow down on ever-evolving chaos or humorous dialog.
Some of the slang might be dated, as well as some social attitudes. It’s impossible for a movie that is nine decades old to avoid some anachronisms. Where the appeal of It Happened One Night really counts is in our two protagonists, how they work together and against each other, and what happens to them at the end of everything. It Happened One Night didn’t invent the rom com (it might have been Sherlock Jr. or Girl Shy). What it did do was help perfect a formula that you can very easily see in many of the movies being made today.
Being quick on your feet, likable, and above all else funny can be relatively timeless qualities in the right vehicles. It Happened One Night is one of those vehicles. The film may look like some fast-talking fragment of a bygone era, but the language, physical performances, and comedic devices employed by screenwriter Robert Riskin are all very easy to understand and enjoy in the present.
It Happened One Night is also quite charming in its tone and execution. You really wouldn’t need to change anything that fundamentally matters to make this movie today. The film was a hit upon release, earning rave reviews, and becoming the first of only three movies to win all five major Academy Awards. I’m not surprised. It’s a movie I didn’t get to see until my early 20s, but it was instantly amiable and only got more appealing as it went on. If you really love movies, there are certain films you should at least be willing to try. It Happened One Night is one of these, effortlessly funny where it will always count.
It Happened One Night is still one of the best comedies ever made, and that’s something that virtually any human being who likes comedy and romance in their entertainment can appreciate.
Enjoying this column? Catch up on the rest of MTSVBYD.
READ NEXT: Pandora’s Box (1929) | Movies To See Before You Die
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
“It Happened One Night,” directed by Frank Capra, is a black and white film that serves as a great introduction to older movies for those who are interested in exploring the genre. The film follows the story of an heiress who becomes separated from her husband and must rely on a witty news reporter to help her reunite with him. Despite being nearly a century old, the film’s appeal lies in the chemistry between its two protagonists and its timeless humor. “It Happened One Night” is a charming and funny comedy that anyone who enjoys comedy and romance can appreciate.
Hashtags: #Happened #Night
Hgvt.edu.vn trang tổng hợp kiến thức giáo dục, công nghệ, đời sống. Bạn có thể tự đánh giá nội dung và trở thành cộng tác viên của chúng tôi
Leave a Reply