HIS GIRL FRIDAY

US, 1941, 92 minutes, Black and white.
Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Porter Hall, Ernest Truex.
Directed by Howard Hawks.

His Girl Friday is based on the play, The Front Page, by Ben Hecht and Charles Mac Arthur. It was filmed by Lewis Milestone in 1931 as The Front Page with Adolphe Menjou and Pat O ’Brien as the reporter and editor.

This time the roles are reversed, an early example of role reversal in cinema. This time Cary Grant is Walter Burns but Rosalind Russell is Hildy Johnson, the wisecracking and swift-speaking reporter. Ralph Bellamy is her fiancé.

The dialogue of the film is very rapid, the repartee of the films of the 1930s. It is still very entertaining.

There was a new version of the film, The Front Page, directed by Gene Saks in 1975 with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, Susan Sarandon and Carol Burnett. There was a television variation of the same theme in Switching Channels with Christopher Reeve and Kathleen Turner.

This is the archetypal Hollywood newspaper film, the focus on the newsroom, the work of the reporters, interactions with the editor, interference, personal lives – as well as a sensational case involving death row which the papers expoit.

Direction is by Howard Hawks, who directed a wide range of films, probably better known for his action films including Red River and Rio Bravo. He had directed Cary Grant in the comedy, Bringing Up Baby as well as the aerial action film, Only Angels Have Wings. He was to direct him in the comedy I Was a Male War Bride.

1. The success of the play and film over half a century? The reasons for perennial interest, success?

2. The reputation of Howard Hawks? Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell? The combination for success of this kind of film in the 40s?

3. Black and white photography, studio staging of the scenes?

4. The importance of the dialogue and its impact, speed of delivery, American wit? Its cracking style? Type of humour?

5. How evident was it that the film was based on a play? The original had two men working together? How satisfactory the transition to man and woman working together? Marriage and divorce?

6. How evident was the film based an a play as regards structure, scenes, contrived situations? What impact did this give the film?

7. The insight into the newspaper world? Hilde and her comments on newspapermen and their attitudes? Background, work, the workings of the paper, the way of life in the press room? Cynical attitudes, scoops, the ringing of the head office etc? The uglier aspects like the playing of cards, the callous attitudes towards Molly Molloy?

8. The portrayal of city corruption? Were the papers any better? The newspapers and their role towards the city corruption, the possibility of being bought, of exposure ?

9. How attractive a character was Hilde? Rosalind Russell's comic style and feminine sympathy, presence? Wisecracking delivery? Audience entering into the story with her? Character, skill at her work? The background of the marriage and divorce from Walter? The attraction towards Bruce and having him present? The situation in the office and Walter’s strategies for keeping her? The meal situation and the talking with Bruce and persuading him to involve Hilde in her work? Her own involvement in her work, her wanting to interview Earl? The momentum and impact of the story? Trying to cope with Walter and his deceits, Bruce and his mother, Earl and the press room? The press room and their bet that she wouldn’t be married for more than six months? How humane was her treatment of Earl? Her phone calls? The change that occurred in her? The inevitability of her working on the paper and remarrying Walter?

10. The contrast with Walter and Cary Grant, his comedy style? Newspaper type, dedicated to the paper? His relationship with his men in the office? fast thinking, smooth talking? Marriage and his comments about divorce? His zest for stories like that on his honeymoon? His attithde towards Earl? Towards Bruce and getting him arrested so many times? his use of Louie? His arrival at the press room, the capture of Earl and hiding him in the desk? His treatment of Denzinger as a typical example of his attitude? The motivation and idealism or pragmatism of his work?

11. The contrast with Bruce as a pleasant type, romantic comedy lead, soft? Albany, insurance, good mannered? The experiemce of Earl talking to Walter? His being arrested so many times, robbed? His desperation with Hilde’s devotion to his mother? His mother’s presence and her being kidnapped?

12. The pathos with Earl? His background, the social background of the depression and his losing his job? His being hanged for political purposes? The pathos of his character, the interview and Hilde putting ideas into his mind as to why he used the gun? The presentation of the vain psychiatrist and the poking fun at psychiatry? The humour and farce of his escape? Riding, the bonds with Molly? Hidden in the desk? The reprieve? Earl as a symbol of the victims of big cities and the depression?

14. The pathos of Molly and her relationship with Earl, the press slander and their ignoring of her, her devotion to him and throwing herself out the widndow for him?

15. The presentation of the individual press men, Denzinger, Duffy?

16. A comedy but the presentation ofan ugly world? A respect for the newspaper world,, Its feelings and job? Its critique?