It Happened One Night


Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Jameson Thomas
Directed by: Frank Capra
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Comedy, Romance
1934

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A socialite (Claudette Colbert) runs away from her father (Walter Connolly) because he disapproves of her marriage to a wealthy man (Jameson Thomas). During her cross-country trip to reunite with her husband, she gets some assistance from a newspaperman (Clark Gable) determined to get her exclusive story, and willing to help her get back to her lover in any way.

Review:

Tim: It Happened One Night is an absolute classic from the great Frank Capra, which won 5 Academy Awards- Best Picture, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Now, many films have won 5 Academy Awards, but these aren't just any. It Happened One Night captured the big 5 awards. This is incredibly rare, and an amazing feat for any movie. It speaks volumes about this film's merits. Now, you would think that I absolutely loved such a wonderful movie. I did like it very much, but I feel like it could have been better. The film's fatal flaw is the last 25 minutes or so- the movie just falls apart, and the last few scenes seem to drag out, grinding the film to a halt. I love the first 80 minutes, but the last 25 minutes are fairly weak.

One of the film's great strengths is the cast. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert work together beautifully. They are both charismatic, likeable actors, and on screen, they are excellent next to each other. They run the full gamet of emotions, from indifference, attraction, dislike, hatred, disappointment, and love. Miraculously, they are great no matter what scene or what emotions were called upon. They were believable throughout the film. I really loved both of their performances.

Frank Capra gives us some incredibly memorable, classic scenes. The Walls of Jericho is fairly famous (although I wasn't a huge fan of these scenes- I do admit they worked). There are some scenes I loved. I love the conversations Gable and Colbert have about mundane activities- the right way to dunk a donut, the proper way to hitch a ride, and more. The hitchhiking scene is probably the most famous, recognizable scene in the film. It truly is a classic. I also have to mention my favorite scene, which is when Gable and Colbert have to pretend to be a long-married couple having an argument. I can barely describe how wonderful this scene is- you have them starting out as they are, and immediately, pretending to be someone else, whose argument starts out simple enough, brings along some baggage, rising to a fever pitch. This scene is absolutely perfect in every way, and I love it.

It Happened One Night is a classic movie and I really do love it. However, as effective as the majority of the movie is, the film's conclusion is surprisingly weak and somewhat ineffective. The movie would have been better had the conclusion been quicker, more streamlined, and more enjoyable. Still, this film captured the 5 Academy Awards you'd dream of winning, and remains a memorable, very loved movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Philadelphia Story, Gone With the Wind, Roman Holiday