It Happened One Night 1934

The Film:

Note how big the stars' names are and how small the film's title is.
Hollywood is very much becoming Hollywood!!

This is the first of the Best Picture Winners so far that I'd already seen. I've seen it several times and it's a bit of a favourite.

It holds the distinction of being the first (of three, up to now) to win the "big five" - Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay. It's also the first rom-com to win Best Picture as well as being one of the first real "sleeper hits".

Absolutely no one except Frank Capra and Robert Riskin even wanted to make the movie - Capra persuaded Columbia to let him do it as long as he did it quickly and cheaply. Neither of the leads were first choice, and both took the parts reluctantly. Clark Gable wasn't too keen, but was on loan to Paramount and had some contractual obligations to get out of as smoothly as possible so said ok. Claudette Colbert really didn't want to do it and was eventually persuaded by doubling her fee and making sure filming only took four weeks. (They both won their only Oscar for this film!)

The studio didn't do a great deal of promotion and didn't expect much, but a couple of good reviews and a lot of word-of-mouth made it a box office smash by the end of the year.

And the rest, as they say, is history.


The Ceremony:

Bette - so badass she got votes without
even being nominated!

The ceremony took place on 27th February 1935 at the Biltmore Hotel. This was the first ceremony that honoured films from the previous calendar year, rather than from a season.

The number of award categories went up to sixteen - including Score and Song - and the unusual practice of "write-in nominations" (a peculiarly American election practice) happened for the first time. Enough people were up in arms that Bette Davis was snubbed for her performance in Of Human Bondage that they voted for her anyway, and it counted.


Other Notable Winners That Night:

Shirley and Claudette.

Most of the main winners we already know! But there was one scene-stealer on the night....

Shirley Temple won a special "Juvenile Award" making her the youngest ever Oscar winner at the age of six (although it maybe doesn't count because it wasn't through competition....). I know many people today find her too cutesy sickly sweet - Andy is not a fan! - but she was by far the biggest box office draw of the era. Her success saved Fox and allowed them to merge with 20th Century - and they are still very much around (for better and worse...) and she helped to get a lot of people through the Depression. She also regularly danced with Bill Robinson - in mainstream films in the 1930s - which was significantly progressive for the times!

This was the first year of the Best Song category, which was won by The Continental from The Gay Divorcee. I need no better excuse for a bit of Fred and Ginger:

(Oh, and guess who won the Animation award?!)


What We Could/Should Have Been Watching:

Claudette waiting for Will Hays to come and cover her up!

Looking back 80 years on a film that is still watched today and clearly influenced so many others, it's hard to suggest that any of the other films on the list might have been a worthier winner.

The list isn't anywhere near as inspiring as the previous year, but includes several big names (in acting and directing) - including Colbert in two other films. She plays the lead in De Mille's epic Cleopatra, which is probably the film that everyone initially thought would win things. It won Cinematography. Claudette Colbert looks like a prototype Princess Leia in all the stills I've seen, with De Mille clearly making the most of the last few pre-Code months!


Our Verdict:

It's all about chemistry - and carrots!

This was probably my fifth or sixth time watching the film - but Andy hadn't seen it before. I'm an unashamed fan of Frank Capra films, particularly the Stewart and Cooper ones. So I'm definitely going to be biased towards this sort of character-led, positive gentle comedy (a sort of gentle version of Screwball). And of course I really love this one!

Strangers on a bus

With hindsight it's really clear to see why this won all the awards it did. The script is very well written - it keeps the story going without sagging and provides us with two very likeable and quick-witted leads who both have some great comedy lines. The directing is subtly very clever, especially when you remember how tight the budget and the timings were on this film. I particularly like the scenes shot on the bus, which jumps around convincingly and helps us to focus on the blossoming relationship between Ellie and Peter (let's not look too closely at the inside/outside continuity issues - like the bus driver completely changing body as he rolls into the ditch!). It was also one of the first films to use back projections for the car scenes. And it does it quite effectively, certainly compared to some other films in the 30s and 40s.

The famous Walls of Jericho

Above all, though - it's the two reluctant leads and the chemistry between them that really make this film. Clark Gable is quite brilliant as the charming, flirtatious, possibly slightly dodgy but ultimately thoroughly decent newspaper hack. This was a rare comedy appearance for him, but he comes across as just incredibly comfortable in the role. Claudette Colbert is equally as good as the spoilt heiress who gradually comes to her senses and learns a few things along the way - whilst still getting the upper hand where it matters. For such a glamorous star she spends about 90 minutes of the film in the same low-key costume - and her and Capra between them manage to show that, if you're a good enough actress, it's the performance that really counts, not the glamour and the costumes! (Mind you, her make up is flawless and she manages to keep a neat wave in her hair after several nights sleeping on buses and hay etc - but I can forgive them that!). Andy said several times that both the characters and the dialogue reminded him of When Harry Met Sally. I can see the comparison - and there are probably several more that could be made. This film sets a nice blueprint for lots of rom-coms to come.

Thumb 0 - Leg 1

This is the last pre-code Oscars and this film is a great example of a last attempt to get away with a few things before Hays and his crew spoil the fun A respectable married woman sharing a room with another man, using her shapely legs to get what she wants etc, and getting away with it - not on after 1934! On the other hand, the Walls of Jericho also make their own point - as does the trumpet (off screen) which suggests they are falling down at the end of the film. An early example of how to get round the code and suggest more off screen than would ever be allowed on screen!

There's even a nice musical interlude (which feels far less forced than the ones in Cavalcade) - it made me nostalgic for similar sing-a-longs in my youth, so here it is so you can join in too:

Thank you Mr Gable - see you again next time!