Film Snail

His Girl Friday
His Girl Friday

7.4

His Girl Friday

NR·1940·92m

Summary

Walter Burns is an irresistibly conniving newspaper publisher desperate to woo back his paper’s star reporter, who also happens to be his estranged wife. She’s threatening to quit and settle down with a new beau, but, as Walter knows, she has a weakness: she can’t resist a juicy scoop.

Crew

Director

Howard Hawks

Screenplay

Charles Lederer

Screenplay, Theatre Play

Ben Hecht

Theatre Play

Charles MacArthur

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Geronimo1967

June 23, 2022

7

This is a belter of a film! Essentially just a two hander with Cary Grant ("Walter Burns") as the editor of a newspaper facing the loss of his ex-wife, and best reporter Rosalind Russell ("Hildy Johnson") who has decided to marry Ralph Bellamy ("Bruce Baldwin") and start a new life. Anyone who enjoys the modern day writing of folks like Aaron Sorkin will immediately appreciate the depth and class of the clever, witty writing and the superbly fast paced delivery from both as Grant tries all sorts of manoeuvres to change her mind; frame her new fiancée and stop a man from going to the electric chair with the aide of little else but a few telephones and the odd interjection from some great supporters - Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, John Qualen and Abner Biberman as his go-to fixer "Louie". Russell is no shrinking violet, either - she has plenty of great one-liners and retorts of her own, and the equality with which they scrap makes this all the more fun. The ending is a touch too inevitable, and maybe just a little too muddled and that robs it of a killer punch; but this is still a cracking romantic comedy.

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords

prison
journalist
suicide
journalism
based on play or musical
wager
fugitive
black and white
screwball comedy
corrupt politician
newspaper editor
insurance agent
fiancé fiancée relationship
press room
political corruption
rolltop desk
reprieve
criterion
bride-to-be
ex spouses
imminent execution
convicted murderer
comedy of remarriage