Cold, Unfunny, but Great Film
I know I'm likely to receive a lot of negative responses for this, but this is genuinely how I read this movie and I'd be interested to know what you guys think (provided its constructive):
I found this movie to be cold, mean, unfunny, and pretty great.
Here are some of the things Gable and Colbert say to each repeatedly throughout this movie:
"Shut up!"
"your a spoiled brat!"
"idiot!"
"I'll snap you're head off!"
In other words, the characters are ass holes. What is so interesting about this movie (I think anyway) is that most romantic comedies involve good-natured lonely people flirting and slowly becoming attached. "It Happened One Night" on the other hand, contains yelling, insults, and misogyny. One cold and brutal scene involves Clark Gable sending a pedestrian off into the damp, cold wilderness in the dead of night, without his luggage, when the nearest town is apparently 12 miles away. Am I supposed to be laughing?
It is only once the characters admit that they love each other and are torn apart that they drop the cynicism, stop laughing at jokes that are at the expense of others, and in general start to feel like human beings. For example, Gable gives a genuinely sorrowful and heartfelt apology of sorts to his boss, and Colbert breaks down and cries in her fathers arms. They love each but only show it when they are apart. When together they abuse each other, and never once kiss. A demented and complicated relationship indeed, but it is clear these two were meant for each other.
It is said that the actors disliked each other and the script while filming, I think that loathing is what caused this fascinating, often mean-spirited, and accidentally great movie. I'm baffled that this was even directed by Capara, its hidden anxieties and confusion feel more like Nicholas Ray.
My Top 250 http://www.imdb.com/list/wUi-psE9xNM