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Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Helen Mack ... see more see more... , Porter Hall , John Qualen , Ernest Truex , Clarence Kolb , Cliff Edwards , Roscoe Karns , Frank Jenks , Regis Toomey , Abner Biberman , Frank Orth , Alma Kruger , Billy Gilbert , Pat West , Edwin Maxwell , Irving Bacon , Wade Boteler , Edmund Cobb , Ralph Dunn , Earl Dwire , Pat Flaherty , Eddie Hart , Marion Martin

The second screen version of the Ben Hecht/Charles MacArthur play The Front Page, His Girl Friday changed hard-driving newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson from a man to a woman, transforming the story in... read more read more...to a scintillating battle of the sexes. Rosalind Russell plays Hildy, about to foresake journalism for marriage to cloddish Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). Cary Grant plays Walter Burns, Hildy's editor and ex-husband, who feigns happiness about her impending marriage as a ploy to win her back. The ace up Walter's sleeve is a late-breaking news story concerning the impending execution of anarchist Earl Williams (John Qualen), a blatant example of political chicanery that Hildy can't pass up. The story gets hotter when Williams escapes and is hidden from the cops by Hildy and Walter--right in the prison pressroom. His Girl Friday may well be the fastest comedy of the 1930s, with kaleidoscope action, instantaneous plot twists, and overlapping dialogue. And if you listen closely, you'll hear a couple of "in" jokes, one concerning Cary Grant's real name (Archie Leach), and another poking fun at Ralph Bellamy's patented "poor sap" screen image. Subsequent versions of The Front Page included Billy Wilder's 1974 adaptation, which restored Hildy Johnson's manhood in the form of Jack Lemmon, and 1988's Switching Channels, which cast Burt Reynolds in the Walter Burns role and Kathleen Turner as the Hildy Johnson counterpart. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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89% liked it

22,046 ratings

Critics

97% liked it

38 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Howard Hawks

Release Date: January 18, 1940

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DVD Release Date: December 28, 2004

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Stats: 1,527 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,527)

  • spielberg00
    December 18, 2011
    spielberg00
    Fast-paced screwball of a romantic comedy (and widely considered the first ever) elicits more laughs than many comedies today. The best part about HIS GIRL FRIDAY is that not only does it try for humor, it succeeds at almost every try. Look back at today's romantic comedies: it... read more's more often than not that one of them fails at much of its humor. In fact, this film makes modern rom-coms look downright dreadful.

