MAN'S FAVORITE SPORT

US, 1964, 120 minutes, Colour.
Rock Hudson, Paula Prentiss, Maria Perschy, John Mc Giver.
Directed by Howard Hawks.

The answer to the ironic question of the film’s title is fishing. Rock Hudson enjoys himself as an expert on fishing – with the secret that he has never actually been fishing. His wife organises him to be part of a fishing contest and the comedy ensues.

The film was directed by Howard Hawks, one of his later films and intended to be something of a tribute to the screwball comedies of the 1930s including his Bringing Up Baby with Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. Hawks made a number of classics during the 1930s and 40s including Scarface, Come and Get It, To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep and Red River. However, he had a very thin 1950s although he culminated this decade with his classic Rio Bravo. His films during the 60s were very moderate although he reprised the Rio Bravo themes with El Dorado.

This film is a pleasant comedy – in the vein of the Rock Hudson and Doris Day films of the 1960s.

1. The meaning of the title, ambiguity and irony, indication of themes? The song and its lyrics, the focus on women, fishing?

2. The quality of the film as a romantic comedy? The presentation of the battle of the sexes, the reversal of roles in men and women, romance and its comic side?

3. How conventional a hero was Roger? Rock Hudson and his style, the man in himself, his work, the humour of his initial meeting of Abbie and situation with the car, his being an expert but never having success? his attempts to get out of going to the tournament, his being used to civilisation and not roughing it, the humour of his inability to cope, his learning to fish, his failures? His proneness to accidents? The confusion with Tex? The ambiguity with Abbie? The significance of the happy ending having conquered the problems of fish and women? The parable of the American male?

4. How conventional a heroine was Abbie? The original title of the novel was "The girl who almost got away." How appropriate? Abbie's strength of character, seeming irresponsibility, control? The other side of Roger? As a contrast with Tex and her femininity, her suspicious attitudes, primness? Abbie's control of Roger, arranging everything for him, teaching him how to fish, sharing his accidents e.g. falling in the water? Sorting out the
confusion? The happy ending?

5. What did the character of Abbie contribute to the plot? Friendship with Abbie, support of Roger?

6. The humorous portrayal of the absent-minded but ruthlessness in Cadwallader? His manoeuvring of Roger? His presence at the tournament? Sacking him and then changing face?

7. The humour and the satire on the Major and the other fishermen, their vanity, their skill, their stories? John's screaming eagle and the satire in the commercialisation of tournaments, the Indians?

8. Comment on the details of the comedy of fishing, Roger's learning, and the humorous way that he caught his three big fish?

9. The romantic spots and the fights and ambiguities? Audience expectation of this comedy of situation and coincidence?

10. The importance of the theme of the reversal of roles? The dominant woman and the submissive male? Their interaction? The incidents which best illustrated this?

11. The happy ending as the appropriate resolution for this kind of film?

12. The screwball comedy of the 30s as transferred to the 60s? Slower pace, colour, glossier atmosphere? The humour of lines, characters, situations? The impossibility and implausibility of plot and situations? Audience delight in this?