It Happened One Night
It Happened One Night
Here's some trivia that you may not know. In the scene following the famous "Walls of Jericho" sequence, as Claudette Colbert makes her way to the trailer court shower, the little blonde girl who comes skipping by her is a pre-Ed Wood, pre-Elvis Presley songwriter Dolores Fuller. All of 11 years old. Her family had just moved to California from Indiana and were staying at a nearby hotel when Frank Capra spotted her and asked her personally to play one of the children in the scene.
This film may not be in my 100-Times Club, although the "blow up scene" between Walter Connolly and Clark Gable - "Answer my question - do you love my daughter?!!") probably is.
I am sure that, if I survive another decade, it's going to be well over "100 times watched". It's a film I hardly ever miss when it's broadcast, and occasionally I'll pop it in just to watch certain scenes. The Ward Bond Bus Driver scene...
The Man On The Flying Trapeze scene... (who doesn't want to take a vagabond bus trip with passengers having that much fun?)
The Joys of Carrots and Guide To Hitchhiking scenes...
The "Have ya got a rod?/Rub 'er out" scene... that's SO great. Roscoe Karns has only a couple of small scenes in this film, but he's SO perfect in that one. Congrats for the 100% perfect delivery, Roscoe. Here's yet another testimonial where 'little supporting roles' mean so much to a film.
The most fantastic Morning Couple's Argument scene... I can't think of another staged argument scene that is as good as this one. Those poor detectives - they really can't figure out what they've stumbled into, but they're probably happy they can close the door and get away from it!
Even that final bit of dialog between the motel husband and wife... "Oh, they're married, all right - I seen the license. He sent me into town for one of those toy trumpets..."
I may not have seen this film 100 times yet. But probably 75 or 80. It's still got a few more years to go. I don't know when I'll get tired of it, though!
I am sure that, if I survive another decade, it's going to be well over "100 times watched". It's a film I hardly ever miss when it's broadcast, and occasionally I'll pop it in just to watch certain scenes. The Ward Bond Bus Driver scene...
The Man On The Flying Trapeze scene... (who doesn't want to take a vagabond bus trip with passengers having that much fun?)
The Joys of Carrots and Guide To Hitchhiking scenes...
The "Have ya got a rod?/Rub 'er out" scene... that's SO great. Roscoe Karns has only a couple of small scenes in this film, but he's SO perfect in that one. Congrats for the 100% perfect delivery, Roscoe. Here's yet another testimonial where 'little supporting roles' mean so much to a film.
The most fantastic Morning Couple's Argument scene... I can't think of another staged argument scene that is as good as this one. Those poor detectives - they really can't figure out what they've stumbled into, but they're probably happy they can close the door and get away from it!
Even that final bit of dialog between the motel husband and wife... "Oh, they're married, all right - I seen the license. He sent me into town for one of those toy trumpets..."
I may not have seen this film 100 times yet. But probably 75 or 80. It's still got a few more years to go. I don't know when I'll get tired of it, though!
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movieman1957
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It's so great to have a film like this where you can watch as many times as you can and never get tired of it.
One of the biggest laughs I have had recently was inspired by this movie. It was paid a "tip of the hat" by Stan Laurel who, in "Way Out West," was trying to hitch a ride with a passing stagecoach and was ignored by the driver until he pulled up his pants leg and exposing his knee had the coach come to quick stop.
"It Happened One Night" is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
One of the biggest laughs I have had recently was inspired by this movie. It was paid a "tip of the hat" by Stan Laurel who, in "Way Out West," was trying to hitch a ride with a passing stagecoach and was ignored by the driver until he pulled up his pants leg and exposing his knee had the coach come to quick stop.
"It Happened One Night" is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Yes, a GREAT moment by Stanley. Just perfect. I have enjoyed the SCARY MOVIEs from time to time, as well as the AIRPLANEs, simply because they will offer parodies. But they're like 10-ton-mallets clubbing us with parodies, as opposed to sly little 'in-jokes' like Stanley's, which add so much more pleasure for me to WAY OUT WEST.
Several years ago, I was getting the German, Spanish and French L&H films and discovered they weren't dubbed, but The Boys were speaking the translated lines themselves. Quite wonderful, and so much better than post-film dubbing! At least Stan and Ollie knew where to place the correct voice-inflections!
Several years ago, I was getting the German, Spanish and French L&H films and discovered they weren't dubbed, but The Boys were speaking the translated lines themselves. Quite wonderful, and so much better than post-film dubbing! At least Stan and Ollie knew where to place the correct voice-inflections!
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feaito
Ever since I first read that L&H spoke all those lanaguages phonetically, in the foreign versions of their early talkies, I've found it truly amazing. I think that not one else has accomplished something of the sort.Ollie wrote: Several years ago, I was getting the German, Spanish and French L&H films and discovered they weren't dubbed, but The Boys were speaking the translated lines themselves. Quite wonderful, and so much better than post-film dubbing! At least Stan and Ollie knew where to place the correct voice-inflections!