    Full Review: http://wp.me/p1Urcx-y8
  • bottcorecords1
    August 16, 2011
    bottcorecords1
    Snappy dialogue and a quick-witted script highlight this film from 1940. Based on a play called "The Front Page", director Howard Hawks' "His Girl Friday" takes a comedically serious look at the sleezy world of yellow journalism. Star reporter Hildy (Rosalind Russell) is quitti... read moreng the newspaper business to go lead a respectable life as the wife of insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy). However, her former boss (and ex-husband) Walter would rather she forget all this respectability business and come back to work for him (and also marry him again). The story he hopes will bring her back is the execution of cop murderer Earl Williams (John Qualen). Walter is fighting to get a pardon for Williams, who killed a "colored" cop and the mayor is only trying to get him executed because of the election coming up (because the colored vote is very strong in that town). Apparently, Williams was driven "crazy" because of all the hard times poor people must face, and when a gun was placed in his hand, he was compelled to use it. I guess all this is logical by 1930s standards, but many of these plot details had me cringing. There's a strange amoral morality at work with these characters. They do horrible things to innocent people to get what they want, but I suppose since they're the heroes of the film, we're supposed to root for them. The story is good however, I wonder if it might've been a better drama than screwball comedy.
  • TomBowler
    July 31, 2011
    TomBowler
    And you thought the Social Network was fast. Full review later.
  • FilmFanatik
    May 10, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    Witty banter abound in this noirish classic. I can't believe that people can springboard of each other that perfectly, but then again being an actor in that day and age meant really being on top of your game if you were to survive. Thankfully this film has survived many, many y... read moreears later. The plot sort of gets lost and difficult to follow at times, but I was in it for its wit, which is more prevalent than a conventional story of its type usually is.
  • garyX
    March 2, 2011
    garyX
    A hard nosed newspaper woman decides to quit to marry and settle down, but when a death row inmate escapes and lands in her lap things get a little more complicated. His Girl Friday features one of the great screwball partnerships of all time as Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell bi... read morecker and swap wisecracks faster than a pair of Grouchos on amphetamines. Russell is a wonderfully independent female lead, giving as good as she gets from Grant's hilariously immoral and hustling newspaper editor. Beneath the fast paced laughs there is also plenty of black comedy and social satire to be had, poking fun at the media's attitude to what is "newsworthy", political corruption and a veiled commentary on the validity of the death penalty. Which all may go relatively unnoticed as you'll probably find yourself laughing too hard! The slightly flimsy plot gets a little lost underneath all the breathless banter and it's nowhere near as funny when Grant and Russell are not together on screen but as a whole, it's classic comedy.
  • fb619846742
    February 23, 2011
    fb619846742
    An overall outstanding, impressive film dealing with a conniving newspaper editor (Cary Grant) who schemes to keep his ex-wife and star reporter (Rosalind Russell) around after she tells him that she plans on leaving town and getting married to her fiance (Ralph Bellamy) the next... read more day. While at times this movie approaches "incomprehensible" territory in the sense that sometimes you have absolutely no idea what is going on because each one the characters is talking at such a rapid speed, it is still an enjoyable ride that movies at a very fast pace. Cary Grant gives a stellar performance as a frustrated, ruthless individual who will do any thing to try to jump-start his relationship with his ex-wife. Russell is equally impressive, and the story is absolutely funny on a consistent basis, thanks mostly to Grant's facial expressions and timing. It is not the four-star classic many feel it is (mainly because much of the dialogue is not understandable, and it doesn't feel natural all the time, it feels sort of forced for the sake of being "different"), but it is still an overall very well done comedy that is certainly worth a view.
  • rubystevens
    October 11, 2010
    rubystevens
    this might be my favorite screwball comedy, just as funny as ever, with a sharp underpinning of social commentary. grant's flow is fantastic here and russell is with him every step of the way. shame this was their only film together; they're a great pair. lines fly so thick an... read mored fast several viewings are essential. far superior to the remake with matthau and lemmon called the front page
  • ajv2688
    September 29, 2010
    ajv2688
    This fast paced comedy feels a bit rushed at times, but they're only trying to give you the same feeling that the reporters have about having to rush all the time, which is cool. Great cast. This is a must see movie.
  • FrizzDrop
    August 2, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    More famous for Gypsy and Mame, Rosalind Russell plays bumbling perfectly. Cary Grant, as always is male, ego driven, and chauvinistic, in the best possible way. Howard Hawks directs the masterpiece.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    July 2, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Best screwball comedy I have seen yet. Howard Hawks is utterly brilliant and before his time in this. Grant is phenomenal. I could watch this movie every day for the rest of my life and still laugh at all the jokes.

View All His Girl Friday Reviews

Critic Reviews

Nick Pinkerton
December 15, 2009
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice

The movie bears reviewing because there's always something new in the confetti of one-liners, while its depiction of the Fourth Estate remains relevant. Full Review

Dave Kehr
April 2, 2008
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

Cary Grant's performance is truly virtuoso -- stunning technique applied to the most challenging material. Full Review

Variety Staff
April 2, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety

Casting is excellent, with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in the top roles. Full Review

Frank S. Nugent
May 20, 2003
Frank S. Nugent, New York Times

It takes you by the scruff of the neck in the first reel and it shakes you madly, bellowing hoarsely the. while, for the remaining six or seven. Before it's over you don't know whether you have been l... Full Review

Heather Boerner
December 18, 2010
Heather Boerner, Common Sense Media

Sassy, screwball classic with a feminist twist. Full Review

Josh Larsen
October 13, 2010
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm

Have the movies ever talked this quickly, before or since? Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf
December 16, 2009
Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York

One is tempted to throw away any semblance of persuasion and simply demand that you go see this movie. Full Review

Rob Nelson
September 1, 2009
Rob Nelson, minnpost.com

The ultimate lesson of His Girl Friday--that it's tougher to manage a marriage than a newspaper--looks in 2008 like pure nostalgia. Full Review

April 2, 2008
Film4

A delirious joy. Full Review

Raoul Hernandez
April 2, 2008
Raoul Hernandez, Austin Chronicle

It's exactly the type of craziness that good newspapers thrive on. Stop the presses. Full Review

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His Girl Friday Trivia

  • which actor starred in all of these movies? Father Goose, Indiscreet, The Grass is Greener and, His Girl Friday  Answer »
  • Who is Cary Grant's leading lady in His Girl Friday?  Answer »
  • Which fast-talking pair star in Howard Hawks' movie "His Girl Friday"?  Answer »
  • Which film did not come out in 1939?  Answer »
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