His Girl Friday (1940)

Cary Grant is one of the finest comedic actors who has ever graced the silver screen, and one of the only actors who I can safely say has perfect comedic timing (watch some of his other work: Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace) which he employs spectacularly as always in this film. He is joined by the lovely, if slightly more dramatic, Rosalind Russell in a stellar screwball comedy directed by Howard Hawks.

On the eve of an innocent man's execution and a surprise wedding, Walter Burns (Grant) does whatever he can in order to reunite himself with with his ex-wife, Hildy (Russell), before she can run off and marry the schmo, Bruce Baldwin. A newspaper editor by trade, his many connections and lightning-quick mind come up with all sorts of zany plans in order to thwart the impending nuptials. At one point Hildy tells Bruce that nobody does anything before talking to Walter, and that's the gospel truth. Walter's knack for words can convince people to do pretty much anything and would convince Hildy too, if she weren't also a sharp girl with a penchant for journalism.

As in any screwball, dialogue in this film, with some insanely funny one-liners, falls tripping off the tongue, and plot twists with outrageous characters come out of nowhere to add layer after layer of mishap and mayhem. Grant is ideal for such work with charisma to spare, natural goofiness and willingness to take risks. His character will go to almost any lengths in order to secure a story and reclaim his bride including stowing a convict in a desk and getting Bruce arrested.

I did find it odd, though, that there was many serious and almost dark moments to what I expected to be a strict comedy. After all, one of the main parts of the plot is the fact that a man is going to be hanged if Hildy and Bruce can't use the power of the press to garner him sympathy and earn him a reprieve. There are a couple of exceptional bits of dramatic acting revolving around this point. One comes when Hildy interviews the convict in his cell, the other when the imprisoned man's only friend in the world, Mollie Malloy (played by an exceptionally good Helen Mack who made a name for herself in Hollywood as one of cinema's best criers. She had me crying, that's for sure), comes in scold the reporters for writing fake accounts of the man's tale. Of course, people will focus on the outlandish nature of the plot and the snappy dialogue, but it did strike me as a bit disconcerting.

This film is a scathing portrayal of the media and of politicians. Even though both Hildy and Walter are journalists they aren't referred to as "real people," and are shown just a snake-like as the rest of the slimy characters in the press-room. You hate them all, but have a really fun time watching them nonetheless. This is a good little film that should delight all audiences. After all, it's Cary Grant for Christ's sake.

3/4