It Happened One Night

It Happened One Night
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Name	It Happened One Night
Director	Frank Capra
Producer	Harry Cohn
Writer	Robert Riskin
Starring	Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert
Music	Louis Silvers
Cinematography	Joseph Walker
Editing	Gene Havlick
Studio	Columbia Pictures
Released	22 February 1934
Runtime	105 minutes
Country	United States

It Happened One Night. It is a 1934 American pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra and starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. The screenplay by Robert Riskin is based on the short story "Night Bus" by Samuel Hopkins Adams. A landmark of the screwball comedy genre, the film was a major critical and commercial success, becoming the first film to win all five major Academy Awards.

Plot

The narrative follows spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews who flees her father, Alexander Andrews, to reunite with a fortune-hunting aviator, King Westley, in New York City. On a Greyhound bus to New York, she meets out-of-work newspaper reporter Peter Warne, who recognizes her and strikes a deal to get her story exclusively for his paper in exchange for his help. Their journey involves hitchhiking, sharing a motel cabin at an Auto camp, and evading detectives hired by her father, leading to the famous hitchhiking scene where Ellie fails but Peter succeeds by using his leg. As they travel through Florida and the American South, their initial antagonism blossoms into genuine affection, culminating in a runaway reconciliation at a roadside motel and the iconic "Walls of Jericho" scene.

Cast

The film features a principal cast led by Clark Gable as the charismatic and cynical reporter Peter Warne, a role that cemented his status as a leading man at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Claudette Colbert portrays the headstrong heiress Ellie Andrews, bringing a blend of sophistication and vulnerability to the part. Key supporting roles include Walter Connolly as Ellie's wealthy and exasperated father, Alexander Andrews, and Roscoe Karns as the jovial and intrusive fellow bus passenger Oscar Shapeley. The cast is rounded out by Jameson Thomas as the opportunistic King Westley and Alan Hale Sr. as the helpful driver in the hitchhiking sequence.

Production

Directed by Frank Capra for Columbia Pictures, then considered a "Poverty Row" studio, the film was an adaptation of a story purchased by producer Harry Cohn. Both Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert were initially reluctant to participate; Gable was loaned from MGM as a disciplinary measure, while Colbert only agreed for a doubled salary and a compressed shooting schedule. The production, shot primarily on the Columbia Ranch and on location for bus travel scenes, was marked by Capra's collaborative style with writer Robert Riskin and cinematographer Joseph Walker. The famous hitchhiking lesson and motel scenes were crafted to navigate the restrictions of the Motion Picture Production Code, using creative implication to suggest intimacy.

Release and reception

Released on February 22, 1934, the film was not an immediate box office hit but gained tremendous momentum through word-of-mouth, becoming a major financial success for Columbia Pictures. Critics praised its sharp dialogue, chemistry between the leads, and innovative blend of romance and comedy. At the 7th Academy Awards, it achieved an unprecedented sweep of the major categories, winning Best Picture, Best Director for Capra, Best Actor for Gable, Best Actress for Colbert, and Best Adaptation for Riskin. This feat was not repeated until One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1975.

Legacy

The film is widely regarded as the definitive screwball comedy, establishing many of the genre's conventions, including the battle-of-the-sexes romance between mismatched social classes. It profoundly influenced subsequent romantic comedies, from The Philadelphia Story to When Harry Met Sally.... The film's cultural impact extended beyond cinema, reportedly causing a decline in men's undershirt sales after Clark Gable appeared without one in a scene. It is preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Its enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless script and the iconic performances of its stars.

Category:1934 films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:Best Picture Academy Award winners