It Happened One Night

1 Well deserved Oscars
Clark Gabel and Claudette Colbert won oscars for their portrayals of a couple brought togther on a bus. A young society girl (Colbert) attempts to flee from her contolling father and is assisted by a newspaper reporter (Gabel). Additionally, the movie won the best picture award. I believe this was the first clean sweep in the history of the academy awards. In this well made romantic comedy, Colbert, although a spoiled society girl, has spunk in getting away from her father and she shows lots of charm. There have been many romatic comedies filmed since (and Meg Ryan seems to be in half of them). If these latest efforts seem to rely on a formula, it's because "It Happened One Night" set the standard for the others to follow.

If you are very observant, you will see a very familiar face in the movie. There is the famous hitch hiking scene in which Colbert shows Gabel how to stop a car. When they get picked up, the driver who stops for them looks so darn familiar. If you look long enough you would exclaim, "I know who that is, it's the skipper in Gilligan's Island!" Well, you would be wrong since this movie is about three decades before Alan Hale Jr. portrayed that role. You get three guesses who it was driving the car ... one ... two ... three. OK, the answer is that the driver is portrayed by Alan Hale Sr. That's right, father and son are absolute dead ringers for each other in appearance, mannerisms and the way they talk.

This oscar winning movie is an absolute delight. Maybe most romantic comedies have become trite, but for this, the original, the Academy Award is well deserved

2 A classic in every way possible.
Along with Casablanca and a few others, this is a perfect film. There's a little bit of everything, but most of all, it's a delightful comedy with just enough double-entendre to keep the censors on their toes. This is Gable at his height and Colbert at her most enchanting. At least a dozen scenes set the standard for decades to come. Just watch it; you'll understand perfectly.

3 Absolutely hilarious
You hear it all the time, but it's SO true, "They don't make 'em like they used to." Over 70 years old and I laughed the entire time I was watching this wonderful movie. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert are one of the best on-screen duos and are so very covincing at their parts in this movie, you can't help falling in love with them. A DEFINITE must-have-must-see movie for any lover of great comedies and classics.

4 "Holy jumping catfish! You drive a guy crazy."
This timeless screwball comedy is without a doubt one of Frank Capra's finest efforts, despite the low budget he had to work with. And even though on the last day of filming Claudette Colbert told friends, "I've just finished the worst picture I've ever made in my life", she went on to win the oscar for best actress. Also, Clark Gable won a much-deserved best actor oscar, and the film also won best picture, best director, and best screenplay awards.

Obviously, the movie made a huge impact back in 1934, and after more than 70 years it's still entertaining people all over the world! The sharp and witty dialogue is so hilarious and the casting couldn't have been better. This is also the earliest performance of Ward Bond I've ever seen (he plays the officer who says, "Oh yeah?" to Clark Gable).

The dvd is simply wonderful, and the picture and sound quality are great, all things considered. The bonus features include a 10-minute interview with Frank Capra Jr., commentary by Frank Capra Jr., an original live radio broadcast of "It Happened One Night" from 1939 (audio only), vintage advertising posters of the film, several theatrical trailers, and talent files of the director and two stars. This classic is highly recommended for all fans of screwball comedies.

5 One of the top comedies in the thirties !
This famous film plays hard thanks to the wonderful handle camera the powerful direction of Capra , the fine cast and a jiggy script .
Since a dizzy society girl flees from her father and for these weird casualities he finds a reporter in a cross country bus . Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable are simply engaged and the script will reveal very funny and smart situations .
Stunning classic made with broad gusto .

6 Still the gold standard of screwball comedies
In 1934, an underbudgeted, little-heralded film by the young director Frank Capra swept the Oscars, winning for best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay. Seventy years later, it's remarkable how fresh and funny "It Happened One Night" seems.
Neither Claudette Colbert nor Clark Gable wanted to do this film, but despite or perhaps because of this, their performances are spontaneous and endearing. They have real chemistry, and the scenes of them flirting and bickering have been much-imitated but never equalled. Besides the famous "Walls of Jericho" scene when Peter undresses, I also love it when Peter teaches Ellie how to dunk a donut.
The story is simple: Ellie Andrews, a spoiled heiress, runs away to marry her fiance. On the bus to NYC she meets Peter Warne (Gable), a reporter who's just been fired from his newspaper. Both are brash and obnoxious. Of course this odd couple fall in love.
It Happened One Night of course was filmed during the height of the Great Depression, and unlike many Hollywood films of that era did not portray a world of impossible luxury. Peter and Ellie spend a night in a cheap autocamp, their bus breaks down and a passenger faints from hunger, and Capra has numerous scenes of characters enjoying simple things, like eating a carrot or hitchhiking or stealing a jalopy. As is typical with his movies there are a lot of eccentric characters, like a singing driver and an obnoxious bus passenger who says "Shapely's the name and that's the way I like 'em." I also love the depiction of Ellie Andrews -- this was an era when women onscreen were strong and resourceful. Although the film does play up the "spoiled heiress" stereotype Ellie never becomes an obnoxious type character. It's delightful that in this movie, Ellie "wears the pants" in the relationship and is the mover and shaker. The bickering-but-respectful relationship between Peter and Ellie is an interesting contrast to a film made 20 years later, Roman Holiday. Roman Holiday is a film with a similar storyline, but the gender politics have changed. Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) has none of the eccentricity of Peter Warne (who's shown chewing a carrot), but is the romantic knight in shining armor. Audrey Hepburn's Princess is charming and doe-eyed, not brash and cheeky like Ellie.
It Happened One Night is not a big-budget film. Over the years, Hollywood has come out with many romantic comedies, some excellent. But It Happened One Night is still the gold standard. For once a classic film's reputation is richly deserved.

7 Enchanting, sexy & not a single dull moment ...
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is a picture with a fascinating cinematic history (no one except Frank Capra wanted to make it, Gable & Colbert included, and no one thought it would hit or win Oscars, any Oscars -- until it did). It's also one of the few films I've ever seen that is literally without a single dull moment in it --surely a rarity, even in the most expensive films (and this one cost all of $375,000 to make in 1934).

The spoiled runaway heiress who finds true love with the down-to-earth newspaper reporter isn't the most original idea in movies -- but what Capra, Riskin (the writer), Gable & Colbert do with it is beyond priceless. Among other highlights in this thoroughly delightful film are the scene where Gable singlehandedly destroyed the men's undershirt industry by revealing a bare chest while undressing; Gable's argument with a bus driver; the scene already mentioned by other reviewers of Colbert's unique method of stopping a car after Gable, who claims to be a hitchhiking expert, has failed miserably; the breakfast scene in which Gable teaches Colbert how to dunk a doughnut properly; the falling-over funny scene of Gable & Colbert impersonating a brawling married couple to outwit her father's detectives; and the scene where he lectures her about piggyback riding and the virtues of the common man while carrying her across a stream. (But I must confess my favorite scene is probably Gable's argument with Colbert's father at the end of the film. When her father finally nails him down and says, "Do you love her?", Gable, after evading the question, finally answers, "Yes! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself!")

Gable's performance here is simply his very best after GONE WITH THE WIND. There couldn't have been any close contenders for the Best-Actor Oscar that year; Gable simply walks off with the movie, in rollicking fashion, and it is abundantly clear while watching him exactly why women found him the Sexiest Man Alive (at that time, and for many years afterward). Even seventy years later, and more than 40 years after his death, he's still a heartbreaker here. He's funny and playful and tender and strong ... whew! It's a tragedy that current generations know so little about him and his remarkable career -- but they will get more than their fill of his very potent charm in this picture.

Colbert plays a fairly thankless part with great elegance and sophistication. While acting spoiled and bored and rebellious, she's also charming, funny and perfectly unimpressed with Gable's antics -- right up to the moment when she realizes she's in love with him.

