First Time Watching *HIS GIRL FRIDAY* (1940) is an actual treasure | MOST REQUESTED MOVIES IN MAY
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- Hello Everybody! Today we are back with another one of your HIGHLY REQUESTED MOVIES IN MAY! We are watching CARY GRANT in HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)! I am so excited to watch it with you!
WE MADE IT TO 1000 SUBS!!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! You are the BEST subscribers a girl could ask for!
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XOXO,
Mia Tiffany
#hisgirlfriday
#classicfilmreaction
#movieswithmia
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FULL VIDEO RUNDOWN
00:00 Intro
00:26 Quick Announcements
01:45 Film Background
01:56 Quick Synopsis
02:19 Historical Background
03:47 Interesting Facts
06:12 Film Reaction
41:20 Final Thoughts
43:39 Outro
Original Source: His Girl Friday (1940) Columbia Pictures
Copyright disclaimer under section 107 of the copyright act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. 
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"Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant." - Cary Grant
“Rosalind Russell thought, while shooting, that she didn't have as many good lines as Cary Grant had, so she hired an advertisement writer through her brother-in-law and had him write more clever lines for the dialog. Since Howard Hawks allowed for spontaneity and ad-libbing, he, and many of the cast and crew didn't notice it, but Grant knew she was up to something, leading him to greet her every morning: "What have you got today?"
I remember reading that and thinking …how brilliant of Rosalind Russell
“Rosalind Russell was insecure during the first days of filming, knowing that she had been far down on the list of choices for the female lead. Making matters worse was the fact that Howard Hawks just watched her initial scenes with Cary Grant without making any comment. Finally, she expressed her frustration to Grant, who counselled, "If he didn't like it, he'd tell you." When she asked Hawks how he felt about her work, he said, "You just keep pushin' him around the way you're doing." That was enough to put her at ease.”
“Ginger Rogers wrote that she was offered the role of Hildy Johnson. She read the script, but this was before Cary Grant was cast, and she turned it down. After learning that Grant was cast, she regretted it.”
Haha! That is hilarious! I would have regretted it too 😂
I'd regret that too. Cary Grant was so charming.
Hildy was a big influence on how the character of Lois Lane developed. Lois was introduced two years earlier, but in the Max Fleischer cartoons and the radio shows in the 40's, she basically became Rosalind Russell as Hildy.
Never thought of that, but the Fleischer Lois does look just like Russell.
Wow! That is fantastic! I also never thought of that! I can see the character resemblance!
Lois and Clark also bantered in the early days similar to a toned down Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell since they were actually competing against one another for the top story. Then they decided to make Clark fall in love with Lois so he wouldn't be in competition with her, but she would be in love with Superman and still see Clark as competition. It was their way of showing that Lois, like Hildy, could not see when she was being played. In the first few years, Lois was the butt of the joke because she represented the girl that ignored Jerry Siegel in High School, and therefore not deserving to land the hero. Then they had Superman start returning Lois' feelings and he just used Clark to get the scoop on disasters, not to actually try to have a life. That remained the way it was done until the 1978 Superman film when Clark is shown to be a klutz and wimp and the Superman comics of the next few years reflected that change, then came the 1986 reboot and Clark was back to being a tough, athletic, intelligent and competitive person and Lois became a ballbuster feminist that ridiculed Clark for being from the country and growing up on a farm. The nickname, "Smallville" was an insult at first, but just as they had done previously, they had Clark be infatuated enough to not take offense and he gradually broke through Lois' tough and unpleasant layers to the woman he believed her to be. (turns out she was still very unpleasant, she just turned it towards people other than him... until he lost his powers a couple of times and she stated and implied that she preferred him with powers over him without powers, negating her statements prior to their wedding where she told him she would love him and marry him no matter how he looked or how he was since at that time he was without his powers as well.)
BTW, for those that don't know, when Cary says "he was tight" at 9:22, he means excessively drunk.
It is so refreshing and wonderful to see a young person like yourself appreciating classic films such as these. Another Cary Grant movie that I would recommend (again with Katherine Hepburn) is "Holiday". Not so well known, but a truly enjoyable gem. Keep up the great work, I really love your channel!
Thank you so much for watching 😊 I will definitely be checking out Holiday 😊
I adore Holiday.
@@MoviesWithMia You should do a reaction video for the ( 1937) movie 🍿🎥 " Shall We Dance" with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. I am a upright and Electric bassist, I enjoy the music from the 1939- 1960 jazz. I love the Jazz Standers were written during the 1930's - 1950's.
Probably way to late of a reply but yes I totally agree please check out holiday it is such a good movie definitely one of my favorites
@@allyrana6096 ever seen it!! I will have find it!!
"Yeah yeah yeah, I swear on my mothers grave!"
"Alright well.....hey wait a minute, you're mother's still alive!"
"All right all right my grandmother's grave!"
