Favorite Scene?

Good call on the bar scene, cinemajay, but I'll go for the one when Jean Arthur picks up the dead flyer's watch, intending to give it to his weeping fiancee. Cary mistakes Jean's intentions and makes a fool out of himself. Then the two leads make the scene payoff brilliantly as they overcome this very awkward moment.

Also, the final scene with the whole gang sending Cary and his buddy off on another flight has such great energy to end a film. Whadya think?

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." W.B. Yeats

Thanks for the good words, Cinemajay. I'll be keeping an eye out for your interesting and cogent comments on other boards. You're bang-on that they don't make them like this anymore!
Cheers!
jjulian

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." W.B. Yeats

There's so many great scenes in this movie. Probably my favorite is Cary Grant in his room with Jean Arthur. It's an intensely dramatic movie, but this was a great comedic scene from both Grant and Jean Arthur (who were, of course, two brilliant actors in both comedy and drama). Grant gets "burned twice in the same place" and he also thinks Jean hurt her ankle, but she just lost the heel of her shoe.

"Dry your eyes baby, it's out of character."

Just saw this wonderful and very underrated film for the first time a few days ago--I had my wisdom teeth pulled out there's not much for me to do other than watch DVDs, sleep and take painkillers.

My favorite has got to be when Kid has just died and they're all by the piano listening to the guy play his guitar, playing a sad song. You see Cary Grant and he just looks shell-shocked, looking through Kid's belongings. That whole scene is just so delicately directed you wonder why Howard Hawks never won an Oscar. The topper is when Bonnie is trying to find the right words on how to say "Good-bye", and while she's struggling Cary Grant just holds the scene with his quiet star power. Damn, he was good.

I also love when Geoff finds out that Kid's coin is a fake, with two heads. That look on Cary Grant's face is priceless, and it's just the criterion scene for male bonding.


Did he train you? Did he rehearse you? Did he tell you exactly what to do, what to say?

So many good scenes have been mentioned. But I gotta say, I love the scene when Jean Arthur is trying to leave Cary Grant's place and she keeps bumping into everything. She's such a great comedic actress.

Also, when Jean Arthur catches Cary Grant crying over the death of his friend- an unexpected vulnerable moment. Cary Grant basically rocks. He's the greatest ever.

Personal philosophy: Clothing optional http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=8093247

My favorite scene is between the Kid and MacPherson on the plane. That whole scene is full of built-in drama and it's emotionally satisfying when MacPherson finally redeems himself.

Let's see if you bastards can do 90.

Geoff Carter: What's all this?
Bonnie Lee: What?
Geoff Carter: All this cooking!
Bonnie Lee: Oh, that's coffee.
Geoff Carter: Look at this mess...
Bonnie Lee: Don't touch it, it's hot! You'll burn yourself.
[he touches it]
Bonnie Lee: Oh, I told you!
Geoff Carter: Ah, ah. Go away, go away!
Bonnie Lee: Ooh, that is a burn. Here, I'll put some butter on it.
Geoff Carter: I don't want any butter on it.
Bonnie Lee: Oh, but it'll make you feel better!
Geoff Carter: I told you, I don't want any butter on it!
Bonnie Lee: My grandmother always used butter...
Geoff Carter: I don't care what your grandmother did!
[referring to the coffee]
Geoff Carter: It's still boiling! What's all this about?
Bonnie Lee: Oh, I just thought I'd like to have a nice cup of coffee. It's so cold and rainy outside and nice and cozy in here.
Geoff Carter: Oh...
Bonnie Lee: Wouldn't you like to have one, too?
Geoff Carter: No, I wouldn't, and get out of here and stop making a mess and stay out of my room, and take this with you...
[reaches for kettle]
Bonnie Lee: Oh, don't ...
Geoff Carter: [picks up kettle, whistles in surprise]
Bonnie Lee: [laughs] I thought you never did that.
Geoff Carter: Did what?
Bonnie Lee: Got burned twice in the same place.

I, too love this scene. There are 15 to 20 people crammed into a small space, singing and dancing. I especially like the late entering young brunette woman who cries out, "ahhh-haa!"

I agree with the others that this film is packed with great scenes. The use of sound on Joe's attempts to land is great, with the Kid indicating where he hears the plane approaching, etc.