All the supporting players (all studio actors) are wonderful, too, even in this essentially two-person movie. The guy playing Oscar Shapeley, the conceited suburban bore, was a Best Supporting Actor shoo-in -- wonder why HE didn't win that year, too? And the roles of Colbert's father and Gable's editor were beautifully filled. No one phoned in their work on this movie; every performance and nuance is a gem.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, after seventy years, is as fresh and funny as though it were made yesterday -- my nine-year-old and six-year-old sons both adore it, too.

Classic doesn't always mean boring. Sometimes -- as in this case -- classic means timeless. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT will be funny in this century and the next century and every century where men and women meet and fall in love.

8 "Excuse me lady, but that upon which you sit is mine."
Peter Warne: Why didn't you take off all your clothes? You could have stopped forty cars.
Ellie Andrews: Well, ooo, I'll remember that when we need forty cars.

On-screen chemistry has the ability to turn a good film into something special. Look no further than Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night" for proof of this. Whoever came up with the idea of pairing Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert together in this production certainly earned his or her paycheck.

Rich girl Ellie Andrews (Colbert) runs away from her father so that she can be with her one true love, King Westley (Jameson Thomas). Ellie has little knowledge of how the outside world works so she hooks up with reporter Peter Warne (Gable) who offers to help her reach New York in return for the exclusive rights to her story. The pair finds each other intolerable at the outset but as they spend more time together, their opinions of one another start to change. By the time they arrive in New York, Ellie and Peter must decide if they should act upon the newfound affection that has developed between them.

"It Happened One Night" is effectively funny and romantic at the same time. The out-of-the-way situations Ellie and Peter find themselves involved in is screwball comedy at its finest and the love that develops between them is Hollywood magic at its most charming. Colbert and Gable show why they were two of the biggest stars of their era and the chemistry they display on screen still is magnetic to this very day. "It Happened One Night" is also a fascinating cultural text due to its suggestive sexual overtones and its vivid depiction of a woman who is determined to take matters into her own hands when the situation calls for it. Both of these aspects are especially noteworthy when one considers the period in which the film was made. Yet, if "It Happened One Night" is to be remembered for anything, it should be remembered for the classic that it is. After all, when you speak of pure cinematic bliss, you speak of scenes like the one where Ellie flashes her thigh to stop an approaching car - truly one of the greatest moments ever recorded on film.

9 It doesn't get any better than this ...
70 years later, this movie still holds up beautifully. It's funny, smart, and, man! those sexy, charming leads! I'd ride a bus with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert anywhere ...

This ones recommended for everyone -- old people, young people ... It hasn't aged, and it'll always be a good time.

10 A classic that deserves to endure
A spoiled socialite (Claudette Colbert) flees her wealthy father (Walter Connolly) and heads for New York to marry a rich playboy (Jameson Thomas) against her father's will. The whereabouts of Ellie Andrews and the reward for her return become the stuff of national headlines, so when recently fired reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) recognizes her, he decides to stick close so he can write the story. Naturally, romance follows, but it's a bumpy and hugely entertaining road to get there.

This is an absolutely wonderful film. It's such a shame that so many people are not interested in watching an old black-and-white movie. Good work is timeless. Gable and Colbert have wonderful chemistry and are both hilarious and touching. The rest of the cast is excellent as well. Even though the story is set during the Great Depression, it doesn't seem dated at all. The wisecracking between characters is sharp and well-written (by screenwriter Robert Riskin); there are lots of laugh-out-loud moments during this film. It's also pretty racy and suggestive for its time, with a genuinely affecting climax. Another level of interest is added by the careful attention that director Frank Capra pays to the depression-era milieu; Colbert's character really doesn't understand the plight of the common man, but Gable's hard-bitten reporter is all too aware of the hard times that people are going through. This adds a fascinating sociological dimension.

11 Best Picture Winner that Deserved it.
This film is nothing but brilliant. There is not a second that goes by when you get bored of it. Its an all time favourite, and its one of the few movies which I can honestly say was worthy of the Awards it received.

The film stars Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert and is directed by Frank Capra. Three top names, which one simply can't resist. All three showing off their talents to the highest degree possible.

The film was released in 1934 and won five academy awards, Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. How much films can you honestly think of which have taken all five of the main awards and really deserved it?

Here's a quick take on the story: Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) is this spoiled rich girl, who runs away from her father (Walter Connolly) who is a millionaire, so that she can marry her fiancee. On her way to New York, she gets on a bus on which she meets a newspaper reporter, Peter Warne (Clark Gable). They start off bad, but then there bus breaks down, which is the start to a very funny hitchhiking trip that will certainly change the both of them. The scene where Gable is pretending that he is a gangster is hilarious!

The picture quality looks very good, although it can appear a litle soft in places. The mono sound is mostly clear and crisp throughout, easily understandable. It has some nice extras, such as an Original Live Radio Broadcast that is very, very entertaining. A featurette, the usual trailer, along with a few other things aswell. There is a commentary on the Region 1 (US) release, but I can't comment on it. It wasn't on my Region 2 release due to legal issues or something.

Admittedly, Columbia treat their Classic film catalogue on DVD fairly in some cases, and terribly in some others ("You Can't Take it With You" is of awful quality). Thankfully, this fine film got lucky, and was given this top-rate release. Fans of Gable, Capra, or Colbert will love this.

12 A Classic Gem!
I like the old classics and It Happened One Night is a very good movie with a wonderful cast! Claudette Colbert stars as an heiress who runs away from her father who is trying to prevent her from marrying a golddigging playboy. She trys to travel in disguise but is recognized by an out of work reporter played by Clark Gable who pretends he doesn't know who she is so he can get the big scoop about why she ran away and they wind up hitting the road together. This is a romantic comedy and what they called screwball comedy and has some funny lines and situations. I taped this movie when it was on TCM and I just might buy the DVD someday!

13 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT: Gets Better with Each Viewing
When IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT was released in 1934, the movie was not a hit either with the fans or the critics. The producers were ready to relegate director Frank Capra's film to the dustbins of the filmshelf. But then a strange thing happened. Word of mouth spread the news that this was a film of import and fun. In just a few short months, the lines around the few theaters that were still showing it were long enough to convince the producers that they should redistribute it, and so they did. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT has been in more or less continuous showing since then. It garnered a slew of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for Clark Gable and Best Actress for Claudette Colbert.

Critics of IHON justly call it a magnificent early example of a screwball comedy, and it is surely that, but repeated viewings imbue it with a series of social and economic subtexts that the contemporary audience could relate to. Clark Gable is Peter Warne, a huckstering newpaperman who has the great bad fortune to hook up with Ellen Andrews (Colbert), a spoiled socialite who is running away from her overbearing magnate father who wants to annul her marriage to a foppish goldhunter King Westlake. The majority of the film is an early version of a comedic but stark version of Kerouac's ON THE ROAD, with Gable and Colbert trying to travel from Florida to New York, all the while pursued by detectives hired by her father to catch them. When fans think of reasons why they love IHON, they usually point to the famous hitchhiking scene where Colbert's raised skirt gets a ride when Gable's thumb proves inadequate. Then, these fans mention the blanket between the lovers scene in which the symbolic Walls of Jericho slowly come tumbling down as each reaches out to the other to reveal their growing attraction. The chemistry between Gable and Colbert is so strong that one wonders why they never paired up again. Yet,IHON is more than a screwball comedy that permits the lovers to dash in and out of improbable situations. As they travel the dusty roads of backwoods America, a depression oriented America that was all too well versed in such meanderings could travel right along with them. The communal singing on the bus scene is not simply a musical interlude between scenes; it temporarily places Gable and Colbert into the background and propels the image of lonely travelers on the road reaching out to one another in a fashion that must have resonated with many viewers. From bus to hitchhiking to tramping dusty roads, Gable and Colbert proved yet again that the magic of chemistry when allied with the right social subtext could produce a film that even today can place the video audience right there in the same creaky car driven by that suitcase thief. If director Capra proves anything it is that true magic does not vary to fit changing economic or social climates. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is truly one of the all time great moments in film history.