“The famous in-joke about Ralph Bellamy's character ("There's a guy in a taxi down at the court building looks just like that movie star, what's his name? Ralph Bellamy!") was almost left on the cutting room floor: Harry Cohn, the studio head, saw the dailies and responded in fury at the impertinence, but he let Howard Hawks leave it in, and it has always been one of the biggest laughs in the film.”
You can catch Cary Grant with his shirt off in Hitchcock's "To Catch A Thief".
Hahaha! Thank you for recommending 😂 I will definitely check that out!!
and in North by Northwest. Hitchcock knew to give his audience what they wanted. 😌
probably my very favorite 🙂
"Old lace" is a reference to elderly women wearing old dresses embellished with lace that were fashionable when they were young.
Note that Molly Malloy is wearing a blouse with a lace collar and placket. Now imagine her wearing the same blouse in another forty years. Old lace.
Ahh! Gotcha! Yeah that makes sense!
Your crush on Carey grant is adorable. Totally relate!
Haha! He was such a charming man!! 😊 totally my celebrity crush 🥰
My mom was born in 1933. She got me hooked on these old black & white movies back when AMC channel was just coming out in the 80's. To this day, this movie is my all time favorite movie!!
This is another one of my absolute favorites. You’re absolutely right when you talk about how everyone knowing her is about her acumen as a reporter, but the details make it more so. Like all of the people that know her are colleagues, sources, or service industry staff that work in industry bars. And with the exception of the woman connected to the man scheduled to be hanged, everyone she deals with is a man and they not only respect her as an equal, but look up to her because they’ll follow her instinct over their own or their fellow (male) reporters. Also the end for her character isn’t being a mom or subservient, it’s fully embracing her passion to be a newspaper woman.
Edited: the dude who was told he didn’t deliver the message he delivered was a Laurel and Hardy sight gag/reference
Old Lace is a style of decoration on fabrics like table coth and cushion cases that was very popular in the 1800s for dresses and therefore in the 20th century is often associated with old women. It is a craft that has long tradition in Europe, especially Belgium and the Netherlands.
Here is a life truth.
Every woman is in love with Cary Grant. She might not know it but she is.
Hahaha you are so right!! I am madly in love with Cary Grant and I had no idea until now 😂😂
I completely understand your love for Cary Grant. One winter evening my mom and I snuggled together to watch a Cary Grant movie. My mother had put a kettle on the stove so we could have a hot drink. Sometime during the movie we started smelling burning plastic. We'd forgotten the kettle. It was glass. The water had boiled down, the plastic lid melted, falling into the kettle and began burning. The kettle shattered and started an electrical fire. We pulled the fire alarm and the entire apartment complex ended up on the street in our pajamas while the firefighters put out the fire. (Everyone and everything was fine). To this day we blame Cary Grant. (And use an automatic turn-off kettle)
Oh wow! Well I am glad everyone and everything was okay 😅 Cary has that effect on people, I guess 😂 thank you for sharing your story 😊
"What is with Niagara Falls and honeymoons?" - Las Vegas didn't really exist yet in the 30's, and Paris or Miami was too expensive, so Niagara Falls was easy for New Yorkers to reach by train, scenic, and the big tourist-attraction destination since the 20's. Clifton Hill was still relatively classy back then. ;)
(And Reno was the divorce capital of Nevada, which is why THAT reference turns up in a lot of old movies.)
There's actually a 1960's Victor Borge routine in which he asks a honeymooning couple where they are from, and they say Niagara Falls. Since this is clearly not where the interview is taking place, his next and supposedly puzzled question is: "Is something wrong with the falls?"
I was about to go to bed, but then this popped up.
Great fun. Thanks.
I get what she means when she wants to be a person with a life rather than someone who goes chasing people around at 3 in the morning, but you can tell, she genuinely just loves it (maybe not the giving people no privacy part but the planning and writing and chasing down a story).
I love that Cary and Rosalind were the best of friends. Grant was best man at Russell's wedding as he introduced her to her future husband, Frederick Brisson who stayed with Cary Grant in his guest house while Grant was filming His Girl Friday. Upon hearing that Grant was making the movie with Russell, Brisson asked his friend if he could meet her. Cary Grant then spent weeks greeting Russell each morning on set with the question "Have you met Freddie Brisson?" in an effort to pique the actress's curiosity. One night, when Russell opened her door to let Grant in before they went dancing, as they often did, she found him standing next to a stranger. Grant explained that the odd fellow was Freddie Brisson, the man whom he had mentioned so often, and they set off for dinner, with Freddie in tow.
Russell and Brisson's marriage lasted 35 years, ending with her death. They vacationed together with Cary, and and Cary gave a eulogy at her funeral.
Mia, I freely admit that I don't always get to watch your review in one sitting. Sometimes I have to leave it and come back to it later. This is why my comments do not always come along at the same time. Such is life and such is my third comment in more than 12 hours...ha ha.
