MY YEAR WITH CAPRA CHALLENGE #7

FEBRUARY "It Happened One Night"

Have you ever wondered where a movie genre started? It Happened One Night is referred to as the origin of screwball comedy. Released in 1934 and starring the legendary Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this Frank Capra grand slam hit it way out of the park! Ranked #3 on the American Film Institute's list of the 10 greatest films in the respective genre, this was the first film to also win the Oscar "grand slam" including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Screenplay (IMDb). If you are a fan of funny and witty RomCom's then you definitely have to check this movie out.

Interestingly, Clark Gable reportedly commented "let's get this over with" when filming began on-set. His co-star, Claudette Colbert, shared the same sentiment stating after filming how she had just made the worst picture ever. She felt that her performance was so terrible, she thought she would lose the Oscar competition in 1935, she didn't even attend the ceremony. When she won, she was summoned from a train station to pick-up her Oscar (IMDb). Whatever the stars felt about their talent, filming, or script, what Capra produced was a romantic adventure featuring two unlikely people who come together and end up falling in-love. Gable portrays "Peter", a newspaper reporter who has almost a "frenemy"-like relationship with his editor and is looking for that next big story. Colbert plays "Ellie" an heiress who is running away from her life of luxury and her impending nuptials. Is Ellie the big story Peter has been looking for? They both are fighting their own battles and together they find more than a story, they find each other, a value far greater than that of any heiress.

Every Capra film that I have had the pleasure of watching and experiencing has been a hidden treasure trove of amazing talents, from writing, acting, directing, and everything in between. When you are watching these movies you are reeled in because the writing is intriguing, the actors are amazing, and from start to finish it has you hooked. These are movies that I have watched a couple times, each time just as entertained, and each time you catch something different. It Happened One Night had me hooked with Gable's performance, I really enjoyed watching him in this movie. There is a lot that I loved about this movie from his chivalry, to the different characters, and enjoying the adventure that the two characters experienced. It nearly warmed this cold heart to believing in "happily ever after" and the long fabled legend of romance. If you are looking for a true classic film to fall in love with, look no further. I streamed this through Amazon (three times).


IMDb.com - It Happened One Night