14 *Epitome of Romantic Screwball Comedies*
I first saw this movie when I was 15-years-old. Most people at this age usually have the misconception that black & white films are boring. I used to be in that same muddled pool, but this film would forever change my view of old classic movies.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, originally titled NIGHT BUS, was a low budget movie panned early on by film critics, but embraced by moviegoers all over America. The critics -- who had snubbed the film at first -- were undoubtedly curious about its fast-rising popularity. They reviewed it again, but under closer scrutiny. During the following year (in 1935), the film was nominated for five major Academy Awards: 1) Best Picture, 2) Best Director, 3) Best Writing Adaptation, 4) Best Actress, and 5) Best Actor. It was no wonder that the picture captured all five of the major categories.

This film continues to enchant moviegoers, and it continues to influence much of what we see in today's romantic comedies. It's responsible for this basic formula: The common scenario being boy meets girl, boy and girl despise each other, boy and girl fall in love with each other, boy loses girl, boy eventually wins girl back. You've seen it. So many times in fact that the stories and characters generally seem jaded and contrived. Many of these films fail to duplicate the magic of this 1934 classic. The acting, too, usually isn't up to par with a Gable or Colbert -- both of whom deliver stellar performances in this film. Their great on-screen chemistry ignites the movie and energizes it to the end. You can expect plenty of action and excitement here, for it's all based on good humor and fun.

Frank Capra's direction is superb, the cast is terrific, and the crisp, witty dialogue certainly makes this one of the best films ever.

Watch it and enjoy!

**Note: Gable and Colbert did work together again in a film called BOOM TOWN, which was released in 1940. The movie was a disappointment, however, because it lacked the same wonderful spark that was so evident in this picture.**

15 Hilarious Love Story
"It Happened One Night" is an excellent comedy released in 1934. It garnered five Oscars, including Best Picture. Its unique laughter attracting style remains entertaining, regardless how many viewings. Its love story theme remains funny and serious in the perfect scenes. Its many twists and turns keeps audiences interested in what will happen next, from Ellie's escape from her father and fiance to Ellie meeting Peter to the two slowly falling in love. There is no dull moment. Such writing quality is only one movie detail that makes it classic-worthy. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert earned an Oscar for their lead roles. Both brilliant actors offer their own comedy and serious theme, which adds more flavor. Regardless if they express greed, love, rejection, happiness, or anger, their every moment is flawless. "It Happened One Night" is a great classic film for those looking for unique humor. This will surely continue pleasing audiences for many more years.

16 Best Movie Ever! (Really)
I have loved this movie forever. It is the simple story of a poor little rich girl (Colbert)who runs away from her tycoon father in hopes of making it to New York to wed her playboy fiance. A newspaper reporter (Gable) is on her trail and hopes to get the scoop of the season by cozying up to her and getting the inside story of her surprise wedding. When their night bus breaks down, the bickering couple hitchike to New York. Of course, sparks fly between the two of them as they fall in love.

This is a terrifically funny movie that tells a great story. Along the way, the movie offers up a snapshot of 1934 American life that is true and vanished.

Everyone loves this movie. People who hate black and white movies love this movie. Even cool 19 year old boys who only relate to the Sopranos love this movie. I have never known anyone who watched this movie who didn't also love it.

17 What a funny movie!
This movie is one laugh after another with a great story. You've probably read the story from other reviewers, so I won't remind you, but I just thought the plot was very clever and the humor just has to make you laugh. I really didn't like Clark Gable before I saw this movie, but my opinion of him improved after seeing this movie. I even got my mom to see this and she loved it as well! The DVD is great and the VHS is great. either way, you can't lose!:)

18 One of the truly good ones
I feel like a kid in the candy store. Having finally purchased the DVD of this wonderful film there's a sense that I did something right. This film has no heavy moral ambiguity but it still has a wonderful portrayal of the human condition in America. Clark Gable as Peter Warne is a lovable cad of a newsman. He's not terrible but he is manipulative. He's also sincere. I never know just when he actually falls in love with the swanky material girl, Ellen Andrews, played by the spunky Claudette Colbert, but you know it's happening along every step of their reluctant road trip. Her change of heart is forced upon her when the reality of how she will miss Peter when the trip is over. She learns a little humility and he learns that even the rich and spoiled can be sincere as well as fall in love with a regular Joe. This is such a delightful pairing that it's amazing that I've never seen them paired again in other movies. Marvelous chemestry exists between them and they are the perfect foil for each other's hard-headed assuptions about the other. This movie is also a wonderful slice of director Frank Capra's gift for revealing genuine scenes of Americans and Americana. Our strengths and our faults ride side by side throughout the odyssey from Miami to New York. The strengths win out with a few personal compromises leading to revelations along the way. I caught myself smiling by the movie's end.No surprise there.The picture on this DVD is full screen and not widescreen. Having never seen the film is a theater I have no idea if any cropping occurred. However, the picture is surprisingly clean and clear.All around, this is some of the best money I've spent on a DVD.

19 HAHA...
This classic film is SO AMAZINGLY FUNNY!!! It includes some of the most famous scenes in Hollywood history, including Clark Gable trying to hitch a ride, and teaching Claudette Colbert how to "properly" dunk a doughnut.

The two stars are great in their Oscar-winning performances. I just can't get enough of either of them! The only complaint I have is when Gable goes off in search of food w/out telling Colbert, and she COMPLETELY freaks out. Not funny. Annoying.

I'm too lazy to look up the names of the dudes who played Colbert's father and fiance, King Westley. Let's just say this, though: the dad is really funny and entertaining!!! Westley is, to put it politely, a major FREAK OF NATURE!!!

I totally recommend this movie to anyone!!!

20 And the walls of Jericho came tumbling down...
This movie was the first (as I understand it )to take home every main oscar of the fateful night , including :
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. And it deserved every one of them.
Brilliant story plot, which is actually very simple, and also which I will take the time to explain now.
Ellie(Colbert) runs away from her father and is trying to get to her fiancee, while Gable plays Peter Warner, a guy who meets her on a bus and thinks of her only as a front page story(but not for long)and is trying to help her get to her fiancee so she will give it to him. On the way they encounter
obstacles like the walls of Jericho and sing songs like "The Man On the Flying Trapeze" and inevitably fall in love.
This is a gem of a movie that I highly reccomend for any Capracorn lovers.

21 DVD not worth the premium price.
Is this the best source print that Columbia/Sony could come up with? For shame! The high resolution of the DVD medium merely serves to reveal the poor quality of the source elements used in mastering. I have seen this title on VHS tape as well as DVD and am convinced that the DVD edition offers little improvement over the image and sound of the VHS edition.

If you have a quality VCR, you can enjoy significant savings without compromising your viewing experience, by opting for the VHS edition. "It Happened One Night" is currently out of print on VHS. So, save money while you enjoy this highly entertaining film on VHS, at least until Columbia/Sony gets around to restoring this much loved classic.

22 ORIGINAL ROAD TRIP HITS A FEW BUMPS IN ITS TRANSFER QUALITY
"It Happened One Night" is the story of Peter Warren (Clark Gable), the happy go lucky newspaper hound who discovers that missing heiress, Ellie McPherson (Claudette Colbert) is actually traveling with him on the cross country night bus. Determined to expose Ellie, Peter finds himself falling for her instead. Director Frank Capra's original road trip movie gives us some real gems, not the least of which is watching Ellie hoist her skirt up to passer-bys on the open road in order to secure suitable transportation.