I am nearly finished watching and I have to tell you that I saw this movie for the first time a LONG time ago as a kid and I just loved it, but I didn't really know why. Some of the old classics just captured my attention. Then, I saw it again about a decade later and maybe I still liked it because of the actors and the dialogue. But, listening to you taking the time to pay attention to things like role reversal, the gossiping male reporters, the fact that Hildy can hold her own, is street smart and yet she is still feminine...it brings a new appreciation for me to just how great this little film truly is. Plus, you don't have to apologize for liking Cary Grant (and Gable and the other leading men) so much...even guys like me get it and understand the fawning...I feel the same way about all of those gorgeous actresses from yesteryear.
Please keep up the reviews and appreciation for the old films (well, some really old and then some, not quite so old, but old none the less...) because to my knowledge, no one else is doing this. Also, I thought I paid attention to films, but listening to you bring up a few things that I hadn't even considered...well, lets just say that is what makes your reviews interesting. Good luck and enjoy the popcorn!
Thomas, I am really glad I read your comment! I really needed to hear some of the things you said! Thank you, deeply! 😊 I am looking forward to your third comment 😊
For great ad lib you have to see Abbott & Costello. I read a story about him where they said that they only gave Costello the most basic scripts and just turned him loose to come up with his own lines because he was always funnier that way.
Oh the days when plot, dialogue and characters were more important than who was starring in the movie. How I miss those days.
Thanks for the shout out Mia! I was already grinning ear to ear watching your reaction and would've still even if you disagreed, heh. I could praise this film forever, it really is lightning in a bottle. Something I'd like to add here is how they do an exceptionally solid job showing off the unethical aspects of the business and making subtle jabs. We may love our Hildy's individuality and head for the work she does, but they also characterize her (+Walter) as someone fully on board with fudging things up just for the story and getting to the finish line so to speak before the other papers, rather than being driven by a calling to do good. Hardly a bad thing of course, in fact I love it. In say a Capra picture you tend not to see such moral grayness. But lest we forget, as declared tongue-in-cheekly at the beginning, they bear *no* resemblance to the men and women of today's press. No, not at alllll.
Any time Hildy is torn between something I'm especially riveted, be it juggling two men on two different phone lines, or resigning herself to what impending married life represents versus the allure of joining the scrambling following WIlliams' jail break. But the resolution of her arc as seen in her dubbing herself a "newspaperman" is truly the best. It's such a thrill to see her state something so matter-of-fact like that. Even if Walter does a repeat performance I think it's safe to say she'll have her work instead of a replacement this time. Go her.
Before I go, congrats on 1k! Very happy to see it.
One tends not to remember the grayness in a Capra film, but in truth things often get pretty dark for his characters.
@@paintedjaguar My statement wasn't to discount anything like that, but they still have their principles at the end of the day, is what I mean.
:-)
“Some of the comments here claim that, when John Qualen sticks his his head out of the rolltop desk he's hiding in and Cary Grant yells, "Get back in there, you mock turtle," the line is an in-joke referring to Paramount's 1933 film version of "Alice in Wonderland," in which Grant played the Mock Turtle. Those claims are absolutely ridiculous. In the original Ben Hecht & Charles MacArthur play "The Front Page" (which "His Girl Friday" is based on), the line was, "Get back in there, you God-damn turtle!" When "The Front Page" was first filmed in 1931, the phrase "God-damn" was forbidden, even during the pre-Code era. So the line was changed to "Get back in there, you mock turtle!" Charles Lederer, who worked on the scripts of both film versions was simply reusing the sanitized version of the line in Hawks' remake.”(From IMDb)
OFF TOPIC: Just re-watched "The Great Escape" (1963). Seen it several times before but had forgotten just how beautifully it's filmed. And an all-star cast of course. For anyone who's interested, it's presently viewable as a RUclips free movie ruclips.net/video/Aq2_CnMrPSk/видео.html
Also "Ball Of Fire" (1941) Howard Hawks/Billy Wilder screwball comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck & Gary Cooper ruclips.net/video/rEF_MuOUxbE/видео.html
(do let me know when these links go bad so I can delete)
Amazing movie... I'm in the 100+ view club of that classic !
“In addition to casting Hildy as a female reporter and editor, the City Room of the Morning Post had a half dozen other women sitting at reporter's desks. As a 1940 film, this was an extraordinary number for what was then an overwhelmingly male profession.”
I am so glad to see you enjoy yet another of my favourite films. I keep re-watching this movie, and it never gets old. The dialogue, the editing, all the characters. Hildy is amazing as a smart, assertive, confident, human being. Cary Grant? Again, as I may have said, he and I share the same ambition: to be Cary Grant. I first saw this in the late 1980's, and from then on I was hooked on candlestick telephones, roll top desks and fedoras.
Your interactions with the movies mirror so much my own, and I can see from your other subscribers, they feel that too, and are recommending so many cracking films that I also adore. North by Northwest, Some Like It Hot and so many others. Editing, dialogue, pacing, great characters and no ego.
You deserve 100x your subscribers.
I'm loving your appreciation for the B&W classics
And your appreciation for Cary Grant!!!
I just love Rosalind Russsell from her role in this to her role in Auntie Mame and Trouble with Angels. She is just a spectacular actress in my mind.
