It Happened One Night : Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

I know I'm likely to receive a lot of negative responses for this, but this is genuinely how I read this movie and I'd be interested to know what you guys think (provided its constructive):

I found this movie to be cold, mean, unfunny, and pretty great.

Here are some of the things Gable and Colbert say to each repeatedly throughout this movie:
"Shut up!"
"your a spoiled brat!"
"idiot!"
"I'll snap you're head off!"

In other words, the characters are ass holes. What is so interesting about this movie (I think anyway) is that most romantic comedies involve good-natured lonely people flirting and slowly becoming attached. "It Happened One Night" on the other hand, contains yelling, insults, and misogyny. One cold and brutal scene involves Clark Gable sending a pedestrian off into the damp, cold wilderness in the dead of night, without his luggage, when the nearest town is apparently 12 miles away. Am I supposed to be laughing?

It is only once the characters admit that they love each other and are torn apart that they drop the cynicism, stop laughing at jokes that are at the expense of others, and in general start to feel like human beings. For example, Gable gives a genuinely sorrowful and heartfelt apology of sorts to his boss, and Colbert breaks down and cries in her fathers arms. They love each but only show it when they are apart. When together they abuse each other, and never once kiss. A demented and complicated relationship indeed, but it is clear these two were meant for each other.

It is said that the actors disliked each other and the script while filming, I think that loathing is what caused this fascinating, often mean-spirited, and accidentally great movie. I'm baffled that this was even directed by Capara, its hidden anxieties and confusion feel more like Nicholas Ray.


My Top 250 http://www.imdb.com/list/wUi-psE9xNM

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

Humor wasn't politically correct in those days. I'll bet you don't think The Three Stooges or Our Gang is funny, either.

Watch it when you're in a better mood.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

Actually, people in a lot of ways were nicer back then (with the big exception being racism, of course) I just can't count any more times I've read or have been told how people could always leave their doors unlocked, how neighbors, and even people you'd see on the street were so much friendlier and more helpful to one another, how people were more genuine and trusted each other more, and that they were just more simple. So many crazy things today that were much less common or didn't even exist back then, such as identity theft, crazy gun violence, child molesters, elderly abuse, road rage to where people will chase you down just to beat the s*** outta you just cause you accidentally merged your car half a foot into their lane 30 feet in front of them, the way almost everyone is 100% out for themselves now and will either ignore you, be rude, or pretend to be nice just to use you. And what about the way so many people talk today saying **** you and mother******. You really think even close to same amount of people talked that way in the 30s and 40s? I am sorry but i cannot understand anyone complaining about this film being rude when people in most films and in real life today, people act 100 times worse.

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Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

Zorgly I think you are right on the money in your assessment. She was spoiled, boring and mildly amusing - suchas after she was lying on the hay bloviating about being just fine if he wants to go on with out her but then does an emotional 360 when she thinks he has abandoned her. And his constant berating her; even when he meets her father he comments that who ever marries her needs to "sock her in the mouth" now and then. Well, it was the depression, a different time.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

People may not like Ellie, because she's just as much of an entitled spoiled brat as everyone else living in luxury today. She's no different than they are. She doesn't offer anything new. Compared to Average Joes like Peter in this film, dealing with all of the hardships of The Great Depression, EVERYONE in the Western world today are SPOILED BRATS like Ellie. Someone like Peter is a threat to that. He's just trying to bring her down to his level. Luxurious living is something we can't imagine living without today. Their whole adventure together proved to Ellie that she could survive being with a man like Peter... on his level.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

Also keep in mind that c. 1934 the country was still feeling a pretty seething hatred towards the moneyed people who had come out of the 1929 market crash relatively unscathed, as Mr. Andrews (and by extension Ellie) obviously have. Note how bank robbers like Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, etc., had an almost folk-hero following across the country.

I think working-man Warne's blunt, often insulting speech to Ellie kind of stood in for what the nation as a whole was feeling toward idle rich at that time.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

I thought/think this flick was/is a buffet of comedic humor as well as sardonic wit. I love the "no need to bust a sweat because why should I when I pay others to do that" heroine meets the "never not busting a sweat to make ends that barely meet...meet and if I don't do it, who will?" hero picture it paints. It's also just damn entertaining from start to finale.

I love the aesthetics; the interiors and exteriors of the bus and the passengers and their clothing and the campground, the shower and those waiting in line for the shower. Colbert conveys the spoilt pouty bored and ungrateful brat to perfection that was required if this story was to work. The heroine was a hellion who was so not for any noble reasons but, because there was nothing she couldn't have and rebellion was the only excitement in her life. Her naiveté was amazing! She's so accustomed to others doing her bidding that she believes even a stranger walking by is a subject and not a thief! She's telling bus drivers and others to stop their world while she takes care of what she wants.

Its amazing! There is nothing about this movie I have a complaint about or can find to complain about. It's one of the few perfect from start to end (in my opinion of course) films I've ever viewed and the list is short.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

With the exception of mija28 I've never read so many searingly stupid opinions in one short thread.

Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film


With the exception of mija28 I've never read so many searingly stupid opinions in one short thread.


If you're going to say that, you should explain what makes those opinions so "stupid", or else don't waste our time with such a comment. In present form it is merely sneering egotism and teaches us nothing (about the movie).

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Re: Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film

I think early on in the film we learn that Ellie isn't a lost cause.After falling asleep on Peters shoulder her reaction is apologetic and thankful -illustratating a sweet nature underneath.Of course some of Gables lines are outdated but Peter is always a gentleman and that is why she falls for him.The film really is a .masterpiece
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