Colbert, not always the most congenial of stars, absolutely refused to make this picture and had to be strong armed by Columbia chief, Harry Cohn. While working, Colbert reportedly didn?t try very hard at playing her part, was constantly in conflict with Capra and, after principle photography was completed, stormed off the set declaring that this was the worst picture she had ever made. Small irony that the role Colbert liked the least is the one which garnered her only Best Actress Oscar. Gable, who had been loaned out by MGM as punishment for refusing to do a part in one of their pictures, took home the Best Actor statuette. So much for punishing ?the king?!

Unfortunately, Columbia Home Video's presentation of this Academy Award winning masterwork is punishment enough. While the film has had extensive restoration, thanks to the Library of Congress, the DVD exhibits a generally soft picture with slightly out of focus images. Some scenes are so blurry that they suggest a dupe negative was cut into the first generation camera negative. There is some aliasing and shimmering, as well as an almost total loss of fine details during many of the scenes taking place at night.. The soundtrack has been restored as well but continues to exhibit a scratchy background hiss and distracting pops with varying degrees of audibility. The one extra worth mentioning is "Frank Capra Jr. Remembers..." a snippet in which the son of the director talks about his father and the movie. It's too short but interesting nevertheless.

23 Unparalleled romantic comedy
Frank Capra's It Happened One Night is a hilarious battle of the sexes that has lost little of its charm, despite the passage of almost seventy years. Clark Gable is at his best, and funniest, as the wise-talking, street-smart New York journalist who stumbles upon the spoiled and precocious Claudette Colbert, a rich kid on the run from her millionnaire father and an unwanted bridegroom. Together, Gable and Colbert have the chemistry to make this witty comedy triumph.

Sexuality is dealt with humorously, though never in a contrived or censorious manner. On the contrary, every moment breathes raw sexuality, and eyebrows will be raised more than once, despite the lack of explicit sexual content. In an age of cinema when sexual humour is often nothing more than sheer crudity, It Happened One Night is an inspiredly hilarious, masterfully executed and supremely adult sex comedy that knows the difference between humour and vulgarity.

24 A funny an dfirst rate entertaining film!
Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable make a wonderfully romantic couple. They are sweet one moment and fightin gin the next. It has comedy, drama, romance, and a good storyline. Claudette's father kidnaps her on his boat to stop her from going back to a husband that he forbad her to nmarry and Clark ends up helping her find her way back to him. Really good, classic, and funny.

25 Cute Classic Romance
From the time the subtly sexy Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) falls into the witty Peter Warne's (Clark Gable) lap on the bus you know this is going to be just an adorable romantic classic. Especially when Clark Gable says: "Next time you drop in, bring your folks."

A reporter needs a story and an heiress is running away from her controlling father. She is not even used to being alone in the same room with a man, let alone sleeping in his pajamas. (so cute)

If you can make it through the "flying trapeze" song you will be well rewarded. The singing in this movie probably seems a bit cheesy even to those of us who are not jaded and love old movies. There are many laugh-out-loud moments that catch you completely unawares. Like the time Peter gives Ellie a good smack. Don't know why, but it is quite funny.

I mean, he is carrying her across a river in a precarious position, hands her the suitcase, then gives her a smack on the butt and then continues on as if nothing happened. Another reviewer made this sound like abuse, but it really is just funny. These days the woman would hit back as in "Buffy" or be offended in some way.

It is difficult not to watch the entire movie with a silly grin on your face because the characters are just so endearing. You have to love how Colbert stops a car and how Peter protects her from his prying eyes by putting up a blanket between them in the hotel room. Where else was she going to sleep? She was broke and hiding out from her millionaire father (Walter Connolly).

I love the scene where she tells Peter he can leave if he wants and then is terrified when she finds him gone. Fortunately, he just went to look for carrots because she was hungry.

A movie I could watch over and over again, but would forward through the singing!

Cute sassy innocence with an undercurrent of desire.

If you doubt that this movie is better than most modern romantic comedies, be ready for a real surprise. It will really capture your attention. The acting is incredibly good and is it just cute! Cute! CUTE!

26 If you love the classics
This one is a must for any old movie buff.

27 An absolutely wonderful & priceless period piece
This is truly a great movie. The only glaring weakness I could find was her 'all of a sudden' love of him - it felt too fake. Other than that, it has aged incredibly well. It kind of goes to show that you don't need all the gee-whiz-bang hollywood goodies to make a great movie. And truly how many movies will last as long as this one? Precious few is my guess.

28 The Father Of All Screwball Comedies.
If you like screwball comedy, and the ever popular (notorious) battle of the sexes, this is the one that started it all. Directed by Frank Capra, this film started the category of "Screwball Comedy". Winner of the big 5 acadamy awards (picture, actor, actress, director, screenplay) for 1934, it is still as fresh and alive today as it was then. Clark Gable is refreshing to see as a drunken, down on his luck newspaper reporter who may lack money, but not common sense. Claudette Colbert as the spoiled brat of a millionare father comes off very well. There are so many hilarious moments in this film that I can't really get into them all, but the way that Claudette stops a car without using her thumb (after Clark fails) is classic. The reproduction of the film & sound is excellent. There is enough supplemental material here to make it more than worth it. I highly recommend this film for anyone who wants a good laugh, and/or wants to see where the "Screwball Comedy" originated.

29 A timeless classic!
Ellen Andrews (Claudette Colbert) is a rich, young woman who escapes from her father to be with her husband in New York. On the train on her way, she meets a charming newspaper reporter, Peter Warne (Clark Gable). They don't get along at first, but they quickly become friends. When he finds out that Ellie is running away from her father, Peter decides to help her and also to make his journey with her into a news article. Soon, they find themselves falling in love with each other.

A hilarious and romantic movie, It Happened One Night is one of the best classics ever. The writing, the acting -- everything about it is excellent. You know a movie is something special when nearly seventy years since it's release, it is still as cherished as ever!

30 Break of the Edgecrusher!
I decided to buy this movie after seeing Cleopatra, and I knew Claudette Colbert was the ****. I've now watched it two nights in row and it's great. Claudette and that guy look great on screen together. I agree with the previous coments, the chemistry on screen was off the hook. I really apreciate the character development, and Claudette Colbert is just so fine. I think I'll watch it again and again and again, untill my mind is blasted. The quality of this movie is smack. The DVD is crystal clear. I really can't say enough good things about this movie! Boom!

31 Gable & Colburn are delightful
Transfer was fine as far as I remember (I watched it a month ago), and the set of special features is good, with an interview and a commentary by Frank Capra Jr., as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. :-)

Won 5 Academy awards in 1934: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

32 THE BEST OF CLARK GABLE!
This movie is far yet my favorite of Clark Gable's. I liked the way he portrays a drunkin' news reporter, yelling at his boss over the telephone while his drunkin friends cheered him on. I also liked what he said when claudette colbert was standing up over him on the bus as it started to leave the station. The bus moved and jerked her back; down on his lap. He told her, "Next time you drop in bring your folks." That was pretty funny. It's a comedy, and a romance that everyone in the family could enjoy. I recommend it.

33 A classic and magical romantic comedy!
Made in 1934 by Frank Capra, It Happened One Night was the first romantic comedy that would later be put into the genre of "screwball comedy." It is also one of the best screwball comedies ever made (actually, I think it is one of the best comedies ever made, in general)!

Anyhow, It Happened One Night is basically the story of a willfull heiress named Ellie Andrews, played by Claudette Colbert, who escapes her father's protection to find and marry the man she loves. Along the way, however, she meets a reporter named Peter, played by Clark Gable, who sticks with her in order to eventually write a story on her adventures. Both Colbert and Gable give excellent performances, and the dialogue between the two characters is really sweet and funny.

So, if you haven't seen this - what are you waiting for? It Happened One Night is a perfect example of the kind of movies that have pretty much disappeared today: movies with captivating and original plots, good dialogue, and great acting - and without obscene language or inappropriate scenes. The DVD is great - I don't know how else to recommend this! Get this DVD, and enjoy watching an enchanting and heartwarming classic comedy.