I love your channel - you seem to be the only movie reaction person I can find who deals with older historic movies, and that's something I really miss on the other movie reaction channels. Two observations on this film: I heard somewhere that Cary Grant used that "Archie Leach" gag in various movies, though this is the only one that i can recall offhand. And one of the other commenters mentioned that Ralph Bellamy was known for playing the man who loses the heroine to a better man; I only know one other instance, but that is the Astaire and Rogers movie Carefree (1938), in which he plays a character with essentially identical personality and plot function as the one he plays here. Once again, thanks so much for this great channel.
I love your intelligent comments and that you are willing to watch the old classics. Most people your age reacting on RUclips don't go further back than films from the 1990's. Check out All About Eve and Dodsworth- two amazing classics.
Hi Michael! Thank you so much for watching! And thank you for your recommendations!!
Wow, a nice review and a long one too. Good job. I thought your next one was going to be Hitchcock's "North by Northwest," perhaps the ultimate later Cary Grant film. But I imagine we will get to it when you do a Hitchcock series.
Rosalind Russell said later in life that she was proud that she could model strong, independent women.
Here are 2 people in this movie you likely didn't know:
The hilarious process server was Billy Gilbert, a well known comedian, who is in virtually every Laurel and Hardy movie. One thing I didn't realize until I looked it up is that he had a famous sneezing routine, and that was the model for "Sneezy" in Snow White.
The other is Cliff Edwards, who played one of the press room reporters. You would never know this but he became famous for playing the ukelele, and became the voice of JIminy Cricket in "Pinocchio." He did the beautiful rendition of "When you Wish Upon a Star" which has become an iconic classic. Alcoholism led to his eventual undoing.
I"m pretty sure the location of the movie is supposed to be Chicago, where I"m from , the ultimate newspaper town.
Yeah, NBNW was my first Cary movie & a quintessential Grant & Hitch film. I'm really not a fan of An Affair to Remember. I adore the leads & I'm a sentimental idiot who loves a good cry, but this movie is too much schlock, even for me. Lol. Although Grant and Kerr make that final scene work.
I haven't even watched any of your videos yet but I am so impressed with your organization. The fact that you've created a recommendation/feedback form has earned my sub lol. After this video I'll be going to check out your past videos. Great work and I look forward to seeing more from you.
Thank you Amy, I really appreciate it! Yes the recommendation form is actually a new concept! Just so I can have a place exclusively for recommendations 😊 I hope you like the videos! Thank you for subscribing 😊
Great video! His Girl Friday is a classic. I'm very excited about An Affair to Remember, it's one of my favorites.
Thank you Johanna! I am super excited for An Affair to Remember!
Just gonna say NORTH BY NORTHWEST (he’s a bit older but still very much Cary Grant) !! Also, I’m here for a possible Patreon. I’d love to see a fuller reaction video on Patreon, but I’m not sure if it would work with your style of stopping and commenting as you go-which I do enjoy. Most people who make those full reactions available require because of copyright that you have your own copy of the film to watch along with the reaction which I’d be totally cool with.
Thank you Nicholas! And YES! North by Northwest is on the list for Hitchcock month!! I am so excited to watch it!!
And yeah I have seen some reactors do that! I will definitely look into that possibility!!
“His Girl Friday” is my favorite movie, so it makes me happy to know that someone younger than me enjoys the movie too. I also like Cary Grant as an actor, and Rosalind Russell is excellent in this.
I just wished that she knew it was in the public domain and didn't need to be chopped up by edits.
When you mentioned the length of the script it immediately reminded me of the TV series "Gilmore Girls" which also had extra-long scripts with overlapping dialogue. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend it.
Cary Grant is one of the greats, I have at least 20 of his films in my collection.
Yay, for a Cary Grant film marathon! No man in movies can wear a suit like Cary. Watching this on December 7, 2021 the anniversary of Pearl Harbor December 7,1941 when the US entered WW ll.
First of all Mia...
Congratulations on reaching 1000 subscribers! 🎊🎉 The first of many milestones for this channel, I’m sure. And it’s cool we got to celebrate it with you watching this classic comedy.
It’s no surprise that Cary Grant is fantastic as always but watching these clips with you just reminded me again just how versatile he truly is. As you pointed out, he’s got a tougher edge to his persona here since he’s playing a hard-nosed reporter who’ll do anything to scoop a story. And just listen to him and Rosalind Russell spitting out those lines a mile a minute, as if they were unloading artillery.
The fact that Howard Hawks is overseeing this makes total sense since he directed his share of gritty classic gangster movies. Only here, Hawks is substituting the spraying of Tommy Gun bullets with rapid fire wordplay.
And speaking of Rosalind Russell, isn’t she great? She absolutely CRUSHES it in this. It was thrilling to see you get excited about witnessing strong female representation during this 1940 film to the point that it led you to proclaim “I want to be Hildy Johnson when I grow up!” And let me chime in as well and say “And so do we all!”
