| | | She learned about men from him!
Features: DVD, Mono Audio, Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, English, Subtitled, Dubbed
Considered by many to be the best of Howard Hawks' comedies (Bringing Up Baby, I Was A Male War Bride), His Girl Friday was adapted from Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur's oft-filmed Broadway smash The Front Page, with a screenplay by Charles Lederer. Hawks changed the sex of one of the male leads, and revamped the spoof of newspapers and news hounds into a hilarious and sophiscated battle of the sexes and battle of the exes. When ace reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell, never better) announces she's leaving the newspaper world behind to settle into domesticity with a stately fiancŽe (Ralph Bellamy) her demanding editor and ex-husband Walter Burns (Cary Grant) is determined to keep her on staff and win back her heart in the process.
"As fresh and undated and bright a film as you could want." The New Yorker
Editor's Note
In Howard Hawks's screwball masterpiece adapted from the stage play THE FRONT PAGE by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, star reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), once married to suave editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant), plans to leave the stressful newspaper world behind and marry a boring insurance agent. Walter won't reveal his feelings for Hildy but tries to keep her from leaving by convincing her to cover one last story, a politically motivated execution. When the convict manages to escape, chaos breaks loose, and Hildy finds herself working alongside Walter to break the story wide open. HIS GIRL FRIDAY is a loose, freewheeling gem featuring some of the fastest dialogue ever filmed (peppered with inspired ad-libbing by Grant and Russell, each appearing at comedic high points in their careers). Hawks, who changed the original story of two newspapermen into a battle of the sexes, keeps the frenetic action careening forward and allows a few slim but luminous notes of genuine affection to slip into Hildy and Walter's storm of hilarious verbal barbs, creating a potent and heartfelt classic that stands as one of the most influential comedies ever made.
| Features | Production Notes | | Scene Selection | | Theatrical Trailer | | Talent Files | | Interactive Menus | | Audio Commentary With Film Critic And Author Todd McCarthy | | Four Exclusive Featurettes | | Vintage Advertising | | Portuguese Subtitles | | Korean Subtitles | | Thai Subtitles | | Spanish Audio | | English Subtitles | | Spanish Subtitles | | Digitally Mastered Audio And Video | | Full Screen Presentation | | English Mono |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Columbia Tri-Star |
| Release Date: 5/27/2008 |
| Running Time: 92 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1940 | | Catalog ID: 26709 | | UPC: 00043396267091 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, Spanish Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Chinese | | Video: B&W |
| Cast & Crew
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| | Professional Reviews | Entertainment Weekly
"...One of the funniest American films ever made....Brilliant ensemble cast..." -- Rating: A 10/27/1995 p.104USA Today
"...HIS GIRL FRIDAY is greatest newspaper comedy and one of the greatest screwball comedies ever made..." 11/24/2000 p.11E Entertainment Weekly
"[O]ne of the fastest, wittiest comedies in history." 02/10/2006 p.119 Premiere
"[T]his classic, alternating between near-moronic farce and quasi-tragedy and blasting all the notes in between, features Cary Grant at his weaseliest." 08/01/2006 p.65 Entertainment Weekly
"Watch it and see what a frantic adventure love can be." 02/16/2007 p.65 Austin Chronicle 10 of 10
...comedies just don't come any better... crackles with the same type of energy and action director Howard Hawks was known for in his big, bold dramas, only instead of bullets flying, it's one-liners zipping and pinging past your head... - Raoul Hernandez
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