34 A classic and magical romantic comedy!
Made in 1934 by Frank Capra, It Happened One Night was the first romantic comedy that would later be put into the genre of "screwball comedy." It is also one of the best screwball comedies ever made (actually, I think it is one of the best comedies ever made, in general)!

35 still as enchanting as ever
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is still regarded as one of the best comedies ever made, thanks to the superb performances of Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable and the faultless direction of Frank Capra.

Based on the short story "Night Bus" by Samuel Hopkins Adams, the story concerns spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) escapes her millionaire father (Walter Connolly) to wants to stop her from marrying a worthless playboy. En route to New York, Ellie gets involved with an out-of-work newspaper reporter, Peter Warne (Clark Gable). When their night bus breaks down, the bickering couple set off on a hilarious hitchiking expedition.

Peter hopes to turn the inside story of their misadventures into a job. But complications fly when the runaway heiress and brash reporter fall in love.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT scooped all five major catergories at the 1934 Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Actress (Claudette Colbert), Best Screenplay (Robert Riskin) and Best Director (Frank Capra).

The DVD includes the trailer, rare radio material, picture/promo gallery and a featurette.

36 Incredible classic comedy
Without any question, this is one of the classic comedies of film history. It signaled the beginning of Frank Capra's career as a marquee director. Although he had made a bevy of films before this one, from IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT on, Capra was a directing star. Unlike most of his later films, this film does not have the social or political overtones of many of those films. The performances in this film are among the finest comic roles in the history of film. Most of Clark Gable's fame rests on his many hard hitting dramas and action films, but he was amazingly as effective here in a pure comedy as in any of his other films. Cladette Colbert specialized in comedy (though she also managed some top flight dramatic roles), and managed several star turns as excellent as she was here (THE PALM BEACH STORY and MIDNIGHT), but even if she had not made the other films, we would remember her today because of this film. The film is graced with several superb turns by character actors like Roscoe Kerns (as the oily and opportunistic Oscar Shapeley), Walter Connolly, and Alan Hale.

There are as many classic scenes in this film as any you can think of. Bugs Bunny's carrot chewing habit was supposedly borrowed by his creators from Clark Gable in the famous hitchhiking scene. The Walls of Jericho scene has been mimicked in several other films. We remember these scenes because they are funny, well-written, and superbly acted. Without any question, one of the great films. The fact that the movie won the four most important Oscars--Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director--merely confirms what any viewer can see for themselves.

Nonetheless, there are somethings that I find disturbing in the film. Part of the reason is the fact that the movie embodies some very disturbing attitudes towards women. These attitudes don't have to be teased out or discovered by a microscopic examination of key scenes. The attitudes are blatant and in-your-face. If anyone doubts me, just watch the movie again with an eye for how Claudette Colbert is treated, and imagine oneself in that position. For instance, at once point Peter Warren (Gable) tells the father of Ellie Andrews (Colbert) that what she needs is a husband who will belt her everyday, whether she deserves it or not (her father seems to agree with him). Today, the notion of any man "belting" his wife under any conditions is offensive. Throughout the movie, Cable pushes, shoves, picks up, and bosses Colbert around. He pretty much treats her as if she were a doll. By today's standards, he frequently invades her personal space. He tells her to shut up, and she shuts up. In one scene, Gable is carrying Colbert on his shoulder across a creek (itself a fairly demeaning position), when he smacks her on the butt for arguing with him. It is impossible to imagine any of Barbara Stanwyck's characters putting up this kind of treatment. Quite apart from all this, Cable's machismo is really, really hard to take in the early part of the 21st century. Unfortunately, this is a feature of most of his characters, and is, I believe, one of the reasons that his popularity has fared so badly in comparison with so many of his more important contemporaries like Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, or Cary Grant. There are just too many scenes in this film that you have to watch with blinders on. In other words, the films reflects social ideas that are part of a world that no longer exists.

The film feels dated in other ways as well. Technologically, the sound is not quite as good as we would find in films only a year or two later, often sounding boxy. Like in many of Capra's films, many of the characters, especially characters who make only brief appearances, seem cardboardish, unbelievable, and simplistic. They reflect ways of speaking and attitudes that many viewers will find difficult to understand. These characters just strike us as wrong and unconvincing, and for that reason, remote. This is not true of many other films of the thirties and forties, though it is frequently true of the films of Capra. Compare Ward Bond's bus driver with nearly any minor character in THE AWFUL TRUTH or BRINGING UP BABY or THE LADY EVE or TO BE OR NOT TO BE or THE PALM BEACH STORY, and my point is understood. I don't know if the fault is Capra (which I suspect, since he had a number of simplistic and naively optimistic characters in a number of his films--one of the factors figuring into what is known as Capra-corn) or the fact that the film is one of the older talking pictures that we actually still watch. It doesn't keep the film from being a classic of the first rank, but it does supply a disturbing undertone.

37 Light comedy at its best.
This thourghly entertaining film set the vogue for the many screw-ball comedies of the thirties and forties. It was the first of it's kind and possibly the best. And much of it's success was due I think to the performance of Clark Gable, playing a alcoholic reporter with an eye for a good story. How I wish he had done more light-comedy instead of allowing himself to be steered into the tough, macho, Rhett Butler type roles.

This very enjoyable film gets off to a good start with it's opening scene in which we are shown Gable, as Peter Warne, standing in a phone-booth, drunk, arguing with his belligerent editor who has just sacked him, while outside wait a gang of his admiring cronies. When the exasperated editor rings off, Gable unwilling to admit defeat, continues an imaginary conversation which he brings to an apparently triumphant conclusion. This so delights his cronies that they carry him away shoulder-high chanting, "Make way for the king." thus, presumably, originating his tag as "The King of Hollywood."

This too must have been the first "Road" film. He meets on a crowded bus,
Ellie Andrews, beautifully played by Claudet Colbert, a recalcitrant, snobbish and spoilt wealthy heiress who is on the run from her domineering father who has sent two detectives in pursuit and put out a reward for her "recapture". She is suspicious of everyone and initially treats Peter Warne with disdain. But through a whole series of misadventures during which he consistently demonstrates he is on her side, he eventually wins her over and she agrees to give him the story he needs. But will she give him anything more? To find out we are kept in suspense until the very last minute.

There are many memorable scenes in this film and here are a few of my favourites: his sublimely ridiculous altercation with a monosyllabic bus-driver, played by Ward Bond, who's repartee seems limited to two words, "Oh yeah?": the entertaining rendition by all the bus passengers of "The Man on the Flying Trapeze." with individuals poping up to do their own thing: the ride they hitch from a boisterous and deceptively friendly car-driver, played by Alan Hale: and the scene in which when two of her dad's detectives knock on the door of their chalet in an "Auto-Park" they instantly transform themselves into a long-time married couple who are not getting on too well - she a cowed and miserable wife and he a loud-mouthed and bullying husband. Marvellous stuff.

38 One of the truly greatest movies of all time
o.k. both, Casablanca and Gone with the Wind are great movies, but this one tops both as a classic, Frank Capra's first acknowledged masterpiece which won all of the important Academy Awards (5) for the first time. The acting and the scenario is so natural and believable, especially the relationship that develops between the characters played by Gable and Colbert. It's a pity these two great stars didn't act opposite each other in another comedy again (imagine them in a film by Preston Sturges or Mitchell Leisen! Gable would have been excellent in Don Ameche's role in Leisen's "Midnight"). Sadly, the only other movie which starred both, was a so-so adenture-drama yarn called "Boom Town", at Metro. You must watch the crystal clear copy of the DVD version, it's a must for all of us who had to watch for years those bad copies they showed in TV.

