Friday
Nice piece in the Spectator about the contrast between shows like Sex in the City and older, "screwball" movies made in the 1930s and 1940s, such as the peerless His Girl Friday (starring Cary Grant). I found SITC quite funny at times - well, at least in the first series - but the joke wore thin. On the other hand, however many times I watch it, His Girl Friday will never pall. And as a sendup of the journalist world at its time, there's been nothing better, arguably, than Evelyn Waugh's novel, Scoop (the old British TV sitcom, Drop the Dead Donkey, was great, but set in a later era).
Preferred Hot Metal as a more direct sendup of the press, especially the way the Sun-type reporter would introduce himself to his victims as "Her Majesty's Press". Drop The Dead Donkey worked to a certain extent but was more aimed at ITN-style newrooms than at the press.
Posted by Julian Taylor at July 20, 2007 10:49 AM
Archibald Leach was great, and though much copied his gentlemanly style takes some beating. My favourite film of his has to be North by Northwest and again, much parodied.
He was one of those splendid thespians who fully understood what a sham acting really was. His response when an interviewer said to him, "Everybody would like to be Cary Grant," was reportedly, "So would I."
He deserves more than an honourable mention that he handed over his fee for the "Philadelphia Story" in 1940 (ah, journalism again) to the British war effort, and then did the same for "Arsenic and Old Lace" for the American war effort four years later.
Posted by watcher in the dark at July 20, 2007 11:59 AM
I watched it decades ago and it has remained a favourite which most certainly can endure repeated viewings. "Albany...".
A candlestick telephone soon appeared on my desk...CALL YOU BACK!
Posted by TimC at July 20, 2007 01:29 PM
It's a bit unfair to compare a film with a TV series. TV flogs ideas to death as long as it pays to do so.
Posted by pete at July 20, 2007 02:25 PM
There have been several books (e.g., "Hollywood Party") recently describing the strong left-wing influence in 1930s American movies, in many non-actor craftsmen (e.g., screenwriters, director) roles.
The sharp dialogue and action of the screwball film does not appear Leftist, that I can detect.
Posted by Jack Coupal at July 20, 2007 05:00 PM
Yes agreed Pete. TV does tend to do that. M.A.S.H. was great but it did last longer than the Korean war itself.
The point is style and attitude. Across the whole genre of what we might call screwball comedy from that era.
Cary was the man. No doubt about it! Forget how good he was at acting and timing, just freeze frame and look at how he's dressed! You just dont get style like that now!
The male/ female roles being promoted were equal back then. Females were sassy, clever, outrageous and beautiful and could knock off a one liner to match any males to boot!
The Thin Man series with Powell and Loy for instance. What wit and sophistication.
There is more fast and funny dialogue in the first five minutes of Roxy Hart, The Ginger Rogers movie, that Chicago was based on, than in the entire Rocky series!!
I could go on and on...
I came to these films via Sunday afternoon telly when I was quite small and loved them so much I had to get real inventive to find a reason not to go to Sunday School every week. Telling them (the parents) that I didn't believe in God hadn't occured to me yet. I was only 10!
Posted by RAB at July 20, 2007 08:54 PM
And "His Girl Friday", unlike SITC, is available for free in the movie section of the Internet archive www.archive.org.
Posted by Mr Spog at July 21, 2007 12:24 AM