That’s what’s so cool about following a strong protagonist in any story, regardless of gender, because they have the unbiased potential to inspire both men and women in a meaningful way.
And because of that, actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age such as Rosalind Russell, Katherine Hepburn, Betty Davis, and Barbara Stanwyck (to name a few) actually became feminist icons decades before that official movement even had a name.
In fact, oftentimes the reason audiences even had the opportunity to see willful, dynamic, and intelligent female protagonists onscreen was because these very same actresses embodied these characteristics themselves and were battling behind the scenes to bring them to light.
And since we’re on this topic, it was fun to see you notice the sly gender reversal of making the men these frenetic gossipers instead of women. I don’t think that went unnoticed by Quentin Tarantino when he penned the line in Pulp Fiction (“When you little scamps get together, you’re worse than a sowing circle”) which you seemed to reference yourself at one point. Tarantino is a huge Hawks fan and he even directly references ‘His Girl Friday’ by name in a scene description of his Oscar winning screenplay.
You’re doing a fantastic job, Mia and it’s a joy to see you pick up on so many nuances during these reactions and offer up your own insights in real time. Since you requested it of your subscribers and viewers, I went ahead and submitted my recommendation form and if I stumble upon any other ideas I’ll be sure to share.
I was going to add a little more here in response to a question you had in regards to Cary Grant: “Do they still make them like this anymore?” But I’ll make that my parting shot the next time in honor of closing out this series devoted to him. Cheers! 😊
Thank you for this wonderful read, Jose! You know what’s funny, I had just watched Pulp Fiction for the first time right before watching this (mind you I hadn’t the slightest idea that Tarantino was a Hawks fan, which makes this story that much more intriguing 😂) that line had stuck with me as I watched Pulp Fiction because I found it so interesting that the wife of the Mob boss had described his hitmen as “worst than a sewing circle”. As I was watching these reporters gossiping with each other, I was reminded of Mia Wallace’s quotable line! I think that is so wild that that line was inspired by His Girl Friday! And I am so glad that you brought that up, otherwise I would have had no idea! Thank you so much for your insight and your comments 😊
That’s so cool! It all came full circle 😀
“Howard Hawks pitched the idea of remaking "The Front Page" to Cary Grant in the lead while directing the star in Only Angels Have Wings (1939). At the time, Harry Cohn wanted to make the film with Grant as reporter Hildy Johnson and legendary newspaper columnist Walter Winchell as editor Walter Burns.”
Thanks for another great film reaction; Congratulations on reaching 1000 subscribers!
Thank you Prof John 😊
Congrats on the 1000 subscribers Mia!!!
Thank you Thomas 😊
I haven't seen this movie in may years. Thank you. I enjoyed watching it with you, as well as your insightful comments.
I appreciate you reacting to these old films. No one else is really doing this.
Speaking of Cary Grant, have you seen North by Northwest? It's an odd film. More style than plot. It is a great show piece of that early 60s, Mad Men style of architecture and fashion plus all the polish and gloss you'd expect from a technicolor Hitchcock film.
Would definitely find your reaction interesting.
Hi Lethgar 👋🏽 thank you, I am glad you like the video 😊 We will be watching North by Northwest during our Hitchcock month! I am very excited! Thank you so much for recommending it!
Congratulations on hitting a thousand subscribers!
Thank you kruuyai!! It would not have been possible without all of you amazing subscribers!!
Love this fast talking banter between characters. Funny, well written, with a great cast.
Omg, yes, the dialogue! My 3rd watch and I'm bound to catch what I missed! Fast fast paced patter! Catch it if you can!😆
You set it up PERFECTLY!
The great thing about movies at this time was the snappy dialogue. Loved this.
Glad you’ve found this treasure. It’s my favorite movie of all time, and I am deliberate in taking the time to watch at least once a year. Wish you spoke about the best line in movie history - leave the rooster story in, that’s human interest. Pure, 24k gold.
Thanks for doing justice to an American treasure.
This is one of the BEST old comedies! So glad you are watching it
Congratulations on 1K subscribers, Mia! 👏🏻🏆🎇
THANK YOU CATHERINE!! I could not have gotten here without all of you 😊
Great reaction Mia! You are so perceptive in picking up subtleties and nuances of these classics. John Qualen who played Earl Williams also played Victor Lazlo's underground contact in Casablanca. He showed Victor and Ilsa the ring with the Free French Cross of Lorraine to identify himself. Also - love your new classic black and white Hollywood thumbnail photo! Very elegant! You're one swell dame sista!
Thank you Vince! Oh I had no idea the guy who played Earl Williams was in Casablanca! SO COOL!! Thank you for watching 😊
Great Reaction to a Great Film!!!
You have to check out "The Awful Truth" 1937. Most movie buffs are in full agreement that this was the movie in which Cary Grant's unique screen persona was born. The director Leo McCarey wanted more spontaneity out of Grant. Initially Grant felt like a fish out of water and in desperation decided to copy the mannerisms of McCarey. And thus the Cary Grant that every one knows and loves was born. Irene Dunne is his leading lady (and very funny) and Ralph Bellamy (His Girl Friday) and Aster the dog (Bringing up Baby) add to the mayhem.