39 Practically perfect in every way
I watched this last night for the first time and I'm getting all goose-bumpy just thinking about how much I liked it. I borrowed the DVD but I'm definitely going to get my own copy, because I know I'll want to watch this one again and again. Everything in this film clicks: the dialogue is sharp and witty yet believable, the actors are at the top of their game (why couldn't Gable have done more comedy? He absolutely shines!), and the scenes they generate are warm and real. I don't know what to say that hasn't been said before so I'll just repeat what everyone else has said for the last 60+ years. How can you not love the famous Walls of Jericho scene with the oh so shirtless oh so sexy Mr. Gable? How can you not love the warm and wonderful whimsy of the singing they do on the bus ("He flies through the air with the greatest of ease, the daring young man on the flying trapeze")? How can you not love the hitch-hiking scene? Or the bit about piggybackers? Or the carrots? Or the operatic fellow who gives them a lift? Or the humorously lecherous Mr. Shapely? The scene on the bus is so wonderfully Capraesque with its fun, gentle warmth; you find yourself wishing you could have been on that bus with those people on that night singing that song about the flying trapeze. In this regard it reminds me of the swimming pool/dancing scene in It's a Wonderful Life. Capra was so good at generating this kind of magic!

There is a wonderful comic chemistry between Clark and Claudette. Their timing is impeccable and they seem like old hands who've been working together for ages. Naturally there's a fair amount of sexual chemistry, too. I never knew so much could be accomplished between two people on opposite sides of a wool blanket utilizing the different effects of shade and light. The few scenes that could be classified as traditional love scenes are done with such a light, tender hand; they're passionate yet sweet and simple. Mr. Capra clearly knew his business.

The DVD itself features a nice bit of reminiscing from Frank Capra, Jr. He gives some inside information on how the film came to be and talks a bit about the stars and how his father utilized their talents. It also features a radio recording of the film done by the principal stars, along with some very cool images of vintage advertising from the time of the film's release.

40 A highly recommended Capra classic!
This is one of my favorite all time movies and to see it on DVD makes it much more special in the next viewing and another viewing later on with commentary from Frank Capra, Jr.

The movie deserves every Academy Award it has won and also to be recognized as one of the top 100 movies of all time by the American Film Institute.

The movie's video and audio has been digitally remastered and the special features was very nice to see. Especially the "Frank Capra Jr. Remembers" segment, the trailers, vintage advertising and the original live radio broadcast is an even added bonus. As well as the commentary by Frank Capra's son.

What I found quite interesting is to learn the behavior by our two main thespians behind-the-scenes especially with Claudette Colbert.

Otherwise it's a great movie classic that people should see!

41 Comedy that keeps the viewers's attention throughout
Overall a good movie. I wanted to see this movie because it was the first movie to win all 5 Oscars at the Academy Awards. I really did not expect too much out of it, because movies from that time era usually did not have too much depth or plot other than a simple "love story." However, I have to comment that Claudette Colbert earned a well-deserved Oscar for her fantastic performance. Clark Gable for Best Actor??????-I strongly disagree with that. His performance was rather underwhelming and lacking of the special spark that made Colbert light up the screen. Best Picture---why not??? Best Director for Frank Capra and Best Screenplay-both well-deserved awards. Overall, an enjoyable movie, but there should have been a different male lead.

42 CLARK + CLAUDETTE = FUN~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
What a great film ! The chemistry and dialogue that exists between Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable is amazingly BRILLIANT and FUNNY! This is the type of black and white film that can be watched forever and ever and never seem "dated" and out of touch w/recent times: after all, its been almost 7O years since this movie was made and it still ranks up there w/ some of the best comedies of today! I wasn't even born when the movie was made but I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to watch it again and again! If that doesn't convince you, this video won 5 Oscars: Best Actor (GABLE), Best Actress (COLBERT), Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay!!

Here's a little summary for those who don't know what its about. Claudette Colbert plays Ellie Andrews, a rich, spoiled heiress running away from her family. During the trip, on a bus, she meets street-smart reporter Peter Warne, played by the handsome Clark Gable. Ellie is definitely NOT street-smart, and she's having a few problems, so Peter agrees to help her out and travel w/ her in exchange for an exclusive story. They go through many adventures together, despising each other along the way, until they find that they are reluctantly falling in love and afraid to admit it to each other...besides its a little bit more complicated since she's a married woman. AN EXCELLENT FILM, WITH A PERFECT ENDING-ONE OF GABLE'S BEST!! I GIVE IT A PERFECT 5 STARS!! AAA+++++

43 This film is the first modern romantic comedy.
In "It Happened One Night," Frank Capra invented the screen romantic comedy as we know it. Every boy-and-girl story from the mid-1930s on owes a debt to this graceful, witty, pleasing story of a runaway heiress and a wisecracking reporter who uncovers her secret. All of Capra's major themes are here--his celebration of spontaneity, charity and common friendliness; his depiction of how too much money can warp the human spirit--without the heavy-handedness or sentimentality that overwhelmed some of his later work. Clark Gable's blustery, smooth-talking masculinity and Claudette Colbert's sassy yet wistful delicacy are utterly perfect for this movie, and add immeasurably to its enchanting spell. This was the first movie to make a clean sweep of the Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress Oscars, and it was eminently deserving of that honor. Even today the movie seems modern and freshly minted, and it connects better with audiences than any other film of its era.

44 Oh yeah? Yeah!
To say that this light-hearted comedy doesn't "age a bit" is overstating the matter, but the overwhelming influence wrought by the success of the film makes it worth noting. Still, the age of the film is both part of its charm and part of its burden. The images of Depression-era travel and mores are fascinating, but I cringed at the multiple references to light violence as the cure to one character's spoiled nature. Also worth noting, though, is that none of this occurs on screen.

Clark Gable, sporting some sort of "Snideley Whiplash" moustache, puts in a very compelling performance as the rebellious reporter. Claudette Colbert hits several different notes, sometimes seemingly at random, as the spoiled banker's daughter who is trying to find a way to live with herself. She gets away with it because she manages to give full weight to the character. Both actors are fascinating to watch.

Everybody has their favorite scenes. For stark contrast, I like to think of the intensity which Gable and Colbert throw into their act when attempting to fool the detectives looking for them. Following that with the sweet gloating on Colbert's face after she's managed to hitch a ride for them.

I'm no fan of Capra, but he acquits himself okay here, staging some scenes rather cleverly, and, I think. It is a testament to his abilities that so many of the sketches placed throughout the movie have become ingrained in popular culture. In casting extras, every face is magnificent, every small role has the potential to leap out and be as startling as Smooth-Talkin' Shapeley, or the mad singing driver who picks up the hitchhikers.

Finally, the DVD transfer is pretty good, with sound better than you'll probably get anywhere else. The menu interface is very irritating if navigating by mouse on your computer.

45 WINNER - 1934 Picture of the Year "THE TOP 5 OSCARS" !!!!
"It Happen One Night" won the top 5 Oscars of 1934. Best Picture, Best Director - Frank Capra, Best Actor - Clark Gable, Best Actress - Claudette Colbert & Screen Play. This is one of the best "screwball comedies" ever. (Screwball (Black) comedy was a type of comedy introduced during the Depression years (1930's) depicting strange scenarios, characters with twists and bazaar (screwball) plots).

In summary; Rich, spoiled,runaway heiress Ellie (Colbert) & a newspaper reporter, Peter (Gable) have a chance meeting on a bus & end up together on a crazy romantic journey. They are totally mismatched and in an adversarial relationship. Their trek takes them through the Depression countryside of America where Ellie gets a strong dose of reality. As events unfurl & situations occur they become involved & the rest is cinematic history.

This DVD is one of the best ever. The picture & sound quality rival being at the original showing. Probally because it is digitalized better!!!. The extras, including a radio broadcast show with Gable and Colbert & one of the best movie commentaries by Frank Capra Jr. (Frank Sr's, son)are added treats to enjoy. A great value DVD.

