1934--It Happened One Night, Frank Capra

1934--It Happened One Night, Frank Capra

Nominated: The Barrets of Wimpole Street, Cleopatra, Flirtation Walk, The Gay Divorcee, Here Comes the Navy, The House of Rothschild, Imitation of Life, One Night of Love, The Thin Man, Viva Villa!, The White Parade

Should have won: It Happened One Night

Be sure to see: The Man Who Knew Too Much

"Why didn't you take off all your clothes? You'd have stopped 40 cars."--Peter Warne

 

     It Happened One Night is the first of only a trio of movies to win the big five at the Oscars: Best Picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay. 1975's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and 1991's The Silence of the Lambs would match it. It has been described by the film's producer as a screwball comedy romance. 

    When Ellie Andrews weds a mercenary, her rich father takes her away on the family yacht. Ellie leaps overboard to join her husband but on the way runs across the suave (and recently fired reporter) Peter Warne. As the two hitchhike they find they've fallen in love. 

 

    I think what makes this film so enjoyable is both the circumstance and the dialogue are involving. The couple's journey flows from one obstacle to the next; from a bus to hitchhiking to staying in cottages. All the while, Peter's smart alack wit in response to Ellie's suggestions are amusing. He calls her brat because, perhaps, that is what she has always been, being born into a rich family. Her father has reported her missing and her picture is in the paper. One of my favorite subplots in the film is Shaffer. He is a passenger on the bus who recognizes her from all the missing girl pictures in the papers. The confrontation he has with Peter about the reward money for turning her in is a high part in the film for me. 

    No doubt, the most famous scene in the movie is when Peter teaches Ellie his various ways of hitchhiking (which don't work) and Ellie teaching Peter her way (which does). At first Ellie is in a hurry to get back to New York but eventually she enjoys his company. I liked how Peter acts a gentleman one minute (putting up the “walls of Jericho”) and threatens her ala Ralph Kramden to Alice the next. 

    It Happened One Night is one of the best Oscar winners I've seen just because it is so enjoyable. It isn't very complicated or have a deep script. It is also a little sloppy because I spotted a number of editing flaws. But it was a great example of a solid romantic comedy. And Claudette Andrews' acceptance speech of “Thank you. I owe this to Frank Capra” has to be the second shortest acceptance speech in history to Joe Pesci's Goodfellas win. Do yourself a favor and youtube that one.