It Happened One Night (EOTWS)
End Of The Week Shorts #23 extract: It Happened One Night (1934)
It Happened One Night is just one of those films I can watch time and time again. A quintessential 30s film, Frank Capra film and romantic comedy, one that was doused in legend and acclaim from its release, It Happened One Night has influenced countless films and has been subject to multiple remakes, rip-offs and parodies (there are even many Indian adaptations of this). But, despite all the noise, It Happened One Night is simply a great film.
Without being too overt of a pre-code picture, It Happened One Night is a perfect example of a film that giddily leaves you running between emotions as the narrative plays you like a musical instrument. Smart, touching, hilarious, suspenseful, adorable and cheeky, this is the height of Old Hollywood escapism and fantasy, and, without cynicism, this is a masterpiece of sorts; it's not an Ingmar Bergman picture, but a masterpiece of entertainment that seemingly set the blue-print for the rom-com genre. An absolute must-watch.
