Directed by Preston Sturges The characters of The Palm Beach Story are both practical and delusional. They tirelessly seek various fortunes, both financial and spiritual, but do so through the most inane of means, which is a given for a comedy such as this. The character, it seems, must be consumed by the task before them, … Continue reading The Palm Beach Story (1942)
screwball comedy
Brewster McCloud (1970)
Directed by Robert Altman The dreamers don't win in Robert Altman's mind bending, logic-defying, establishment-challenging Brewster McCloud. The slapstick story, complete with gags straight out of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner (similar to Peter Bogdanovich's What's Up Doc?) combines farce with pathos. It's the story of Brewster McCloud (Bud Cort), a lonely young man who doesn't … Continue reading Brewster McCloud (1970)
Fletch (1985)
Directed by Michael Ritchie Fletch is a bit of a screwball noir comedy, traversing much the same terrain as Jake Gittes and Philip Marlowe. He's a journalist in the mold of Woodward & Bernstein but takes his investigation to the extreme, donning a variety of disguises and alter egos. He becomes a detective, not because the … Continue reading Fletch (1985)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Directed by Howard Hawks There's a moment in His Girl Friday, Howard Hawks' fast-talking screwball comedy, in which Cary Grant looks like he's about to break. It's a scene in which two reporters working together are delighted to confront the mayor with evidence of his own political corruption. They are proud of themselves, to be sure, … Continue reading His Girl Friday (1940)
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Directed by Howard Hawks Bringing Up Baby is a screwball romantic comedy between a paleontologist and the free spirit daughter of a wealthy family. In other words its Ross and Rachel. Cary Grant plays David Huxley, the button-down, stressed-out paleontologist, and Katharine Hepburn plays Susan Vance, the reckless, lovestruck niece of the woman David hopes to … Continue reading Bringing Up Baby (1938)
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