| Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert on the highway to romance: “It Occurred One Night time.” |
A yr after its
launch, 1934’s It Occurred One Night time
swept the Oscars on February 27, 1935—Greatest Image, Director, Actor, Actress,
and Author—a feat seldom duplicated. As of January 1, 2025, at age 65, I had
by no means seen this basic, aside from clips. I then watched Night time twice and these are my takeaways.
The large shock for
me was that I believed It Occurred One
Night time was a straight up comedy, nevertheless it’s actually a humorous however heartfelt
slice of life throughout America’s Melancholy period. The runaway bride is a screwball
comedy staple, for certain. But it’s extra concerning the wealthy woman, Ellie Andrews, rubbing
elbows with on a regular basis individuals, like fired reporter Peter Warne. Night time then turns into a romantic “highway”
film, as properly.
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| “It Occurred One Night time” was made on a modest price range however grew to become a preferred hit. |
There are some well-known comedic
moments: The society woman leaping off the household yacht, the motel blanket “partitions
of Jericho,” the woman hitching her skirt to hitch a journey, and the bride bolting
from the altar. However there actually are no hilarious strains and the scenes that
I simply talked about introduced a smile to my face, however no outright chuckles—and I
have a great humorousness.
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| The partitions of Jericho present a blanket of privateness in 1934’s “It Occurred One Night time.” |
Thought of one of many
huge screwball comedies, It Occurred One
Night time was directed by Frank Capra, who directed just a few, like You Can’t Take It with You and Arsenic and Outdated Lace. Frankly, I don’t
discover It Occurred One Night time a
“screwball” sort comedy—not just like the antic My
Man Godfrey or Bringing Up Child.
There are components, however they’re fairly gentle, not wild. Additionally, for a comedy of
this period, it’s a bit leisurely at an hour and 45 minutes. Twentieth Century, My Man Godfrey, and Nothing
Sacred all clocked in at round 90 minutes.
Many have famous that It Occurred One Night time stands out as the first
rom-com, the place the leads are at odds, whereas additionally attracted to at least one one other.
What’s typical is that just about a century later it’s nonetheless virtually all the time the lady who’s the flake or a spoiled brat who
must be taken down a notch or two, and the robust man who simply softens up
with love. One of many few instances that the roles have been reversed was Cher and
Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck—although I’m
certain there have been others.
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| Director Frank Capra with stars Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert. |
Clark Gable and
Claudette Colbert have been of their first flush of stardom by 1934. Each proved
adept at comedic appearing right here, and already performed romantic and critical roles. It Occurred One Night time was by turns a
comedy, a romance, and with some dramatic moments. Clark and Claudette have been
triple threats on this basic.
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| Claudette Colbert because the bride about to bolt, with father Walter Connolly, in 1934’s “It Occurred One Night time.” |
Claudette Colbert,
along with her crescent moon eyebrows and Betty Boop make-up, is the proper comedic
doll, balanced by her pure intelligence and sophistication. Colbert’s giant,
expressive eyes, particularly when she realizes she’s in love with the hard-nosed
reporter, are well-utilized by the star. Clark Gable was nonetheless a lean younger
film star in Night time. Whereas Gable’s
not so expert in his comedian drunk scenes, he’s naturalistic in his dramatic as
properly as comedic scenes. The 2 stars play in a contemporary model that also makes
this film watchable at this time.
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| Clark Gable at his youthful peak, in 1934’s “It Occurred One Night time.” |
That is actually a two
character movie, Gable’s reporter and Colbert’s wealthy woman. There are some nice
character actors who present up for one scene—Alan Hale, Sr., Ward Bond, and so on.
Colbert has her irascible millionaire father (Walter Connolly), Gable has his
ornery editor (Charles C. Wilson). However they’re all window dressing for the 2
leads on the highway to romance.
Audiences made this
film successful with phrase of mouth, maybe as a result of they noticed themselves and their
lives depicted realistically on the display. Additionally, It Occurred One Night time was thought of risqué again within the day, and
was launched earlier than the July 1934 clamp down of the enforced censorship code
for movies.
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| Claudette Colbert’s wealthy woman reveals know-it-all reporter Clark Gable the right way to get a carry, in 1934’s “It Occurred One Night time.” |
I believe this film was
a refreshing change of tempo for its time and it’s why It Occurred One Night time swept the Oscars that yr. It is attention-grabbing
that Gable beat William Powell’s first time as Nick Charles in The Skinny Man, which led to a long-running
film sequence. Or that Myrna Loy wasn’t even nominated as Nora Charles! And that
Bette Davis was a write-in for her
profession changer, Of Human Bondage.
How was it that
Claudette Colbert thought she wouldn’t win the Oscar? Her solely official
competitors was MGM’s perennial nominee Norma Shearer and opera singer Grace
Moore. It Occurred One Night time was
launched with little fanfare in February 1934, to mixed-to-good notices. However by
Oscar night time a yr later, the sleeper comedy had turn out to be an enormous hit with the
public. Colbert nonetheless departed by practice for a long-overdue trip solely to be
introduced again when she gained, accepting her Oscar in a Travis Banton touring
go well with.
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| Shirley Temple provides Claudette Colbert her Greatest Actress Oscar. |
The cinematography by
Joseph Walker is gorgeous, this artist labored on practically all of Capra’s movies.
The out of doors night time scenes or the rain glowing on the bus and motel home windows,
are simply beautiful. The script by Robert Riskin is brilliant and intelligent, depicting
individuals of all selection. And Frank Capra’s path is heat and character-driven,
Capra at his greatest.
It Occurred One Night time has an enduring appeal, with characters that
really feel fairly actual, fairly an accomplishment for a film that occurred practically one
century in the past!
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| The partitions of Jericho, about to come back down, in 1934’s “It Occurred One Night time.” |
Right here’s Clark Gable, a
quarter of a century later, taking part in one other tough across the edges reporter,
out to get a narrative and the main girl, this time Doris Day, in Trainer’s Pet. My take right here: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2022/04/teachers-pet-1958.html
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| Here is Clark Gable 1 / 4 of a century later, in 1958’s “Trainer’s Pet.” |
