It Happened One Night (1934)

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Director: Frank Capra

Writers: Robert Riskin, based on the short story by Samuel Hopkins Adams

Stars: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Jameson Thomas, Roscoe Karns, Alan Hale, Arthur Hoyt, Blanche Frederici



A spoiled socialite (Claudette Colbert) flees her wealthy father (Walter Connolly) and heads for New York to marry a rich playboy (Jameson Thomas) against her father's will.

 


The whereabouts of Ellie Andrews and the reward for her return become the stuff of national headlines, so when recently fired reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) recognizes her, he decides to stick close so he can write the story. 



Naturally, romance follows, but it's a bumpy and hugely entertaining road to get there.

 


This is an absolutely wonderful film.

 


It's such a shame that so many people are not interested in watching an old black-and-white movie. 



Good work is timeless.

 


Gable and Colbert have wonderful chemistry and are both hilarious and touching.

 


The rest of the cast is excellent as well.

 


Even though the story is set during the Great Depression, it doesn't seem dated at all.

 


The wisecracking between characters is sharp and well-written (by screenwriter Robert Riskin); there are lots of laugh-out-loud moments during this film.

 




It's also pretty racy and suggestive for its time, with a genuinely affecting climax.

 


Another level of interest is added by the careful attention that director Frank Capra pays to the depression-era milieu; Colbert's character really doesn't understand the plight of the common man, but Gable's hard-bitten reporter is all too aware of the hard times that people are going through. 



This film was actually produced during the Great Depression, which is generally thought to have lasted from 1929 to 1939, but instead of providing the pure distraction that other Hollywood films were offering, director Capra and screenwriter Riskin positioned their characters right in the midst of contemporary problems. This adds a fascinating sociological dimension.
























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