This is a great way to enjoy the Hollywood of the 30's and the stellar cast performing perfectly.

46 Archetypal.
*It Happened One Night* is the archetype of the romantic comedy form. It's the story of a pretty heiress (Claudette Colbert) who runs away from her rather arranged wedding. She's pursued by an unapologetically grouchy young newspaperman played marvelously by Clark Gable. Really, what else can be said? A masterpiece on every level, this old movie could teach its current imitators a thing or two about characterization, plot, real romance, and intelligent dialogue (the script by Robert Riskin rises at times to near-Shakespearean comic levels). It gets better: director Frank Capra paints a broad canvas of American life in the Depression. Location shots abound. It's rare that an old studio picture like this, especially a romantic comedy, gets so much FRESH AIR. The cinematography is matches the bold conception. (Watch for the scene where Gable carries Colbert across the river at night. Verrry nice.)

Colbert learns a lot about life during her exile with Gable, away from her castle in the air and on the road. (Oh, it's also an archetypal ROAD movie, as well.) Most importantly, she learns what it takes to be in Real Love, and finds, to her surprise and our delight, that she HAS what it takes. Say much the same for the movie itself. Add *It Happened One Night* to your collection.

47 Excellent!
This film is still hilarious long after its initial release. Clark Gable is fantastic as a salty newspaper reporter traveling with a runaway heiress, played wonderfully by Claudette Colbert. They fight and fall in love while traveling from Miami to New York. This is a must have for all Clark Gable or Claudette Colbert fans! A classic example of 1930's comedy!

48 Oh What A Night Indeed!
When you hear the phrase uttered "they don't make'em like they used to," films like It Happened One Night come immediately to mind. This 1934 classic has it all: great writing, direction, stars, character actors, cinematography, you name it. If Clark Gable hadn't made Gone With The Wind five years later, this may have been the performance he'd be most remembered by. As down-on-his-luck newspaperman Peter Warren, Gable is at his best. As the spoiled, rich heiress Ellie Andrews, Claudette Colbert is his equal. Her character is tough, yet vulnerable, spoiled, but lovable, sexy and innocent, and incredibly appealing. Filled with classics scenes that are laugh-out-loud funny, this film is balanced by many poignant (Capraesque) scenes as well. The dialogue, direction, and pacing are first-rate (there's never a dull moment), and the chemistry between the two leads is wonderful. Both Gable and Colbert appear to be having the time of their lives. The most famous scene is probably where Colbert stops a car with her beautiful legs when Gable's thumb doesn't get the job done, but there are many more to savor. When Gable and Colbert pretend to be a feuding married couple, it's hard to keep a straight face and admire the ease at which they pull off this ruse. Other memorable scenes include Alan Hale singing "young people in love are very seldom hungry," Colbert's fiancee arriving at the wedding in the "Autogyro," and Gable pretending to be a gangster to scare away an amorous traveling salesman (trying to snag Colbert). And who can forget the Walls of Jericho? But my favorite has to be the bus ride sing-a-long where everyone joins in to sing "The Man on the Flying Trapeze"; it's an absolute gem. There isn't enough to say about this wonderful picture. After almost 70 years, It Happened One Night is as fresh as ever. Of all the screwball comedies to come out of Hollywood in the 1930s, this one is in a league of its own. And how many of today's movies have women's roles the equal of Colbert's? She is more than set decoration; she's an essential part of the film. Without her cool, sophisticated performance, Gable's everyman would seem less than it is. A film that truly deserved every Academy Award it received, It Happened One Night is a movie that will live on forever.

49 Still Great After Nearly Seventy Years
It Happened One Night has aged very well, and it remains as funny and sexy as when it first premiered in 1934. Claudette Colbert stars as an heiress on the run, trying to get away from her controlling father who does not approve of the man she has quickly married. While on a bus to New York to return to her new husband, she becomes entangled with news reporter Clark Gable, a man who feels only contempt for her (at first), but who won't pass up a good story. Colbert and especially Gable are in top form, displaying a terrific chemistry in Frank Capra's comedy. The scenes I enjoyed are the same as everyone else - the walls of Jericho and Colbert's method for hitch-hiking. But my favourite scene is in the cabin when they pretend to be a bickering married couple to throw off investigators looking for her. Their "improv" is hysterical. I can't believe that after almost seventy years, this film has not dated. Give credit to Capra, writer Robert Riskin, and of course, the star combination. Watch this video when you get a chance!

50 The Ultimate Battle Of The Sexes Comedy, Priceless!
One of Capra's best. Still as fresh and delightful as ever. One of the funniest of the screwball comedies and the ultimate battle of the sexes (and of the classes) comedy. Less capraesque than his other classics, namely `Mr. Smith Goes To Washington', `Mr. Deeds Goes to Town' and `It's a Wonderful Life'. And Capra's usual Capra corn is toned down but still the working middle class every man (Gable) is portrayed as the righteous hero and rich and stuffy Colbert is portrayed as confused and stubborn. A priceless comedy that hasn't aged one bit, it also features two of the silver screen's greatest stars; Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Filled with lots of memorable scenes with Colbert and Gable's amusing verbal riffs in between. The most memorable are the 'walls of Jericho'. Also with memorable routines such as Gable showing Colbert how to 'dunk right', teaching her 'how a man undresses', how to 'piggy back ride' and of course their hitch-hiking travails that ends with the unforgettable image of Colbert using her legs to get a ride proving once and for all that 'the limb is mightier than the thumb'. Colbert and Gable were in peak form and have rarely been better or funnier than here. Claudette Colbert has always had and innocent sexiness to her personality and it is never more evident than here, she is one of the 'cutest' of all the female screen legends. Clark Gable is also excellent and his strong cinematic presence is greatly appreciated, it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Maybe it's because Gable wasn't 'playing' the part of Peter Warren, Peter Warren 'was' Gable. Probably the first great romantic comedy and still one of the best. Along with Wilder's 'Some Like It Hot' this is as close as a comedy has come to being called 'perfect'. Also famous for being the first picture to win 'the top 5' Oscars which are best picture, director, actor, actress and screenplay. This didn't happen again until 40 years later with 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' and then 15 years later with 'The Silence Of The Lambs'. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 10!

51 It happened To Me!
I can't believe it. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The DVD is superb and the acting is great. The characters are extremely interesting and the movie will amaze you. The extras the DVD has is great especially Frank Capra Jr. talking. I am sorry but there are very few movies today as good as the ones of yesteryear and this one is supreme!

52 Simply The Best
I don't claim be a movie expert, but this is the best film I have ever seen. I already owned a VHS copy, but on buying a DVD player I paid good money to have this disc shipped to me in England - and boy was it worth it! The picture quality is as good as you will find anywhere and the sound is superb too. The DVD is also jam-packed with extra features. The film's commentary is provided by Frank Capra Jr. He has a wonderfully relaxed style and doesn't just sound as if he's reading from a prepared script. Along with Ron Howard's commentary for Apollo 13, this is the best DVD commentary I have heard to date. A special feature unique amongst DVDs must be the radio version of 'It Happened One Night', first broadcast in 1939, again starring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable. Whoever had the idea of including this on the DVD deserves a salary rise. The disc also includes trailers, cast lists, some beautifully illustrated posters and also a Frank Capra Jr introduction. This really is an extremely impressive package of Frank Capra's masterpiece.