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jdb1
We've discussed this on the L&H thread. The boys' renderings of dialog in (for them) foreign tongues is really very, very good. Even if not perfect, they are always intelligible, and they manage to stay in character, get the rhythms of the language right, and make the dialog match the action. Hearing them speak Spanish and French is fun, but you can imagine that they may have had some dealings with those languages in the past, California having a lot of Spanish-speakers even in their time, American high schools teaching French since the 19th Century, and Stan having traveled extensively over the world in his vaudeville days. But hearing Mr. Hardy speak in German is a trip. And what we are also hearing are two very intelligent men.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about this film -- and something I'm becoming more watchful of since TCM began broadcasting in Winnipeg is the cast of supporting actors. A real treat for me to see that brief appearance by Ward Bond as the bus driver and, of course, Alan Hale. I find now that when I'm watching an old classic, I often get more excited about the supporting players (Bond, Hale, McHugh, Jenkins, even Charles Butterworth) than the star(s). Even my wife, who does not have a lot of classic film knowledge, takes special notice if she sees Alan Hale appear in a movie.
Interesting about Ward Bond. In '39 he had major supporting roles in such films as "Drums Along the Mohawk" and "Young Mr. lincoln", then turned up in the quickest bit as a castle guard in "Son of Frankenstein". Never even knew it was him until I recognized his voice in his one line.
Interesting about Ward Bond. In '39 he had major supporting roles in such films as "Drums Along the Mohawk" and "Young Mr. lincoln", then turned up in the quickest bit as a castle guard in "Son of Frankenstein". Never even knew it was him until I recognized his voice in his one line.
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jdb1
We can, and have, posted for hours about the wonder that is the character actor (both here and on the TCM site). They are, after all, the backbone of the Hollywood studio movie. Besides Hale and Bond, who are some of your favorites, now that you are noticing them?
I myself have waxed lyrical, ad infinitum, about the glories of Walter Brennan, and I have many other special "pets." If ever I were to become an actor, it would be of the character kind. (And believe me, my daughter has been nagging me for years to go into commercial work. Every time she sees a middle-aged, or older, cranky or bossy woman in a TV ad, she tells me "Mom, that could be you doing that, and earning money for it!")
I myself have waxed lyrical, ad infinitum, about the glories of Walter Brennan, and I have many other special "pets." If ever I were to become an actor, it would be of the character kind. (And believe me, my daughter has been nagging me for years to go into commercial work. Every time she sees a middle-aged, or older, cranky or bossy woman in a TV ad, she tells me "Mom, that could be you doing that, and earning money for it!")
Boy jdb1, there are so many character actors that I've either recently discovered or rediscovered. Until TCM came up here to Winnipeg, we pretty much had a dearth of classic movies on our local networks. But besides Bond and Hale, I ALWAYS enjoy Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins, George Tobias, Walter Brennan (of course), Jerome Cowan, Barton MacLane, Marc Lawrence, Stanley Ridges, Joe Downing, Edward Pawley, John Carradine (always), and among the gals: Edna May Oliver, Alison Skipworth, Margaret Dumont, Glenda Farrell (love her), and I'm sure a dozen or so more that elude me at the moment. But whenever I see their familiar faces on an old movie, I'm always entertained.
Like others have said, I believe I can watch a film 100 times because of the supporting cast, and discovering their contributions, or re-checking them. The little comment about WAY OUT WEST's 'trouser raising' send-up of IT HAPPENED isn't done by a supporting cast, but still, it's such a LITTLE bit.
Yet, how much does that scene make me enjoy both films? TONS. Just a little tip o' the hat from one film to another.
These are not the actions for a Dumbed-Down Audience. Or if that was the case, then at least L&H enjoyed it, the film crew enjoyed it and the Dumbed-Down Audience let it whisk over their heads. Their loss, not ours.
IT HAPPENED doesn't have a huge cast of supporting characters that carry thru the whole film. A lot of single or double scenes, and that's all. But in this thread, I've learned more about The Shower Line sccene which I'll enjoy more next time. And I doubt I'll ever see WAY OUT WEST without ensuring I catch that one scene.
Thanks, folks.
Yet, how much does that scene make me enjoy both films? TONS. Just a little tip o' the hat from one film to another.
These are not the actions for a Dumbed-Down Audience. Or if that was the case, then at least L&H enjoyed it, the film crew enjoyed it and the Dumbed-Down Audience let it whisk over their heads. Their loss, not ours.
IT HAPPENED doesn't have a huge cast of supporting characters that carry thru the whole film. A lot of single or double scenes, and that's all. But in this thread, I've learned more about The Shower Line sccene which I'll enjoy more next time. And I doubt I'll ever see WAY OUT WEST without ensuring I catch that one scene.
Thanks, folks.