Grant and Dunne were also wonderful in"My Favorite Wife"
This is the same with the (obviously, later) television shows, Moonlighting and Gilmore Girls, which had very long scripts because of how the speed of the dialogue. Cybill Shepherd told the creator of Moonlighting, "This is a Hawksian comedy."
I just happened to look up reactions to this movie that I enjoy so much and found your channel... What a wonderful reactor you are! I hope you get around to Roman Holiday. It's a gem.
160 page script and a 90 minute film. That's rapid dialogue.
"Archie Leach" was Cary Grant's real name.
"There's a guy in a taxi down at the court building looks just like that fellow in the movies, what's his name? Ralph Bellamy!"
I believe the fast-paced script actually ran some 191 pages!
Your best insights yet. 👍
Great review of this movie.
Fun reaction to a great film! I love the pace and snappy dialogue. I also like seeing Hildy as a savvy, street smart woman navigating through a man’s world.
I’m soooo excited to see An Affair to Remember!!! It’s one of my favorites because both Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant are among my all time favorite actors! And yes, do Patreon! It’d be great to be able to watch entire films and your reaction! Thanks, Mia!
I think I liked the Kerr and Grant pairing better in "The Grass Is Greener" (1960).
Thanks Catherine!! Hildy Johnson is one of my FAVORITE characters!! I loved how independent she was!!
Thank you for the Patreon recommendation!! I will definitely consider full reactions!!
Nobody's been this excited over Porter Hall since Mrs. Hall on their wedding night.
“Rosalind Russell resented the fact that she wasn't the first choice to play Hildy for director Howard Hawks. She showed up to the audition with her hair wet from swimming.”
Love your reactions! Please react to “Auntie Mame” with Rosalind Russell! It’s one of my favorites!
Did you notice notice there's no background music until the very end???
The dialogue is absolutely outstanding, and any music would've taken away from the fast paced structure. An absolute gem!!!
I love this film. The first time I saw it, I was gobsmacked by the brilliant script. I also fell a little bit in love with Rosalind Russell. Such a great actress.
Great reaction! I was one of the people who suggested this and had a feeling you'd really like it.
If you're a fan of Cary Grant you should check out "Mr Blandings builds his Dream House". Not as fast paced as this one but some great dialogue. And a few more classics worth mentioning...
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen (Bogart)
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Davis, Crawford)
Rear Window, Vertigo (Stewart)
Some Like It Hot (Monroe, Lemon, Curtis)....And a more modern classic (I think) with great dialogue,
The Sunshine Boys (Matthau, Lemon)
I love mr blandings!!!! especially bc of myrna loy (she's possibly my fave actress in the world) hahaha
Please do make a patreon because I can’t get enough of your videos
Oh yay! Thank you for watching 😊 what are some things that you’d be interested in seeing on Patreon?
@@MoviesWithMia I'll make one observation. In my experience, reaction channels that choose movies by means of Patreon polls tend to have less interesting content.
@@paintedjaguar In addition to that, they choose the same content for every reviewer and the reviewer ends up beholden to them because of the payments. If Mia goes that route, I hope she puts her foot down and shows the content she wants to review, not that someone else wants or gives them limitations.
Yes this another absolute fave. The opening scenes are my fave comedy parts.😅
Cary Grant films I recommend: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, My Favorite Wife, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, Gunga Din, The Awful Truth, Holiday, Only Angels Have Wings, Penny Serenade, Suspicion, The Talk of the Town, Once Upon a Honeymoon, None but the Lonely Heart, The Bishop’s Wife, Every Girl Should Be Married, Monkey Business, & Father Goose
The phrase _Lavender and Old Lace_ is taken from a popular romance novel from 1902. It describes the life stories of several different women. The title evokes (for me) a visit to an elderly woman, whose house has a strong scent of lavender, and whose furniture is covered in doilies.
Just Love 💗 your enthusiasm 🥳
Thank you so much 😊
Ralph Bellamy sounds EXACTLY like he does in Trading Places 😄
In the early 80s I was lucky enough to see Cary Grant at SMU in Dallas do an actor’s studio type event where they showed a montage of his films then he spoke and took questions, it was wonderful seeing him being such a fan especially North by Northwest, thanks Mia I really enjoy your excellent channel
An Evening with Cary Grant.
“During filming, Rosalind Russell noticed that Howard Hawks treated her like an also-ran, so she confronted him: "You don't want me, do you? Well, you're stuck with me, so you might as well make the most of it."
