• 01-12-2025 - on This Moment in Film History

  • Jan 12 2025
  • Length: 2 mins
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01-12-2025 - on This Moment in Film History

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  • Summary

  • On January 12, 1940, the classic Hollywood film "His Girl Friday" premiered in New York City. Directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, this fast-paced screwball comedy is a quintessential example of the genre that dominated the era.

    The film, based on the 1928 play "The Front Page" by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, follows the story of a newspaper editor named Walter Burns (Grant) who tries to prevent his ex-wife and star reporter, Hildy Johnson (Russell), from leaving the newspaper business to marry another man. Burns lures Hildy into covering one last story, a politically charged execution case, which leads to a series of hilarious and chaotic events.

    "His Girl Friday" is renowned for its rapid-fire dialogue, with characters often talking over each other, delivering witty remarks and sharp one-liners at an impressive pace. This style of overlapping dialogue was innovative for its time and has since become a hallmark of the screwball comedy genre.

    The film is also notable for its groundbreaking portrayal of a strong, independent female lead character in Hildy Johnson. In an era when women were often depicted as subservient to men, Hildy stands out as a career-driven, quick-witted, and assertive character who can hold her own against her male counterparts.

    "His Girl Friday" was a critical and commercial success upon its release and has since been recognized as a classic of American cinema. In 1993, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

    The film's enduring legacy is a testament to its brilliant performances, clever writing, and masterful direction, which continue to captivate and entertain audiences nearly eight decades after its initial release.
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