S/D, POX: Screwball comedies

I'd swap 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' out (Lombard = luminous, characters = not that likable) and 'Nothing Sacred' (nothing against it, haven't seen it yet), and "The Awful Truth" (would be in top 15) and add in three others for my top ten.

1. 'It Happened One Night' (1934)
2. 'My Man Godfrey' (1936)
3. 'His Girl Friday' (1940)
4. 'Bringing Up Baby' (1938)
5. 'To Be or Not to Be' (1942)
6. 'The Thin Man' (1934)
7. 'The Philadelphia Story' (1940)
8. 'The Lady Eve' (1941)
9. 'Ball of Fire' (1941)
10. 'The Palm Beach Story' (1942)

So many others, though: "Twentieth Century", "My Favorite Wife", "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek", etc. Other suggestions? Shelves wouldn't be complete without ______?

in order:

the lady eve
bringing up baby
holiday
his girl friday
sullivan's travels (if it counts)
twentieth century
the awful truth
midnight
it happened one night
ninotchka (even tho lubitsch is too gentle to be screwball)

to be or not to be is terrific but doesn't really seem like screwball to me, any more than modern times or duck soup.

I think 'The Lady Eve' and 'The Palm Beach Story' are the only true Sturges screwballs.

and 'The Philadelphia Story'? Still less screwball.

if only Capra had done 'You Can't Take It With You' straight... but he trashed the play. Among stage adaps, 'The Man Who Came to Dinner.'

as far as Powell/Loy goes. I think 'Libeled Lady' (also Tracy, Harlow) comes closer than 'The Thin Man.'

"Libeled Lady" is part of that first screwball box set, isn't it? I should just buy that, and sell the few duplicate DVDs I already have.

And I'm stretching screwball more into the "snappy dialogue" side than the "chaotic plot" to include "The Thin Man" and "The Philadelphia Story" - have no problem not including them in a list.

Hadn't heard of "Midnight". Just put that on hold at the library.

It's Mitchell Leisen, no? The missing link between Lubitsch and Wilder.

Sturges said he started directing so Mitchell Leisen wouldn't film his scripts.

Haha!

Leisen also directed Easy Living, which deserves a mention (despite Eddie Arnold).

which is one of the P.S. scripts.

Leisen essay (retro at Cinematheque Francaise):

http://www.movingimagesource.us/articles/design-for-living-20081023

so I rewatched Easy Living -- which is far, far more screwball than Sturges-directed films -- and I have to say I found a good bit of it desperate, as much as I like Jean Arthur. Especially the last 20 mins when the dogs, birdcages, Wall St panic, etc are all goin on. Maybe it was Leisen, maybe PS was just riding the trend too hard at that time. My fave actor in it is probably the weary secretary to Edward Arnold.

It's my least favorite of the Leisen comedies. I've never been fond of Arthur or Arnold.

Midnight, however...

2 Gregory La Cava comedies in NY this weekend, Dunne v Colbert -- do I need to see both?

http://m.thelmagazine.com/newyork/rep-pick-she-married-her-boss-and-unifinished-business/Content?oid=2205940

best Loy-Powell, maybe Harlow too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6olwq6z3Yc

watched 'My Man Godfrey' and 'His Girl Friday' last night on TCM. Two of my favorites.

Rosalind Russell is so spectacular, still weird to see Cary Grant outdone in his prime.
Although he is very good as well.

Carole Lombard is genius.