On Jan. 11, 1940, Columbia bowed director-producer Howard Hawks’ newspaper comedy His Girl Friday, starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
With the original Hildy Johnson of the Hecht-MacArthur newspaper yarn, Front Page, metamorphized into Hildegarde Johnson and played by Rosalind Russell, Columbia has made a fast-moving, always interesting picture out of the story. There may, and probably will be those who will say it is not up to the former version, but it nevertheless furnishes good entertainment.
In the present version, Hildegarde is the former wife of the editor, played by Cary Grant, and instead of wishing to retire, as did Hildy, she wants to marry an insurance salesman (Ralph Bellamy). It is to prevent this marriage that the complications, instigated by Grant, ensue. Also, the twist of making the star reporter a woman gives opportunity for some new situations,...
With the original Hildy Johnson of the Hecht-MacArthur newspaper yarn, Front Page, metamorphized into Hildegarde Johnson and played by Rosalind Russell, Columbia has made a fast-moving, always interesting picture out of the story. There may, and probably will be those who will say it is not up to the former version, but it nevertheless furnishes good entertainment.
In the present version, Hildegarde is the former wife of the editor, played by Cary Grant, and instead of wishing to retire, as did Hildy, she wants to marry an insurance salesman (Ralph Bellamy). It is to prevent this marriage that the complications, instigated by Grant, ensue. Also, the twist of making the star reporter a woman gives opportunity for some new situations,...
- 1/10/2024
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At least the title Sounds Christmas-themed! Preston Sturges’ sweet trifle is as simple as a sit-com mix-up, but the charm is in the lovable characters (the core of Sturges’ formidable stock company) and the sincerity of all concerned. Ellen Drew is the most deserving fiancé ever to pine for a wedding ring, and Dick Powell an oh-so-earnest Dagwood Bumstead type who banks his future on a goofball coffee slogan contest — just try and figure out the meaning of his winning slogan. In his second film Sturges confirmed himself as Hollywood’s newest comedy genius writer-director — although William Demarest’s perpetually flustered character is so well written and played, we’d think that the actor was simply living the part.
Christmas in July
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1940 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 67 min. / Street Date November 26, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn, Alexander Carr, William Demarest,...
Christmas in July
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1940 / B&w / 1:37 flat Academy / 67 min. / Street Date November 26, 2019 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn, Alexander Carr, William Demarest,...
- 12/10/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The restoration of a newly rediscovered director’s cut of the 1931 The Front Page prompts this two-feature comedy disc — Lewis Milestone’s early talkie plus the sublime Howard Hawks remake, which plays a major gender switch on the main characters of Hecht & MacArthur’s original play.
His Girl Friday / The Front Page
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 849
Available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date January 10, 2017 / 39.96
His Girl Friday:
1940 / B&W /1:37 flat Academy / 92 min.
Starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Ernest Truex, Cliff Edwards, Clarence Kolb, Roscoe Karns, Frank Jenks, Regis Toomey, Abner Biberman, Frank Orth, John Qualen, Helen Mack, Alma Kruger, Billy Gilbert, Marion Martin.
Cinematography Joseph Walker
Film Editor Gene Havelick
Original Music Sidney Cutner, Felix Mills
Written by Charles Lederer from the play The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
Produced and Directed by Howard Hawks
The Front Page:...
His Girl Friday / The Front Page
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 849
Available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date January 10, 2017 / 39.96
His Girl Friday:
1940 / B&W /1:37 flat Academy / 92 min.
Starring Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Ernest Truex, Cliff Edwards, Clarence Kolb, Roscoe Karns, Frank Jenks, Regis Toomey, Abner Biberman, Frank Orth, John Qualen, Helen Mack, Alma Kruger, Billy Gilbert, Marion Martin.
Cinematography Joseph Walker
Film Editor Gene Havelick
Original Music Sidney Cutner, Felix Mills
Written by Charles Lederer from the play The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
Produced and Directed by Howard Hawks
The Front Page:...
- 1/3/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
With the entire original run of The Twilight Zone available to watch instantly, we’re partnering with Twitch Film to cover all of the show’s 156 episodes. Are you brave enough to watch them all with us? The Twilight Zone (Episode #114): “I Dream of Genie” (airdate 3/21/63) The Plot: A man finds a lazy genie in a lamp who only grants one wish. The Goods: For a second, let’s pretend that there isn’t a massive sub-genre of “Wish Fulfillment Gone Awry” episodes of this series (and of others). That includes forgetting that genies and Satan keep popping up everywhere. Thomas Gomez, Ernest Truex, and Joseph Ruskin all played the magical wish-granters, but no matter the actor behind the role – the rules are the same. You get what you want, and more than you bargained for. That’s why we’re forgetting all of those episodes exist because, despite its trite starting gun, this...
- 12/2/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
With the entire original run of The Twilight Zone available to watch instantly, we’re partnering with Twitch Film to cover all of the show’s 156 episodes. Are you brave enough to watch them all with us? The Twilight Zone (Episode #86): “Kick The Can” (airdate 2/9/61) The Plot: An old man living in a rest home thinks playing a kid game will keep him young. The Goods: While there are a ton of meaningful, challenging episodes of The Twilight Zone, this one is definitely not one of them. It’s a chore of an episode that’s silly beyond reason and more than a little preachy. The ultimate lesson is a nice enough one – that youth should be striven for by finding the magic in the world. This story was made before Viagra was invented, but the lesson is still a good one. Unfortunately, that’s about the only good thing about the episode. It...
- 10/17/2011
- by Cole Abaius
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
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