Have you watched Auntie Mame? I think that is the defining role Roseland Russell. Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy were a perfect pair for Trading Places and you might have fun with a Month Review of their movies. A great Cary Grant movie starring two of the most watchable performers; Grant and Audrey Hepburn is a perfect movie for your plot reactions. I was totally captivated by that movie and was totally surprised by all the twists and turns. The expression about lavender and old lace speaks to elderly women, particularly a widow, Lavender was the color of off mourning; no longer in black. Lace was used as embellishment and often removed from one outfit and placed on another. Lace was handed down as it was an expensive embellishment and used over and over
Hi Martha 👋🏽 yes I have seen Auntie Mame! Here is the link to that reaction in case you’re interested in watching it: ruclips.net/video/BuXG-GeIXao/видео.html
Also, I saw Trading Places and also the cameo that Don and Ralph made in Coming to America! I also watched Charade on the channel with Hepburn and Grant! Here is the link to that reaction: ruclips.net/video/IQYGCc-ukNQ/видео.html
Thanks so much for watching!!
One thing you really hafta remember, the GREAT screen writers of the thirties were either novelists or news paper writers of the twenties. A lot of the great movies of this era, this film, "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gabe, centered around news paper reporters.
You mentioned how the film seemed to take a big turn. The first scenes in the film were invented by the filmmakers - the play actually starts with the first scene in the newsroom. The play is basically a one-set play with all the action happening in the newsroom. You can see the first film (titled The Front Page starring Adolph Menjou and Pat O’Brian) to see that the film does use a lot of the play’s original dialog.
This film falls into Hawks’s favorite situation - a group of professional men doing a job who are good at what they do. Other Hawks films with this theme include Only Angels Have Wings, Ball of Fire, The Thing From Another World, Rio Bravo and many others. A woman is often involved with the group but she must be “good enough”. The scene with Hildy interviewing Earl Wilson was written to show that Hildy is good at what she does.
I recommend seeing The Front Page movie, to see how much is the same (more than I'd assumed) and how much better the same material is done in this film.
So glad you liked this smart, fast story! I don't have much to add to the wonderful commenters who beat me to it, but I'll toss in a couple of cents about a topic I usually don't notice: Russell's outfit for this movie. It seems to me that it defines her character wonderfully: a fitted, practical suit, with masculine touches, but elegant and feminine. She can move in it, remove or add articles to fit the occasion, and it wears well during the frantic events of this night.
Hawks did pretty well with his female characters, which include Barbara Stanwyck in "Ball of Fire", and most, most, most notably Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not". The legend is that these women were modelled after his assertive and independent wife, Slim Keith.
Looking forward to next week! I believe this is your first Deborah Kerr movie. I think you'll like her. She's got a reputation for playing sweet, demure ladies, but some of my favorite roles have her fully invested in tough surroundings ("King Solomon's Mines", "The Sundowners" and "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison"). Here's a favorite story about her regarding her partnership with attractive tough guy Robert Mitchum in "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison":
When filming began, Robert Mitchum worried that Deborah Kerr would be like the prim characters she frequently played. However, after she swore at director John Huston during one take, Mitchum, who was in the water, almost drowned laughing. The two stars went on to have an enduring friendship which lasted until Mitchum's death in 1997.
As noted below, "An Affair to Remember" is a remake of "Love Affair", with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne (who I used to confuse with Kerr, oddly). I agree with the comment that the first movie is generally better, partly because it features the tiny, formidable Maria Ouspenskaya. She's most famous as the old lady in "The Wolf Man", but I first saw her in a small, vital role in "Dodsworth", where she gave me chills, simply by sitting still and targeting her object with her stare. "Dodsworth" is worth seeing, and can start up a very long, interesting conversation, especially today, regarding marriage, faithfulness and the roles of a husband and wife.
I love Deborah Kerr! I read that while filming Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, she injured her foot on some rocks. Mitchum knelt down, removed her shoe and massaged her foot. I love that film and both gave terrific performances which deserve more viewing.
@@catherinelw9365 It's a great movie, a surprisingly sweet character study, and a good companion piece to another family favorite, "The African Queen".
Robert Mitchum!! He seemed to try to be a real tough one, but one of his most charming roles contains lots of action with a little boy: "Holiday Affair"; and the children who acted with him in the chilling "Night of the Hunter", had, I believe, nothing but swee things to say about him. He could sing, too, and you get a taste of that in "Night of the Hunter".
“It is estimated that the normal rate of verbal dialogue in most films is around 90 words a minute. In His Girl Friday (1940), the delivery has been clocked at 240 words a minute.”
I didn't know anyone else could be as excited as I am when I see that Roscoe Karns is in a movie. Take a look at "Twentieth Century" for another great performance by him.
I’d love to see a series of reactions to Preston Sturges comedies (The Great McGinty, The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Palm Beach Story, The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, Hail the Conquering Hero, etc.).
I'm in the middle of watching your review now but you mentioned Cary Grant's versatility---you've seen him now in (I believe) it's been 4 roles, The Philadelphia Story, Arsenic and Old Lace, Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. All of these films are comedies, with a hint of drama. I would strongly suggest checking out his most celebrated collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock in North By Northwest. This film was the precursor to the James Bond films and you can tell it had a major influence. It has a perfect mixture of adventure, mystery and intrigue, comedy and romance. And for another, I would choose Notorious with Ingrid Bergman. Another Hitchcock film but Grant's role is much darker---essentially a puppet master who uses someone to further his own professional ambitions.