53 Wow! I never knew this film was so good!
We always hear so much about classics like Casablanca, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Gone With the Wind. Of course these are fantastic pictures and (in my opinion) have become classics because of the element of raw, smoldering passion that filmmakers were generally afraid to unleash in that era, but which was always well received (after the controversy died down). It Happened One Night (while not as heavily referenced today as the three above)has that, and it also has a very intelligent and hilarious script. There are no boring lulls or wordy monologues. Just a great story that sets the pattern for many movies we love in the decades since such as Sleepless in Seattle or When Harry Met Sally. Clark Gable is at his best, and the chemistry between he and Claudette Colbert is undeniable. One of my favorite scenes is when the detectives enter their motel room searching for Ellie, and the two of them pretend they are a quarreling underclass married couple. When the detectives finally walk out, the body language exchanged belies an obvious off-screen rapport between the two actors. I'm proud to own a copy of this film... you will be too!

54 snapshot of the 30's
the dvd transfer of this is absolutely amazing. it's hard to believe it's from 1934. some of the night scenes are a little fuzzy, but nothing major. gable is great but colbert steals the show. a very funny film which lacks the stilted conservativeness of the 40's and 50's.

55 Very Entertaining
This classic is still very funny. The chemistry between Gable and Colbert is great.

56 A Timeless Comedy
More than any movie from the 1930s, this Frank Capra film has not dated at all. In spite of 60 plus years of "romantic comedies" which have followed "It Happened One Night," it remains fresh and laugh-out-loud funny. Clark Gable is at his most charming as the scheming newspaper reporter who hopes to get the inside scoop on the "brat," played beautifully by Claudette Colbert, who is on the run from her millionaire father. This Frank Capra films still makes us laugh because he so humorously shows us that while men and women are different, for some reason they can't live without one another even though they can, as here, drive each other crazy. The hitchhiking scene and the scene where Gable and Colbert pretend they are married are timeless classics. Columbia Classics has done a wonderful job of presenting the best print we can probably expect 60 years on. The disc also contains a commentary from Capra's son, Frank Capra, Jr. and a "remembrance" of the film. I cannot recommend this movie enough.

57 A Delightful Romp in Lucious Black and White!
This is a thoroughly delightful picture, with fantastic values in every department. The limpid black and white highlights Frank Capra's fantastic visions. Claudette Colbert has never been better, in this complicated role highlighting such diverse character aspects as spoiled brat, breathless young lover, frustrated ingenue, and helpless waif. Clark Gable is just right as the tough--and volnerable--reporter.

The transfer to DVD is awesome, and includes good extras including trailer, lobby cards, and Frank Capra Jr.'s recollections.

58 It's a Wonderful DVD
More than six decades after its original release, "It Happened One Night" still sparkles like a newly minted coin. It's romantic, witty, sophisticated ... and certain key scenes (especially Clark Gable's gangster impression and Claudette Colbert's hitch-hiking lesson) remain laugh-out-loud funny. A near perfect blend of script, direction, and performance, it deservedly swept the top five 1934 Academy Awards. One statue that it wasn't even nominated for, and should have won, was for Joseph Walker's Cinematography; his masterful camerawork makes this movie glisten and shine.

The DVD transfer is amazingly beautiful. There are a few shots that appear to be slightly grainy and one or two jumps in the soundtrack, but those are minor quibbles. I've watched this film several times over the past twenty years -- in a revival theatre, on satellite, and on VHS -- and it's never looked as good as it does here. The DVD extras are icing on the cake: trailers for this film and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"; the teaser for "Lost Horizon"; a filmed commentary by Frank Capra, Jr.; and the 1939 Lux Theatre radio broadcast of the story. I especially enjoyed the advertising archive section, which included color reproductions of the original one-sheet posters and lobby cards. Overall, this disc is a great example of the DVD format at its finest, and a most worthy presentation of a genuine Hollywood classic.

59 Worthwhile purchase for Capra buffs
I just watched the DVD version of this light-hearted gem last night for the first time. My first impressions: -Picture quality is usually amazing (considering the film was first released in 1934), but there are several one-shot scenes where the print lapses into the grainy quality one has become accustomed to in the VHS releases of the film. Strange for a "digitally remastered" transfer, and irritating, but not a fatal flaw. -Sound quality is also very good considering the age of the film (soundtrack also"digitally remastered") -Extras are interesting, especially the Lux Theatre radio broadcast (1939) with Claudette and Clark reprising their film roles. Making-of documentary is also interesting. The only criticism I make is the film commentary should have been done by someone instead of or in addition to Frank Capra Jr.- he repeats facts already stated in the documentary short and is silent for several minutes in places. A knowledgable Capra buff/film critic (I know you're out there!) would have been a welcome addition to the commentary. Final verdict: A vast improvement over past VHS versions of this classic romantic comedy, and certainly a worthwhile purchase.

60 ONE OF THE ALL TIME BEST, BUT HOW'S THE DVD?
TRULY ONE OF THE ALL TIME BEST FILMS EVER TO COME OUT OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA. BUT HAS ANYONE SEEN THE NEWLY RELEASED DVD VERSION? HOW IS THE PRINT AND AUDIO? KEEP THOSE REVIEWS COMING IN, THEY ARE VERY HELPFUL - AND THANK YOU, AMAZON, FOR PROVIDING US WITH THIS VALUABLE SERVICE.

61 supernova!
The movie is centered around a very wealthy father's spoiled "escape artist" of a daughter and her runaway quest to get to the man she loves. on the way, she finds a friend, her first true friend, and things begin to change. Brilliant! a jewel for the entire family, or a group of freinds, or a young couple,or by yourself. *sigh* my favourite movie of all time

62 AN ENCHANTING COMEDY.
A thoroughly entertaining and beautifully acted battle of the sexes comedy classic. When Claudette Colbert finished making this film, she told her friends: "I've just finished the worst picture in the world!" She was nominated for an academy award and at the ceremonies,she was dressed in a traveling suit,ready to catch a train. Later in the evening, the French-born Colbert (31) was presented the academy award for the best actress of 1934 (six-year old Shirley Temple handed it to her). Gable, who was on suspension from Metro won for best actor. It was also the best picture, and Capra won as best director. The movie is actually noted for the fact that men's undershirt sales dwindled considerably when Gable revealed his bare chest! Although the film has a rather faded, dated air, it remains highly entertaining and strangely magical. I have high hopes for the yet-to-be released DVD print; CLARITY is just what this movie needs! I always get a kick out of Roscoe Karns who plays Oscar Shapely (Believe you me!) He says that remark to Ellie once to often and she replies heatedly "Believe you me!-you bore me to distraction!" Gable is usual terrific self as Pete Warne to which Ellie says "Your ego is colassal" to which Pete replies good naturedly "Yeah....not bad.....How's yours?" I felt Claudette could have been photographed in a more flattering way during the scene in which she tells Pete that she loves him - she looked almost unappealing. The mock fight scene is terrific as is the classic hitchhiking bit. Nobody could forgive Ellie for marrying that worm King Wesley - they REALLY made him something mealy and nasty.

63 They don't make them like this any more.
Well, maybe they do. While You Were Sleeping is the exception. Most other love stories are either selfish or politically correct. This movie is neither. Clark and Cloudette work well together. Human emotion is the best special effect you can see on the screen. The overall feel of the movie is wonderful. I saw it as a child on TV and rediscovered it when I was 18. I loved it ever since.

64 The first American Classic
This film is the oldest movie that is still watchable. A great film. Much better than most today. Colbert is immortalized.

65 "A Great Classic"
If you have never seen this movie, go get it! It's truly an enduring movie and a masterpiece for all times. My brother said that back when you didn't have special effects and explosions, all you could rely on was the charm and talent of the actors/actresses and the wit of the dialogue between them. Nothing else can explain this movie better. There is no doubt that this movie was and is influential. I only wish that it was available in widescreen (I hope the status of the original reel is okay)...

66 Wonderful Movie!
This movie is a relief from the in-your-face sexuality of today's films with its wit and subtle sensuality. Clark Gable is a charming fast-talker, and Colbert presents the perfect picture of a spoiled heiress. It has most definitely withstood the test of time!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington