Beth’s Classic Film Club: It Happened One Night

Get your popcorn and your box wine, it’s time for a classic film! And it’s a funny one, too, because don’t you need a laugh? I sure do!

It Happened One Night has two of my favorite actors, Clark Gable, who’s sexy as fuck, and Claudette Colbert, who’s gorgeous AND funny. Colbert’s a debutante whose dad doesn’t want her to marry a rich guy named King (no really, that’s his first name), so she runs away. Gable’s a reporter who recognizes her and decides to help her along so he can write a story on her. Hilarity ensues.

In one scene, Gable undresses and it is revealed he isn’t wearing an undershirt. Supposedly, undershirt sales in America immediately plummeted. Literally, Gable was that hot.

Part of what I love about this movie, and a lot of movies from the 30’s, is that its theme of poverty contrasted with wealth rings so true today. And the movie isn’t strident about it, it’s clearly a comedy, and nobody triumphs over their poverty like you usually see in movies today. Poverty just is, and wealth just is, and everyone knows it’s unfair, and nobody knows how to fix it. They just know how to survive. I really feel like a lot of the movies of the 30’s, and especially this one, are ripe for a remake during the Great Recession.

I could also give some background on the studio system, and how these two stars wound up in this film, and how nobody thought it would be a hit, but it was, because it’s amazing. But whatever, you can look it up on Wikipedia and that backstory isn’t really important. What’s important is how great Gable and Colbert are in this film. It’s funny and poignant and fantastic. Just, go watch it, would you? And tell me what you think in the comments!