As far as a gun being pointed at someone and it being in violation of the Hays Code---the entire film noir genre is full of these type of scenes, so if it was in violation, many many films found a way around the censors. Looking forward to you delving into the film noir genre with Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, The Big Sleep, Nightmare Alley and many more.
Also fun note: His Girl Friday is one of Quentin Tarantino's top 5 favorite films of all-time.
Oh yes! Now I am SO EXCITED for North by Northwest! We will be watching that for our Hitchcock month!! And thank you for those recommendations for our Film Noir Month! I have those on the list!! And I LOVE TARANTINO!!! It is so sweet that this film is in his Top 5 list!! Thank you for sharing!
Oh and thank you for clarifying that Hays Code point! I honestly just think the whole code in general is fascinating! 😂
If I had to pick the three essential Cary Grant films, "Notorious" and "North by Northwest" would be two of them.
Grant is great in Hitchcock’s Notorious also. His character is quite dark in it.
Maltese Falcon is awesome.
This is the most American film ever made.
31:50
Try and notice when the girl jumps out of the window. One of the journalists move from left to right in the camera angle, just as the girl rushes towards the window. This is a vintage camera trick to keep our focus on her without us noticing that we do, while there's life in the foregrund. As she moves towards the window from right to left, we need to keep the right side of the image clear to be able to follow her, and as she jumps out, the guy in the left of the foreground moves to the right to clear the left side of the image, so we continue to see her jump out.
I've read that Howards Hawks invented that trick for this film. I have noticed both Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson steal it and use it in "Jaws" and "Fellowship of the Ring" respectively.
“When Walter takes Hildy and Bruce out to lunch, all three order roast beef on white bread. Yet the waiter brings them salads instead.”
I've never noticed this, as many times as I've seen it!
“To capture the film's fast-paced dialogue clearly, Howard Hawks decided to use multiple microphones rather than one overhead boom mike. Since the microphones couldn't be turned on simultaneously, a sound technician had to switch from mike to mike on cue. Some scenes required as many as 35 switches.”
one of my favorite movies!!
Hi, loving these reactions! You should check out Monkey Business (1952). Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Coburn. It's a later screwball comedy by Hawks and co. I haven't seen it in a while but I'm sure it holds up. Keep up the excellent work. X
Thank you for recommending! I will definitely check that out!!
I re-watched it recently and it holds up very well, especially the rapid-fire innuendo and the chemistry between Grant & Rogers and Grant & Monroe. Of course you do have to be in the mood for that brand of comedy.
Hi, 6,746 Subscribers. Well done. I recommended " Gunga Din ". An old favorite Cary Grant movie.
They did a remake of this in 1974 "The Front Page" with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. A Very good film. My favourite Carry Grant film is the 1963 "Charade" with Audrey Hepburn.
His Girl Friday is actually a remake of The Front Page (1928) that was later remade in its near original form in 1974 after being remade several other times before.
“Jean Arthur was the first choice to play Hildy. Among the other actresses who also turned down the role were Carole Lombard, Margaret Sullavan, Ginger Rogers, Claudette Colbert and Irene Dunne.”
You definitely need to watch the Cary Grant Irene Dunn movies "My Favorite Wife", and "The Awful Truth". You also need to watch Rosalind Russell in "Auntie Mame", and "Gypsy".
I don't know if it's been suggested to you but, Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious" starring Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman, also with Claude Raines. I think you will really like his performance. Also "North by Northwest".
Oh yes! Both Notorious and North by Northwest is on the list for our Hitchcock Month!!
Niagara Falls was a honeymoon spot for the middle class who couldn't afford a foreign vacation from the 1920s to the 50s. After air travel started to become more affordable to the masses Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean took its place. Europewas still considered an upper class vacation until the 1970s.
I love this movie so much oh my goodness. The story theyre breaking is wild but the movie is incredible.
Russell and Grant forever 🙌
This is my favorite movie. Cheers.
This pace of dialog was given great homage with _The Gilmore Girls_ (esp. after season 1). Instead of a typical 45-50 pages for a 1-hour drama, the scripts were about 80 -- most of it dialog. It was a great callback but still, and amazingly, slower than this.
I really like you and your style. You make me want to visit the USA because I think American are so positive and friendly. I suggest Gentleman Jim with Errol Flynn. Smiled and was thrilled all the way through that movie. That movie and Girl Friday are my two favourite 30s movie.
“Three years before this movie was released, Cary Grant and Ralph Bellamy co-starred in "The Awful Truth" which was also a comedy about a divorced couple trying to outmaneuver each other, with Ralph Bellamy being a suitor of Cary Grant's character's ex-wife. Both films were based on plays, and both films were remakes.”
“This motion picture was released nationally on Cary Grant's 36th birthday.”
Btw, the accused is Berger from Casablanca and Mr Jorgeson from The Searchers