His Girl Friday (1940)

 Howard Hawks' "His Girl Friday"


"His Girl Friday" is perhaps the best film in Howard Hawks' filmography up until 1940. I know most would consider "Bringing Up Baby" for that honor, however "His Girl Friday" seems to have both a higher entertainment value as well as a more biting commentary within the themes. 

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the film is the insanely high-paced dialogue between the characters. On top of this, the film seems to point to the thematic notion that media and news writers will do just about anything to sell a story. At a time when mass media was on the rise in the U.S., especially at the onset of the second World War, newspapers and media sources started to become a corporate machine selling sensational news. While watching the film for its screwball comedy, you can also notice the underlying subtext regarding the ways in which Americans are transforming into fast-talking, bottom-line-caring soul-less sellouts.

I do not have too much to say regarding the film, as it was no unyielding masterpiece of any sort. However, I found "His Girl Friday" to be an enjoyable romp, full of laughs and biting commentary.



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